I found a kava Mutation.

[Gourmet Hawaiian Kava]

Hi everyone, I was out looking at some of my kava and I noticed on my Papa Kea, a short internode green kava, that there was a dark purple colored stalk coming out from the center of the Papa Kea.
I took a good look at it and sure enough it is a somatic mutation, I hope that the mutation holds and even more I hope that it turns into a variety that we do not have, a new 'Awa.
I took some pictures, it seems like the mutation will be purple with medium to long internodes but it is still to early to see what it will look like mature.
Enjoy the pictures.
Aloha.

Chris

 

[The Kap'n]

Purple Power™

 

[Edward]

Purple Power™

I was just about to say that we need a competition to decide the name! Purple Haze.

 

[Alia]

This is exceptional Chris! The only mutation I've seen from Papa Kea is to Honokane Iki.
I think you have something maybe new and wonderful.

 

[Gourmet Hawaiian Kava]

This is exceptional Chris! The only mutation I've seen from Papa Kea is to Honokane Iki.
I think you have something maybe new and wonderful.

I know what you mean, I am very excited about this. I really hope that the mutation holds.
Aloha.

Chris

 

[kavamehameha]

I was just about to say that we need a competition to decide the name! Purple Haze.

I'd suggest a Hawai'ian name. Since it's coming from the Papa family, which is typically named after colors, I would call it Papa Poni ("poni" means "purple").

Anyway, that's awesome Chris. I hope it will continue to grow! Aloha!

 

[The Kap'n]

I'd suggest a Hawai'ian name. Since it's coming from the Papa family, which is typically named after colors, I would call it Papa Poni ("poni" means "purple").

Anyway, that's awesome Chris. I hope it will continue to grow! Aloha!

I totally concede my suggestion. That's a great one. Of course if this actually turns out to be a new morphotype Mr. Allen will have the final say. Seriously, having the responsibility of naming a new kava is probably the highest honor I can conceive of.

 

[Karuna Kava]

Fantastic work!

 

[Orz[EST]]

Congrats. Now you are Mutant Kava Stalker!

I recomment deep freezing a sample in for case.

 

[avahZ]

What ever happened to the mutation your found years ago? I think it was being coined orange kava back then? Did it not breed true? @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava

 

[Alia]

We are quite certain the "Orange 'Awa" is Hiwa.
It wasn't a mutation found by @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava , or me.
Orange 'Awa was the name given by the late Papa Henry Awae,
who was a medicinal kahuna. We thought it might be something
completely different but wasn't.

 

[Gourmet Hawaiian Kava]

What ever happened to the mutation your found years ago? I think it was being coined orange kava back then? Did it not breed true? @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava

@Alia is correct, it is just a Hiwa, We were hoping that it would be different but it was not.
Aloha.

Chris

 

[Edward]

@Alia is correct, it is just a Hiwa, We were hoping that it would be different but it was not.
Aloha.

Chris

Nothing wrong with Hiwa, one of my favourites ever!

 

[kavamehameha]

Nothing wrong with Hiwa, one of my favourites ever!

All kavas from Chris are top-notch.

 

[kasa_balavu]

I love this!! Awesome find, @Gourmet Hawaiian Kava.

My screen must be miscalibrated, because I'd call it red rather than purple.
Papa Ulaʻula.

I really hope it holds this mutation when you grow new keikis from that stem.

 

[Elmanaro]

Hi everyone, I was out looking at some of my kava and I noticed on my Papa Kea, a short internode green kava, that there was a dark purple colored stalk coming out from the center of the Papa Kea.
I took a good look at it and sure enough it is a somatic mutation, I hope that the mutation holds and even more I hope that it turns into a variety that we do not have, a new 'Awa.
I took some pictures, it seems like the mutation will be purple with medium to long internodes but it is still to early to see what it will look like mature.
Enjoy the pictures.
Aloha.

Chris
View attachment 12008 View attachment 12009 View attachment 12010

A very wonderful sight indeed! Kava is known on very rare occasions to produce a different coloured branch.

 

[bogmonkey]

Awesome! It'll be fun to give it a drink when the time comes!

 

[kavakarma]

Is this a transfer of genetic information from one kava plant and cultivar to an other?

 

[Gourmet Hawaiian Kava]

Is this a transfer of genetic information from one kava plant and cultivar to an other?

This is a great question. I do not think there is a transfer but when you get a somatic mutation the genitic makeup of part of the plant changes. In this case the redish purple stalk is the change. Kava is a very interesting plant, it has 10 sets of chromosomes (normal species have only two and are called diploids). Kava is a decaploid (ten times 13 chromosomes= 130). Another interesting fact is that kava has both male and female plants and the female kava plants is very rare.
Aloha.

Chris

 

[Kojo Douglas]

Can't wait to see what becomes of this mystery !