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ʻAʻaliʻi was also fashioned into light fishing spears, especially for heʻe (octopus). The wood was used for agricultural tools, rafters, posts and thatching posts or purlins in house (hale) construction. An ancient boast of the people of Kaʻū states: "He ʻaʻaliʻi au; ʻaʻohe makani e hina ai" which means "I am an "ʻaʻaliʻi shrub; no wind can push me over," or in other words, "I can hold my own even in the face of difficulties." Scientific Name: Dodonaea Viscosa Hawaiian Names: ‘A’ali’I, Kumakani Family: Sapindaceae General Description: A’ali’i is an extremely variable species throughout its natural range. A’ali’i can be a medium-sized shrub or small tree up to 25 feet tall, but most often it is 6 to 12 feet in height. The plant may have one or several main trunks which have reddish-brown to blackish gray bark. Modern Use Used in modern times throughout the world as a poultice or decocted for topical use only. This plant is mildly toxic containing small amounts of cyanogenic toxins and plant materials can cause cyanide poisoning if ingested. Etymology The generic name Dodonaea is named after the Flemish physician and botanist Rembert Dodoens (1517-1585), who was later a professor of medicine at Leiden, The Netherlands. Habitat and Geographic Range: A’ali’i is indigenous and widespread throughout the tropics. In Hawai'i, A’ali’i is found on all the main islands except Kaho'olawe in almost every habitat ranging from almost sea level to 7,500 feet. It is often found in open locations such as ridges and is an early colonizer of lava fields and pastures. Early Hawaiian Use Fruits (capsules) and leaves were used in lei making by early Hawaiians and continues to be used in lei making today. The seeds were boiled to make red dye for decorating kapa (tapa) cloth. The crushed leaves were used as a topical medicine for relief from irritating rashes and contagious diseases such as ringworm or "haole rot" and staff infections. The very hard, durable wood is heavy and sinks in water and so was used for bait sticks. Scientific Name: Sida Fallax Hawaiian Name: Yellow ‘Ilima. Family: Malvaceae General Description ʻIlima belongs to the mallow family and the only species in the genus native to the Hawaiian Archipelago. In 1923, the Territorial Legislature chose ‘Ilima as the official flower for the island of Oʻahu. Geographic Distribution ‘Ilima is naturally distributed from tropical China to Eastern Polynesia. In Hawai'i, ‘Ilima grows on rocky or sandy coasts, on raised limestone reefs, lava fields, and dry to moist forests up to 1,980 meters elevation. Indigenous Practices `Ilima is highly esteemed by the Hawaiian culture for its delicate blossoms used to make garlands (lei). It was one of the few non-food plants cultivated by ancient Hawaiians and they have sevaral named varieties. The most preferred variety for making garlands is "Royal 'ilima" or "ilima lei", which has large orange-yellow flowers. In old Hawai'i, as in many other countries, yellow and gold were, and still are, special colors. `Ilima leis were given to departing friends, as this reputedly brought good luck. Each lei requires about 500 flowers and a great deal of patience to make. Medicinal Uses Medicinally, ‘Ilima was called kanaka maka’i, literally meaning “good man.” Early Hawaiians gave babies the juice of the flowers as a mild laxative. The number of buds used was according to the age of the child. The buds were chewed by the mother before giving it to her baby. ‘Ilima flowers mixed with other plants were also used for “womb troubles.” When the person felt weak, the bark of the roots were mixed with other plants and pounded together, strained and drank as a tonic. Additionally, the root bark mixed with the flowers was used for asthma. Etymology The generic name Sida is from a Greek name used by Theophrastus in his writings for both a water-liy (Nymphaea alba) and a pomegranate tree. The specific epithet fallax is from fallacis, deceitful or false. Scientific Name: Santalum ellipticum Hawaiian Name: ‘Iliahi Sandalwood Family: Santalaceae General Description Sandalwood also known as ‘Iliahi is the name of a class of fragrant woods from trees in the genus santalum. The woods are heavy, yellow, and fine grained, and unlike many other aromatic woods they retain their fragrance for decades. As well as using the harvested and cut wood in situ, essential oils are also extracted from the woods for use. Both the wood and the oil produce a distinctive fragrance that has been highly valued for centuries. ʻIliahi is a hemiparasitic, which means it derive some nutrients from their host but are not totally dependent on them. Early Hawaiian Use The Hawaiian name lāʻau ʻala literally means "sweet wood" or "fragrant wood." Though early Hawaiians may not have used sandalwood extensively, it was still valued. Besides used as firewood, the wood was sometimes used to make ʻūkēkē or musical bow. Medicinally, the leaves were used as a shampoo for dandruff and head lice; and a drink from powdered material for male and female sex organs or "for sores of long duration." The red or yellow were indicative of divine and cheifly rank; the purple flowers and fruit, or with fragrance, were associated with divinity. The leaves, new leaves (liko) and flowers of ʻiliahialoʻe were used for lei