Charpentiera is a flowering plant genus in the family Amaranthaceae. It consists of five species endemic to Hawaii, where they are known as pāpala, and one species found only on the island of Tubuai in the Austral Islands. All species are trees, some reaching more than in height. The genus is named for Arsène Charpentier (1781-1818), professor of pharmacy at Antwerp from 1810 to 1814 and at Cherbourg from 1814 to 1816.Gaudichaud-Beaupré, Charles. (1826)in Freycinet Voyage autour du monde, Botanique 444 Léonard, Jacques. (1967) Les Officiers de santé de la Marine Française de 1814 à 1835.
Species Charpentiera australis Sohmer (Rarotonga in the Cook Islands and Tubuai and Raivavae in the Tubuai Islands)Charpentiera australis Sohmer. Plants of the World Online. Retrieved 2 January 2024. Charpentiera densiflora Sohmer (Kauai) Charpentiera elliptica (Hillebr.) A.Heller (Kauai) Charpentiera obovata Gaudich. (main islands of Hawaii) Charpentiera ovata Gaudich. (Oahu, Molokai, Maui, island of Hawaii) Charpentiera tomentosa Sohmer Charpentiera tomentosa var. maakuaensis (Oahu) Charpentiera tomentosa var. tomentosa (Oahu, Molokai, Lānai, Maui, island of Hawaii)
Uses Native Hawaiians on the northwest coast of the island of Kauai used lightweight pāpala branches in the art of ōahi. Branches were ignited and tossed off of high sea cliffs, where they were buoyed by ridge lifts and burned like fireworks.
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