Lauloa Palakea-keokeo
Other Names: Lauloa Onionio
General Characteristics: Tall, erect, stocky, maturing within 9 to 12 months, producing from 5 to 10 oha; identified by needle-like black streaks on dark green petioles.
Petiole: 100 to 140 cm. long, dark green with a few short blackish streaks, tinged with reddish-purple at apex and often near edge, indistinctly reddish at edge, a brilliant pink ring at base with light pink for 2 to 3 cm. above.
Leaf blade: 45 to 65 cm. long, 30 to 40 cm. wide, 35 to 50 cm. from tip to base of sinus, narrowly sagittate, slightly concave, dark green with bluish cast; margins with a few large undulations; piko purplish; lobes acute with narrow sinus.
Corm: Flesh white with pinkish tinge, especially near apex, and yellowish fibers; skin brilliant pink.
Inflorescence: Peduncle green with black streaks, reddish-purple at apex; spathe 30 to 35 cm. long, the lower tubular portion 5.5 to 6 cm. long, yellowish-green with reddish-purple at constriction, the upper portion yellow, curved and drooping, usually tightly rolled but sometimes open near constriction; spadix 12 cm. long, the sterile appendage 12 to 17 mm. long.
Origin, and derivation of name: Native variety of probably rather recent origin produced through somatic mutation; this variety has much lighter petioles than the other Lauloa PaIakea-hence the suffix keokeo.
Distribution: Found exclusively under upland culture, occasionally as a mutation from Lauloa Palakea-eleele; it is usually rogued out as it is considered inferior.
Use: Sparingly as a table taro.
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