Mā‘ohi‘ohi
Mā‘ohi‘ohi
MĀʻOHIʻOHI
(Hawaiian small-leaved mint)
Stenogyne microphylla,
Endemic
This Hawaiian small-leaved mint, or Mā‘ohi‘ohi, grows in a vine-like fashion on other plants, but does not harm them. Like other Hawaiian mints, this species is “mint-less;” that is, it has no mint taste at all. Mintiness and most plant flavors are a defense mechanism that evolved to repel grazing animals. With no native grazing mammals in Hawai‘i, most of our native plants (including our mints) have lost these defenses. The entire Stenogyne genus, all 22 members, is unique to Hawai‘i. Note the curved shape of the flower; it’s the same shape as the ‘amakihi’s bill, showing a clear evolutionary relationship between the bird and this flower.
