NAME:

Hawaiian:     Pōpolo kū mai, pōpolo

English:        Thorny popolo

Latin:            Solanum incompletum

FAMILY:      Solanaceae

STATUS:       Endemic, Endangered

APPEARANCE:

Small shrub up to 3 meters tall that grows at 600 to 2020-meter elevation.

Flower:  Small white with gold stamen, orange seeds unlike the more common Popolo, which is purple.

Leaves:  The leaves of the plant from the island of Hawai‘i are scalloped with bright orange thorns protruding both from the top and bottom of the leaf.

CULTURAL/HISTORY USE:

There is a very unique history to this plant.  Originally it was found on all of the Islands except Ni‘ihau and Kaho‘olawe. A variety from the Island of Hawai‘i was thought to be extinct.  This plant was found again at Pohakuloa.  The variety from the Big Island has orange thorny leaves with orange berries.