228 I'isJi-J'oisoiiiir^ in ihc IJciK'aiiaii Islands 



small shrubs to small trees, and ranyim^ from near sea level to an 

 elevation of 7000 feet, but generally found growing- in the lower 

 forests. As the native vegetation is receding all these species be- 

 come more and ni(»rc diflicult to find. 



The same author lia^ the following note on the genus'': "Like 

 many other plants of this order, the Hawaiian Akeas \iikia] con- 

 tain an acrid narcotic principle, and are employed by the natives in 

 common with Awa and Ahuhu [aithiihii] for narcotizing fish." He 

 attaches the Hawaiian name okio to IVikstrocuiia foctida, var. 

 oaliucnsis, which appears to have been the form most widely spread 

 through these islands. 



The writer has found it impossible to secure from the natives 

 an identification of the j^articular form of akia used for fishing. 

 Two specimens of the plant were collected on Oahu in 1920 by Mr. 

 C. N. Forbes — mountain forms of JV. foctida and W. clougata. 

 The first specimen was shown to three natives, one of whom iden- 

 tified it as akia iiiaoli, the medicinal form. He did not know of 

 akia having been used for fishing. The secon<l native identified it 

 as aJiihi, a form of Mctrosideros. and the third as koko, a medic- 

 inal plant. Two of the men said they were acquainted with akia 

 fishing. 



Afterwards another native was engaged to collect the akia awa- 

 aiva on Oahu. He returned confidently with a specimen of U\ foc- 

 tida, of a slightly different form from that previously collected by 

 Mr. Forbes. All the specimens, including that of JV. clougata were 

 then submitted to a native from the southern part of Kona in the 

 Island of Hawaii. He said they were not akia auaara'a. 



The specimens were then shown to the occupants of the Luna- 

 lilo Home for Aged Hawaiians. Some recognized the first speci- 

 men of n\ foctida as the real akia aicaaica and rejected the second 

 specimen. A rather forceful old man said that none of the speci- 

 mens was the right one ; that the akia awaa:i'a was a shrub about 

 2y2 feet high with small leaves, almost round, and could be found 

 growing at a certain place on the north side of Oahu. 



The native from South Kona offered to send home for a speci- 

 men of the desired i)lant, but when it came, it was witliout blos- 



' Op cit. 



[12] 



