100 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



A brilliant sea-shore shrub is the ohdi (Scsbania 

 tomcntosa). This is a much-branching legume, six to twelve 

 feet high ; the leaves have eight to eighteen pairs of pinnae, 

 and the large scarlet flowers are in loose axillary racemes. The 

 natives are fond of the bright flowers, and the bush is often to 

 be found in the vicinity of the little beach settlements, particu- 

 larly along the arid leeward shores, where vegetation is scanty. 



Another littoral plant beloved by the natives is the kou 

 (Cordia subcordata). This tree was brought by them from 

 their South Sea home, in the days of the long migrations. At 

 one time it was abundant along the shores, but is now quite 

 rare. The ancient name for the site of Honolulu was Kou, 

 and referred to a famous grove near the shore. The broad, 

 leafy crown cast a grateful shade on the hot beach, and the 

 large orange flowers were plucked and strung in garlands. 

 The flowers are campanulate, with a long corolla tube and a 

 broadly expanded limb, five- to seven-lobed. The Hawaiians 

 also prized the soft, durable wood for their carved bowls and 

 dishes, as it took a beautiful polish, and exhibited a handsome 

 wavy pattern of varied shades of brown. 



The Pride of India tree {Melia Azedaxrach) is not in- 

 digenous to' Hawaii, but was introduced many years ago, and 

 is now thoroughly naturalized on the lowlands and in the 

 valleys. It is one of our few deciduous trees. The abundant 

 clusters of delicate lilac-blue flowers appear with the tender 

 new leaves, and cover the bare frame-work of branches with 

 a lovely diaphanous drapery of delicate lilac and green. This 

 handsome tree is common along the roadways, and in the 

 neighborhood of the native settlements. 



Another deciduous tree of the lowlands, with showy 

 flowers, is the wili-wili ( Erythrina monosperma)) . This is a 

 leguminous xerophyte, with squat gnarled crown and short 

 stocky trunk. The sparse foliage is three-foliate, and is shed 

 in late summer. After the rains the flowers appear, preceding 



