- Vaccinium reticulatum
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Vaccinium reticulatum 
Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae (unranked): Angiosperms (unranked): Eudicots (unranked): Asterids Order: Ericales Family: Ericaceae Genus: Vaccinium Species: V. reticulatum Binomial name Vaccinium reticulatum
Sm.Synonyms Vaccinium pahalae Skottsb.
Vaccinium peleanum
Vaccinium berberidifolium[1]Vaccinium reticulatum, known as ʻŌhelo ʻai in Hawaiian, is a species of flowering plant in the heather family, Ericaceae, that is endemic to Hawaii. It grows at altitudes of 640–3,700 m (2,100–12,100 ft) on lava flows and freshly disturbed volcanic ash on Maui and Hawaiʻi, and less commonly on Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, and Molokaʻi. Adaptations to volcanic activity include the ability to survive ash falls of over 25 cm (9.8 in) depth.
Contents
Description
ʻŌhelo ʻai is a shrub usually 0.1–1.3 m (0.33–4.3 ft) tall, rarely up to 2 m (6.6 ft). The leaves are evergreen, spirally arranged, leathery, oval, 1–3 cm (0.39–1.2 in) long, red when freshly emerging, then green or green with reddish patches. The flowers are bell-shaped, 8–12 mm (0.31–0.47 in) long, variable in color, red to yellow or pink.
Fruit
The fruit is an edible berry 8–14 mm (0.31–0.55 in) diameter, ranging in color from blue to purple to red to orange to yellow. The color does not necessarily indicate the ripeness of the berries. The berries taste similar to the related cranberries, less ripe ones being tart, while ripe berries are quite sweet. They are an important food source for the nēnē (Branta sandvicensis); the seeds are dispersed in the birds' droppings.
Uses
Oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPC) can be obtained by the mean of V. pahalae in vitro cell culture.[2]
References
- ^ Vaccinium pahalae on www.wolframalpha.com
- ^ Kandil, F. E.; Song, L.; Pezzuto, J. M.; Marley, K.; Seigler, D. S.; Smith, M. A. L. (2000). "Isolation of oligomeric proanthocyanidins from flavonoid-producing cell cultures". In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Plant 36: 492. doi:10.1007/s11627-000-0088-1.
- Plants of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park: Vaccinium reticulatum
- Invasion and Recovery of Vegetation after a Volcanic Eruption in Hawaii
- More pictures from www.HEAR.org.
- ITIS Report from USDA
External links
- "ʻŌhelo". Native Hawaiian Plants. Kapiʻolani Community College. http://old.kcc.hawaii.edu/campus/tour/plants/pohelo.htm.
- "Vaccinium reticulatum". Hawaiian Native Plant Propagation Database. University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. http://www2.hawaii.edu/~eherring/hawnprop/vac-reti.htm.
- "ohelo, ohelo kau laau (V. calycinum), olelo ai (V. reticulatum)". Hawaii Ethnobotany Online Database. Bernice P. Bishop Museum. http://www2.bishopmuseum.org/ethnobotanydb/resultsdetailed.asp?search=ohelo.
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