Wehewehe Wikiwiki Hawaiian language dictionaries

1. n., A weedy kind of verbena (Verbena litoralis 🌐), from tropical America, with square stems 30 cm to 2 m high, toothed oblong leaves, and narrow flower spikes bearing tiny blue flowers. Hawaiians use it for cuts and bruises, applying the juice externally and later sprinkling the affected area with powdered pia root.

• Related:
  • Also: oī, haʻuōwī.
• References:
  • Neal 721–2.

2. n., The Jamaica vervain (Stachytarpheta jamaicensis 🌐), another kind of weedy verbena also from tropical America, similar to the above, but with oval toothed leaves, and tiny blue flowers borne on longer, narrower spikes. It is not used medicinally by Hawaiians.

• Related:
  • Also: oī.
• References:
  • Neal 725.

3. nvi., Cry of the bird ʻōʻū; to cry, of the ʻōʻū.

• Related:
  • Also: oī.

Weedy verbena (Verbena litoralis). (NEAL 721.) See Plants: Uses.

Tropical plant (Verbena litoralis). (NEAL 721.)

Weedy verbena (Verbena litoralis), a tropical American plant. It grows to 6 feet, with paired, long-stalked, narrow heads bearing tiny blue flowers. Hawaiians used the plants medicinally for skin ailments, applying the juice externally, and later sprinkling the affected area with powdered pia root. (NEAL 721.)

See oi in Plants: Herbs.