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Cenchrus agrimonioides var. agrimonioides

Kāmanomano

Poaceae (Gramineae)

Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands (Oʻahu, Molokaʻi, Lānaʻi, Maui, Hawaiʻi Island--extinct)

IUCN: Critically Endangered

Oʻahu (Cultivated)

 

Closeup of flowers

www.flickr.com/photos/dweickhoff/4822635772/in/photostream/

 

Habit

www.flickr.com/photos/dweickhoff/4822635360/in/photostream/

 

Early Hawaiians pounded the leaves with salt to treat to wounds or sores. It was also used in bathing for maʻi ʻino (venereal disease). The bitter plant was mixed with ʻuala, pia and kō (sugar) for pāʻaoʻao (childhood disease, with physical weakness), and for killing worms and naio (pinworms) in the stomach.

 

Etymology

The generic name Cenchrus is derived from the Greek, kenchros, a name of a small millet or one of the cereals resembling a small millet used by ancient Greeks.

 

The specific epithet agrimonioides literally means "agrimony-like" or "resembling agrimony." The spikelets (fruit) of this grass do in fact resemble the burry fruit of the plant known as agrimony (Agrimonia spp.).

 

nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/view/Cenchrus_agrimonioides

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Uploaded on July 24, 2010
Taken on November 14, 2008