Читать книгу Flora of Hawaiian Islands. Photo Album 2020 - Romans Arzjancevs - Страница 5

– Psydrax odorata, known as alahe’e in Hawaiian, is a species of flowering shrub or small tree in the coffee family, Rubiaceae. It is native to the Pacific Islands, New Guinea and Australia.

– The species range from 1.8—9.1 m in height, has a spread of 0.91—2.13 m, and a trunk width of up to 4 in (10 cm). The leaves are glossy green in colour, are up to 89 mm long and elliptic. The fruits of the plant are quite round, are black in colour and 3/8 wide.

– The fruits produce many seeds which are often attacked by the larvae of Orneodes objurgatella, a species of moth.

– Native Hawaiians used the very hard wood of alahe’e to make ko’i alahe’e (adzes for cutting softer woods such as Erythrina sandwicensis), ‘ō'ō (digging sticks), and ‘o (short spears). A black dye was made from the leaves.