Kupaoa and na’ena’e are two endemic, scrubby-looking shrubs (no disrespect intended) that are members of the spectacular and highly successful sunflower family, Asteraceae. And within that family, they are members of the silversword alliance, a group of plants that reflects Hawaii’s penchant for adaptive radiation (many species from a single source).
Although scrubby-looking, they are beautifully appropriate for the terrain they occupy. Their leaves are like pine needles, but shorter and stiffer, the better to withstand more open areas. Kupaoa and na’ena’e have the scientific names Dubautia scabra and Dubautia ciliolata respectively. Their Hawaiian names are used to refer to many different species in the Dubautia genus across the islands. D. scabra has white flowers and alternate leaves. It is short and spreading and likes to hang onto its dead leaves. D. ciliolata, on the other hand, has yellow flowers with mostly opposite leaves and likes to stand stiffly tall and erect. It often has a stacked leaf arrangement reminiscent of open venetian blinds (which appearance D. scabra lacks) and is found only on the Big Island.
To find these plants, one must look in open areas, such as the lava and cinder fields of Mauna Loa and Mauna Kea. D. ciliolata is more usually found in these exposed areas. Both can also be found in dry to moist woodlands, but are more easily overlooked there due to their small stature. If you are unsure which species you are looking at, it could be a hybrid you see because these two will hybridize where their ranges overlap. When in doubt, just say, “Oh, yes, Dubautia.”
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