kalo

Etymology

Borrowed from Hawaiian kalo. Doublet of taro, from Maori.

noun

1. taro (Colocasia esculenta)
   Three hundred varieties of kalo are named in the Hawaiian language, 85 of which are still known today. In addition to being the source of the staple Hawaiian food poi, kalo was also used for fishing bait and as a dye. 2010-12-31, Charles H. Fletcher, Robynne Boyd, William J. Neal, Virginia Tice, Living on the Shores of Hawaii: Natural Hazards, the Environment, and Our Communities, University of Hawaii Press, page 111