making by early Hawaiians. The Sandalwood Trade Story Sandalwood was subject to the sandalwood trade from 1790 to early 1800s. Most of the sandalwood shipped from Hawaii came from the lowlands and this species was one of those used in the trade. The captivating scent of the heartwood has fueled greed among men throughout the world. This was the case with a collaboration of Chinese, American and Hawaiian merchants and monarchy in the late 18th century. Due to China's, as well as a few other countries, insatiable appetite for sandalwood, the white sandalwood imported from India was becoming scarce because of over harvesting and, even to this day, it is an endangered species. Many thousands of Hawaiians, at the order of the aliʻi, under Kamehameha I, left off agriculture and worked to supply the Sandalwood Trade. The consequences were devastating. Many of the common people who were used as laborers died from exposure to cold weather, exhaustion, malnutrition, disease or other causes. As a result, during this dark period, Hawaii suffered through one of the worst famines in its history. Etymology The generic name Santalum is derived from santalon , the Greek name for sandalwood. The specific epithet ellipticum is from the latin ellipticus, oblong with round ends, in reference the shape of the leaves of this species. Scientific Name: Erythrina Sandwicensis Hawaiian Name: Wili Wili Family: Fabaceae General Description Wili Wili is a small deciduous tree 5-15m tall with a short, stout, crooked or gnarled trunk. Wili Wili is one of Hawai'i's few deciduous native trees. It loses its leaves during the summer in order to conserve water and puts out new leaves in the fall. Flower color within natural populations can include orange, yellow, salmon, green and white. Wili Wili tree blooms after the leaves fall in the summer making the flower clusters very showy. Mature pods are found on the trees during winter months (December to February). Pods contain 1-4 elliptical, shiny red orange seeds 13-15 mm long. Wili Wili, means repeatedly twisted and refers to the seed pods which twist open to reveal the seeds. Pods usually contain 1 to 3 seeds, but may contain as many as 6 seeds. Native Legends One legend refers to the different appearances in the transformation of three sisters into Wili Wili trees. According to the legend, a bald sister becomes a tree with no leaves, a sister with wind tossed hair becomes a tree with fluttering leaves, and a hunchbacked sister becomes a gnarled tree. Indigenous Practices The wood is reported to be the lightest of Hawaiian wood. It was used for surfboards, canoe outriggers, and fish net floats. The practice of using Wili Wili wood for outriggers was abandoned because Hawaiians believed that sharks followed such canoes. They also believed that trees bearing orange-red flowers possessed more durable wood than those bearing lighter colored flowers. The bright red seeds were used for making leis. Captain Cook was reportedly given a lei made of Wili Wili seeds when he visited the islands in 1778. Wili Wili has been planted as living fences. Preservation & Conservation Strategy Wili Wili is now being used in re-vegetation programs using endemic species to rehabilitate highly eroded areas in Hawaii. It survives extended drought and high winds, but growth is slow under such harsh conditions. Wili Wili Hula Chant Auwe! Pau au i ka manō nui, e! Lala-kea niho pa-kolu. Pau ka papa-ku o Lono. O ka ai ia e ka manō nui, O Niuhi maka ahi, Olapa i ke kai lipo. Ahu e! au-we! A pua ka wiliwili, A nanahu ka manō Auwe! pau ai i ka mano nui! Kai uli, kai ele, Kai popolohua o Kane. A lealea au i kaʻu hula, Pau au i ka manō nui! Alas! I am seized by the shark, great shark! Lala-kea with triple-banked teeth. The stratum of Lono is gone, Torn up by the monster shark, Niuhi with fiery eyes, That flamed in the deep blue sea. Alas! and alas! When the flowers of the Wili Wili tree, That is the time when the shark-god bites. Alas! I am seized by the huge shark! O blue sea, O dark sea, Foam-mottled sea of Kane! What pleasure I took in my dancing! Alas! now consumed by the monster shark! Scientific Name: Myoporum sandwicense Hawaiian Name: Naio Family: Scrophulariaceae General Description Myoporum sandwicense, commonly known as Naio, is a shrub or small tree that grows from 1 to 10 m tall. Naio plants can be lowgrowing and widely spreading in form or multi-branched and erect shrubs. The slightly fleshy leaves are arranged alternately along the stem, are covered with glandular dots. The leaves are variable in shape reaching 2.522 cm in length and 0.5-4 cm in width. The white to pink Naio flowers are produced in small clusters containing 3-10 flowers in the leaf axils. The flowers are bell-shaped; the petals are fused at the base to form a short tube (4.5-12 mm long) and have five, triangular lobes that spread widely. A yellow nectary disc is present in the center of the flower and the inner surfaces of the petals may be covered with small white hairs. he fruit is 9 mm in diameter and is fleshy and round. Each fruit contains a single, spindle shaped seed that is 2.5 mm long. Geographic Distribution Naio is native to Hawai‘i where it is found on all the main islands from sea level to 2380m. It is found in a range of vegetation types including coastal strand vegetation, ‘a‘a lava fields, dry