96 



The tree belongs to the bean family and the papilionaceous 

 (butterfly-like) blossoms vary in color from an orange scarlet 

 to pale yellow. There is no perceptible difference in the trees 

 having blossoms of different shades, but the Hawaiians say that 

 the wood of those with scarlet blossoms is slightly harder and 

 more durable than the other. 



The trifoliate leaves which are ovate or deltoid, broader than 

 long, and of a dark green color when the tree is in foliage, cover 

 the spreading crown which casts a welcome shade. The brilliant 

 blossoms occur near the ends of the branches and these mature 

 into pods a few inches long which upon reaching maturity open 

 by becoming spirally twisted by action of the heat of the sun 

 which shines from a cloudless sky wherever the wiliwili occurs. 

 This dehiscence exposes the bright scarlet seeds which remain at- 

 tached to the pods on the tree for a long time so that often one 

 m.ay find the brilliant seeds mixed in with new blossoms. The 

 gayly colored seeds are often strung into very attractive neck- 

 laces. 



The wiliwili tree occurs in clumps or as individuals up to 1,500 

 feet in elevation in the hottest and driest districts on the lee side 

 of all the Hawaiian Islands. It grows luxuriantly in such re- 

 gions where few other trees could exist and is frequently found 

 coming up along water-courses or on the flat plain where freshets 

 have washed down the seed from the parent tree further inland. 

 The tree atj:ains a height of from 20 to 30 feet and the short 

 trunk is often 3 to 4 feet in diameter. The tree usually has a 

 broad spreading crown composed of stiff, gnarled, whitish green 

 branches, and both trunk and limbs are frequently armed with 

 short, stiff horns. The trunks are often a dirty orange yellow 

 in color. 



A related species, Eryflirina indica, has been introduced and 

 planted in and about Honolulu. This is called the "Coral 

 Tree" on account of the color and resemblance of the blossoms 

 to the red coral, and also ''Tiger's Claw" on account of the 

 claw-shaped flowers. This has pods from 4 to 8 inches long 

 which contain several dark carmine colored seeds and which do 

 not open but fall off entire from the tree. The wood of this 

 species is used in Guam for making troughs and in Samoa the 

 dead, dry wood is used for keeping fire in native houses, as it 

 will smolder for a long time without going out. In Samoa also 

 and in other islands of the Pacific, the natives reckon the change 

 of seasons by the flowering of this tree. 



The wiliwili tree in Hawaii is probably best known because of 

 its wood which is the lightest of any of the island trees. The 

 wood, although soft and about as light as cork, was much used 

 for the aiua, the float of the outrigger canoe for which purpose 

 it was admirable. The wood was also used for floats for fish 

 nets, for carved stools placed under the canoe when drawn up 

 on the beach or laid up in the canoe house, and for the narrower 



