Fish-Poisoning in the Hawaiian Islands 227 



It was gathered for hola during- tlie growing period, as the natives 

 assert that it was without bitterness in its dormant state. This bit- 

 terness they associate with the poison. Plate XIX B iUustrates a 

 flowering and fruiting specimen from Oahu, about 2j/4 feet high, 

 found growing in a soil pocket on a limestone slope and crowded 

 by exotic vegetation. 



In many localities auhiihn has been exterminated. Among the 

 contributory factors are the competition of introduced plants, the 

 native method of gathering, and the ravages of goats and cattle. 



Heller, writing in 1897^, reported anhuhn growing plentifully 

 on the western slope of Diamond Head, Oahu. but in 1920, at the 

 right season, the writer searched for it unsuccessfully. A native 

 of Oahu claimed to have gathered the plant in Heller's locality in 

 1912, further asserting that this spot was noted for efficacious an- 

 huhn. As for some years past, there have been dairy yards on the 

 western side of the crater, and cattle trails high up on the slope 

 were observed during the search mentioned, the disappearance of 

 the plant in that locality was undoubtedly due to cattle. In 1919 

 while on the Island of Hawaii, the writer learned the goats had 

 exterminated the aiihuhu in a pasture of 6 to 8 square miles. The 

 native goat drivers (who were also fishermen) reported that the 

 goats ate the entire plant and that cattle ate the plant when in the 

 dormant, but not in the growing state — without, however, destroy- 

 ing the root. Perhaps its greatest rival is the allied indigo'* (Indi- 

 gofcra anil L., introduced in 1836), which has found easy entrance 

 on account of the fisherman's method of pulling up the anlinhn by 

 the roots. 



To present-day Hawaiians ahia as a fish poison is less known 

 than anhuhn, though as a medicine it is still in use. The older 

 Hawaiians speak of two kinds, akia manalo, or akia nmoU, which is 

 not bitter, and akia azuaazva, the bitter form. The bitter variety is 

 said to have been used for fish poison. 



Hillebrand described seven species and four varieties of Wik- 

 stroemia (akia) in the Hawaiian Islands, varying in size from 



' Heller, A. A., Plants of the Hawaiian Islands : Minnesota Geol. and 

 Nat. Hist. Survey Bull, g (Minnesota Bot. Studies, vol. i), p. 833, 1894-1898. 

 "11111^1)1^01(1. Op. cit. 



[II] 



