Manini-owali
General Characteristics: Medium in height to tall, moderately spreading, maturing within 9 to 12 months, producing from 2 to 5 oha; identified by yellowish-green to light red stripes on dark purplish background.
Petiole: 80 to 100 cm. long, broad at base tapering to a narrow, often curved apex, dark purple with yellowish green, light red, or sometimes quite indistinct stripes, pink to whitish at edge, a brilliant reddish-purple ring at base with lilac-pink for 1 to 2 cm. above.
Leaf blade: 50 to 60 cm. long, 35 to 40 cm. wide, 40 to 45 cm. from tip to base of sinus, sagittate, firm-chartaceous, dark green with bluish cast; margins undulate; piko purple; veins purple on lower surface; lobes acute with deep, narrow sinus.
Corm: Flesh white with pinkish tinge especially near apex, the fibers yellowish; skin lilac-pink with purple along leaf scars.
Inflorescence: Peduncle purplish-black or striped with purplish-black and yellowish-green or light red; spathe 26 to 30 cm. long, the lower tubular portion 4.5 to 5.5 cm. long, striped light green and purple with reddish-purple at base and constriction, the upper portion deep yellow or orange, sometimes with purplish margins, tightly rolled, open near constriction at maturity; spadix 10 to 11 cm. long, the sterile appendage 11 to 12 mm. long.
Origin, and derivation of name: Native variety; manini is a small striped Hawaiian fish, while owali means weakness.
Distribution: Comparatively rare; grown under upland or wetland culture.
Use: Primarily as a table taro.
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