Ngā Rauropi Whakaoranga

Pokerekāhu

Kūmara cultivar. Cultivated in the northern districts - Bay of Islands, Hokianga, Kaitaia - and in Hawkes Bay and on East Coast. Dark purple skin and flesh. Very dark throughout. (Colenso 1880).

"from pokere, the dark purple flesh of the fruit of the tawa tree..., and ka ahu, to proceed towards; to grow up to; to become like to." (Colenso 1881b)

Listed in Williams 1894 as a pre-European cultivar grown on the East Cape. Williams records it as still found in cultivation.

Listed by Best 1925.