The hard, yellow wood of ‘ahakea was used by ancient Hawaiians to make the rims of canoes as well as canoe paddles and poi boards. Each fruit may have from 2 to 12 elongated seeds. The trees also produce small, juicy fruits that are purplish or black in color.
Growing in mountain habitats, ‘ahakea has oblong, yellowish-green leaves that are medium-sized or small, with small, tubular flowers that are greenish or white. ‘Ahakea refers to various endemic Hawaiian species of trees in the Bobea genus. The fruit has also been used to make a soap substitute. The Hawaiian term, ‘a‘e, also refers to particular species in the genus Zanthoxylum that were used in ancient Hawai‘i to make digging sticks and spears. (See Seed Lei in Chapter 3.)Ī‘e prefers dry, middle elevation habitat, particularly on the volcanic slopes of the island of Hawai‘i. The round, black to brown, shiny seeds of a‘e may be strung into lei. The fruits contain a soapy, yellowish pulp as well as a seed that is about ½-inch (13 mm) in diameter. ‘A‘e’s fruits may be round or have two or three lobes. Mature leaves take on a slightly winged shape, curving at the leaf’s axis.Ī‘e also produces clusters of 5-parted chartreuse flowers at the ends of the branches, and brown-skinned fruits that are about ¾-inch (2 cm) in diameter. A‘e has a whitish-colored trunk, and compound, light green leaves with three to six mostly paired leaflets.Įach leaflet is about 2 to 5 inches (5 to 13 cm) long. ‘A‘li‘i is also a primary food source for the larvae of the Blackburn butterfly ( Udara blackburni), one of just two native butterfly species in the Hawaiian Islands.Īlso referred to as mānele, a‘e usually grows as a small tree, but may reach more than 80 feet (24 m) in height, particularly at higher elevations. The fruit capsules were crushed and boiled to create a red dye for kapa (tapa) barkcloth. The crushed leaves of ‘a‘ali‘i had medicinal uses in ancient Hawai‘i, such as easing the irritation of rashes. Each cell contains one or two ovate seeds. ‘A‘ali’s fruit capsules are about ½-inch (13 mm) long with two to four winged angles, and are divided into 2 to 4 cells.
Strung into lei, the light red, reddish-purple, yellow or brown fruit capsules of ‘a‘ali‘i were traditionally woven with ‘a‘ali‘i leaves and ferns. ‘A‘ali‘i is considered sacred to the hula goddesses, Laka. ‘A‘ali‘i is also referred to in Hawaiian as ‘a‘ali‘i kū makani, which means “‘a‘ali‘i standing in wind,” suggesting the plant’s ability to grow in the face of strong winds.Īn ancient proverb states: “He ‘a‘ali‘i ku makani mai au ‘a‘ohe makani nana e kula‘i.” ( “I am a wind-resisting ‘a‘ali‘i no gale can push me over.”), which is explained to mean: “ A boast meaning ‘I can hold my own even in the face of difficulties.’ The ‘a‘ali‘i bush can stand the worst of gales, twisting and bending but seldom breaking off or falling over.” In ancient Hawai‘i, the wood was used for posts to build houses and for making weapons, including spears. The yellow-brown wood of ‘a‘ali‘i, and the dark heartwood, are exceptionally hard and long lasting.
‘A‘ali‘i prefers relatively dry habitat at middle to low elevations, The plant has spatula-shaped leaves that are about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide by 4 in (10 cm) long, and may be pointed or blunt. Naturalized -Not native to the Hawaiian Islands, but now growing wild in the Hawaiian Islands.Īlso known as mānele, ‘a‘ali‘i may grow as a small shrub or may reach a height of more than 33 ft (10 m). Post-Contact Introduction -Brought to the Hawaiian Islands after Western contact (1778). Polynesian Introduction- Brought to the Hawaiian Islands by the early Polynesian settlers. Indigenous -Native to the Hawaiian Islands and other places.Įndemic -Evolved in the Hawaiian Islands from an indigenous species native to the Hawaiian Islands and nowhere else. Native -Arrived in the Hawaiian Islands without the aid of humans (indigenous), or evolved in the Hawaiian Islands (endemic). Botanical Descriptions and Traditional Uses
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