forest, mesic to wet forest, and subalpine forest. Naio contains 28-30 species with a distribution in Asia, Australia, Mauritius, New Guinea, New Zealand, and the Pacific. Native Legends & Names The name Myoporum is derived from the Greek words myo meaning close and poros meaning pore which describes the dense arrangement of the glands on the leaves of Naio plants. Indigenous Practices The trunks of Naio were traditionally used for the larger posts of hale and the smaller branches were used along the length of the roof to attach the thatching material obtained from Pili grass (Heteropogon contortus). The wood of Naio is fragrant when dried or burnt and smells similar to Sandalwood. During the nineteenth century when Sandalwood was exported from Hawai‘i Naio wood was used as a substitute when supplies of this wood became scarce due to overharvesting. Dangerous & Poisonous This species contains a toxic compound called ngaione in the volatile oils in the plant. Cattle and sheep that have consumed plant material may develop photodermatitis on the face, ears, eyes, and lips and large quantities may prove fatal to some animals. Scientific Name: Waltheria Indica Hawaiian Name: Uhaloa, sleepy morning Family: Sterculiaceae General Description Uhaloa is a short-lived shrub that can rise up to 6 feet or so in height. It grows a weak taproot but vigorous lateral roots and numerous fine roots. All roots are brownish and pliable. A single, staunch stem springs from the ground and commonly branches near the surface. Early stems and leaves are coated with a velvety gray down. Alternate leaves, with prominent, entrenched veining, are narrowly oval or oblong, with irregular, serrated edges and a rounded to pointed tip. Dainty, fragrant, yellow to orange flowers are clustered in the leaf axils. Fruit capsules are double-valved, each with a solitary, tiny black seed. Uhaloa flourishes in the tropics and warmer subtropics. In Hawaii it has adapted to habitats up to the 4,000-foot elevation. Uhaloa survives in a diverse range of soils with igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks. It perseveres in drought, salt spray and slightly salty soil. It does not tolerate a shade canopy and is unable to live in dense grasslands. Benefits & Detriments In the Turks and Caicos Islands, Uhaloa is used to make an herb tea. The plant produces fiber that was formerly used for making cords, sacking, padding and sandals. Durawhite, an extract of Uhaloa is used in commercial cosmetic for its ability to inhibit melanin synthesis and whiten the skin. The plant contains steroid derivatives and alkaloids of the adouetine group that perhaps make it physiologically active. Various extracts are used as standard febrifugal, purgative, emollient, tonic, analgesic and astringent herbal medicines in Africa. Medicinal Uses: In Hawaii, the root is chewed to relieve sore throat. Whole plant or roots decocted. Whole plant juiced fresh for asthma, or as a bitter tonic. Saying The rule of thumb when using nonthreatened native Hawaiian plants is to give back to the 'Äina more than you take from her. Take only what you will use and use sparingly. Early Hawaiian Use Even with the toxic background, the early Hawaiians used the bright yellow sap (latex) and seeds medicinally for toothache pain, neuralgia (nerve pain), and ulcers. The sap was also used for warts. Modern Use One of the few native plants found in cow pastures. Since cattle, and possibly other ungulates (goats, sheep), will not eat hawaiian moon poppy it may possibly be used the plants as a beautiful and natural border hedge for unwanted grazers from entering into fragile areas. Blooming & Fruiting Information Flowers are delicate and each only last a day but new flowers open daily during the blooming period. The flowers will wilt almost immediately after being picked. Scientific Name: Argemone Glauca Hawaiian Name: Pua Kala, Hawaiian Moon poppy Family: Papaveraceae General Description Hawaiian moon poppy is one of the few toxic native Hawaiian plants and is close relative of the Mexican poppy, which is naturalized in the islands. It does not contain morphine or codine, unlike its relative the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum). However, Hawaiian moon poppy does house alkaloids that irritate the stomach and intestines. But because of the extremely bitter taste there have been few reported poisonings. On the Big Island, Hawaiian poppy is restricted to the south point. Prickles on the leaves can be advantageous in directing foot traffic. The few aforementioned negative aspects of Hawaiian moon poppy are certainly outweighed by the contrast of the delicate brilliant white and yellow flowers combined with the attractive spiny bluishgreen foliage. These positive attributes make pua kala a worthy addition to the landscape! Seeds form in the prickly capsules which are usually held upright. When ripe, the seed capsules turn brown and split, exposing blackish brown seeds which are tolerant of fire and will sprout after an area has been recently burned. Etymology The genus name Argemone is derived from the Greek argema, cataract, in reference to the use of the sap of type of poppy reputed to cure cataracts. The specific epithet glauca is from the Greek, glaukos, for blue-green or blue-gray referring to the color of this poppy's leaves.