Hawaiian Name(s): laua‘e

Scientific Name: Phymatosorus grossus

Vernacular Name: maile-scented fern

Family: Polypodiaceae

Status: Post-contact naturalized

Authority: (Langsd. & Fisch.) Brownlie

Description: Fern.

Habitat This post-contact naturalized species is abundant in gardens and disturbed areas; from beaches to shaded mesic lowland forests and windswept ridges between 0–610 m (Valier 1995:34–35).

Medicines:

Non Medicinal Uses: Used for hula altars (kuahu) and as hula adornment (Pukui 1942), scenting kapa and for lei (Valier 1995:34–35)

Specific gravity of wood: unknown

Famous Locations: Makana, Hanalei, Kaua‘i;

Mele: "Laua‘e ‘a‘ala o Makana" line in "He Inoa no Ka‘iulani" "E ho‘opili ana me ka laua‘e" line in "Ka Ua Loku" "Ke 'ala laua‘e, ‘ea ‘ea/ ‘O ka pua mokihana, ‘ea ‘ea" line in "Na Hala o Naue" (Elbert & Mahoe 1970).

`Ōlelo Noeau:

Dye Color and Parts:

Kino lau:

Location on Bishop Museum Kalihi Campus: numerous places: the courtyard, next to upper parking lot

Propagation Information: Laua‘e can thrive in graden soil, potting mox, or uncut moss that is well-drained; moist to moist/dry. Lighting should be medium to high (Hoshizaki & Moran 2002:387).