Tropical Plant Database - Plant Details

A member of the amaranth family (Amaranthaceae), Charpentiera densiflora (Papala in Hawaiian) is a tree that grows up to 12 meters (39 feet) tall. New growth are densely covered in small hairs, with stems about 0.4 to 0.9 centimeters (~ 0.15 to 0.35 in) in diameter. The leaves are 13 to 41 centimeters (~ 5 to 16 in) long and 5 to 10 centimeters (2 to 4 in) wide, and are leathery with an elliptic to subovate shape. Flowers are born in branched panicles 23 to 48 centimeters (9 to 19 in) long, and can contain 20 to 100 flowers per branch. Individuals of this species become some of the largest trees, and also possess some of the largest leaves, in the genus.

• Wagner, W. L., Herbst, D. R., and S. H. Sohmer. 1999. Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii. University of Hawaii Press, Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawaii.


• Wagner, W.L., Herbst, D.R., & Lorence, D.H. (2005-). Flora of the Hawaiian Islands website. http://botany.si.edu/pacificislandbiodiversity/hawaiianflora/index.htm


• Sohmer, S.H. 1972. Revision of the genus Charpentiera (Amaranthaceae). Brittonia 24: 283– 312.

This database entry has been complied by Matthew Kahokuloa, Jr.

Branches of Charpentiera densiflora were dried and used as firebrands in the sport ‘oahi, which involved tossing burning branches off cliffs on Kaua‘i island.

• Bishop Museum Hawaiian Ethnobotany Online database. https://data.bishopmuseum.org/ethnobotanydb/ethnobotany.php?b=d&ID=papala

To prevent extinction of Charpentiera densiflora, the species needs a minimum of three populations consisting of 50 mature individuals per population. In addition to achieving the numbers of reproducing individuals, all major threats must be controlled in the immediate vicinity of the populations, each population must show evidence of some stage of natural reproduction (i.e., viable seeds or seedlings), and 50 mature individuals from each of three populations, or the total number of mature individuals if there are fewer than 50 must be represented in an ex situ collection that is secure and well managed.

• Charpentiera densiflora (P?pala) 5-Year Review Summary and Evaluation U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Pacific Islands Fish and Wildlife Office Honolulu, Hawaii. https://ecos.fws.gov/docs/five_year_review/doc5245.pdf

Charpentiera densiflora is endemic to the Hawaiian islands, occuring on the island of Kaua‘i between 213 and 610 meters elevation. It is narrowly endemic to the district of Na Pali coast region, on the northwestern side of the island. Charpentiera densiflora can be found in moist, closed canopy, primarily in Diospyros – Metrosideros polymorpha mixed mesic forest, growing along drainages and in a series of valleys and gulches over a 6 km stretch.

• Sohmer, S.H. 1972. Revision of the genus Charpentiera (Amaranthaceae). Brittonia 24: 283– 312.


• Wagner, W. L., Herbst, D. R., and S. H. Sohmer. 1999. Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii. University of Hawaii Press, Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Charpentiera densiflora is a long lived tree that is suspected to have a gynodioecious breeding system: most of the plants have bisexual flowers with male and female parts, but some have only female flowers. Charpentiera densiflora is also sympatric in Ho'olulu Valley with Charpentiera elliptica, with which it apparently hybridizes freely.

• S.H. Sohmer. 1973. A Preliminary Report of the Biology of the Genus Charpentiera (Amaranthaceae). Pacific Science vol. 27(4), pp. 399-405. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/5093615.pdf

Papala was the favorite wood for use in the 'Oahi ceremony, a famous fire throwing ceremony which occurred at three locations on Kaua'i island. An exerpt from Mrs. Sinclair’s book, "Indigenous Flowers of the Hawaiian Islands" gives a description of the ceremony:

"On the northwest side of Kauai the coast is extremely precipitous, the cliffs rising abruptly from the sea to a height of from one to two thousand feet, and from these giddy heights the ingenious and beautiful pyrotechnic displays take place. On dark moonless nights upon certain points of these awful precipices, where a stone would drop sheer into the sea, the operator takes his stand with a supply of papala sticks, and, lighting one, launches it into space. The buoyancy of the wood causes it to float in mid-air, rising or falling according to the force of the wind, sometimes darting far seaward, and again drifting towards the land. Firebrand follows firebrand, until, to the spectators (who enjoy the scene in canoes upon the ocean hundreds of feet below), the heavens appear ablaze with great shooting stars, rising and falling, crossing and recrossing each other, in the most weird manner. So the display continues until the firebrands are consumed, or a lull in the wind permits them to descend slowly and gracefully to the sea."

• Francis, S. I. 1885. Indigenous flowers of the Hawaiian islands. Forty-four plates painted in water-colours and described by Mrs. Francis Sinclair, Jr. London: S. Low, Marston, Searle and Rivington.

IUCN Status: Critically Endangered (CR): Endemic to the island of Kaua'i, Charpentiera densiflora is known from six subpopulations with no subpopulation containing more than 50 mature individuals. The total population of C. densiflora is less than 150 mature individuals. The remaining plants are threatened by feral goats and pigs, and by the spread of alien plants.

Federal Listing Status: Endangered (E).

Major threats include feral goats and pigs, landslides, fire, rats, and displacement by invasive, non-native plant species.

• Bruegmann, M., Caraway, V.L. & Clark, M. 2016. Charpentiera densiflora. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T30772A83795719. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T30772A83795719.en

We currently have 37 herbarium specimens for Charpentiera densiflora in our collection. Click on any specimen below to view the herbarium sheet data.

• 001392 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1982
• 001395 - collected by Tim Flynn in 1983
• 009855 - collected by K. R. Wood in 1990
• 009857 - collected by K. R. Wood in 1990
• 012723 - collected by K. R. Wood in 1992
• 022807 - collected by Steve Perlman in 1996
• 036505 - collected by K. R. Wood in 1999
• 036514 - collected by Steve Perlman in 2000
• Unassigned - collected by Steve Perlman in 2000
• 034380 - collected by David H. Lorence in 2000
• Unassigned - collected by K. R. Wood in 2001
• 052409 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2001
• 035484 - collected by Steve Perlman in 2002
• 061908 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2004
• 061905 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2004
• 044316 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2004
• 061831 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2005
• 047240 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2006
• 055388 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2007
• 048950 - collected by Clay Trauernicht in 2008
• 052411 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2008
• 049166 - collected by Clay Trauernicht in 2009
• 053086 - collected by Natalia Tangalin in 2010
• 061678 - collected by J. Christopher Havran in 2012
• 070546 - collected by Natalia Tangalin in 2012
• Unassigned - collected by Natalia Tangalin in 2012
• 068863 - collected by Merlin Edmonds in 2014
• 085431 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2015
• 085053 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2015
• 071241 - collected by Natalia Tangalin in 2016
• 071224 - collected by Natalia Tangalin in 2016
• 071235 - collected by Natalia Tangalin in 2016
• 071237 - collected by Natalia Tangalin in 2016
• 078593 - collected by Seana Walsh in 2017
• 080241 - collected by K. R. Wood in 2017
• 092664 - collected by Randy Umetsu in 2021
• 091193 - collected by Uma Nagendra in 2023