This key was created to help assist the general public, farmers, and horticulturalists alike to identify kalo (taro - Colocasia esculenta) horticultural varieties and other closely related species found in the Hawaiian Islands. As of February, 2006, the key assists in the identification of 97 horticultural varieties of taro.
This key was created by Shelley A. James, Kathleen Igeta, Amanda Harbottle, Holly Bolick and Peter Van Dyke (2005) in association with the Pacific Center for Molecular Biodiversity, the Herbarium Pacificum, and the Amy Greenwell Ethnobotanical Garden, Captain Cook, Hawai‘i.
Assistance in the field was provided by M. Rego, J. and G. Konanui, and C. Puttock. Many thanks go to P. Crozier, D. Coloma, B. Evans and C. Rathbun for their help, advice, and information.
Images were provided by S.A. James, J. Konanui, L. Raymond, E. Jewett, C. Imada, and the Bishop Museum Archives. Descriptions for the varieties were largely taken from Whitney, Bowers and Takahashi (1939).
This identification key was created using Lucid3 (trademark of The University of Queensland).
This project continues to be improved and updated. If you should have images, information, or find errors in the operation of this key, please contact Shelley James.
Funding for this project was provided by the Native Hawaiian Culture and Arts Program. The views and conclusions contained in this document are those of the authors and should not be interpreted as representing the opinions or policies of the U.S. Government. Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute their endorsement by the U.S. Government.
Hawaii Biological Survey Contribution No. 2006-004.
