236 NATURAL HISTORY OF HAWAII. 



strongly marked and retain their characteristics when grown from seed. For 

 the reason just stated we may regard those g:rown in Hawaii — at the nortliern 

 limit of the range — where the climate is scarcely warm enough for their best 

 development, as forming a fairly distinct variety, namely the Hawaiian cocoanut. 

 The cocoanut, or niu, had many uses in Hawaii a century ago. The trunk 

 of the tree furnished fairly heavy timber, while the long pinnate leaves were 

 used in former days as thatch, and laced together they formed the walls of the 

 native lanai. FromJhe husk of the nut a durable rope was made, and various 

 household ;itensils were manufactured from the shells. The natives drank the 

 juice and ate the meat of the nuts. They also healed their wounds with a balm 

 made from the juice, and with the oil extracted from the meat of the nut the^ 

 anointed their limbs and embalmed the bodies of their dead. 



Ttie Date Palm. 



Less striking, perhaps, but even more beautiful in certiiin ways than the 

 foregoing, are the date palms-' with their splendid fronds that are often larger 

 and always more numerous than are those of the cocoanut palm. To many these 

 sturdy, thrifty trees are the symbol of .strength, beauty and repose. 



The date palm was long ago introduced into Hawaii and it has been a con- 

 spicuous tree in the islands ever since. Though it bears large bunches of orange- 

 colored dates, the fruit is seldom eaten, as the pits are usually so large that the 

 little tlesh that surrounds them is not worth the effort required to secure it. 

 Without doubt, however, a good quality of dates can be produced here, when 

 suckers are secured from selected parent plants. 



The leaves of this and other species of palms are often used for decorations, 

 especially on Palm Sunday. It is thought that for this reason the parent plants 

 were of very early introduction into the new world by the Spanish missionaries. 



Ornamental Palms. 



The hrtel iHit.' though with a very slender stem, is in sujierfieial appear- 

 ance not unlike the royal palm. It bears a yellow fruit, the size of a hen's 

 egg which has one seed surrounded by a fibrous husk. The seeds are chewed by 

 the natives of certain south Pacific and East Indian islatuls to blacken the 

 teeth. The word betel is erroneously appiii'cl to tiiis fruit, as it is the luune 

 of the leaf of a totally different j)lant. 



Of the native [lahiis a few spccinii'iis of the IduIii palm are to be seen here 

 and there about the city. They are a fan palm with smooth trunks and in their 

 wild state gi-ow in scchidrd places in the forests often to an elevation of three 

 thousand feet above the sea. One species, the loulu lelo.^ has small ovid fruit, 

 while the loulu hiwa '' has large globulur fruits. Of the innumerable varieties 

 of fan palms to be seen only a word can be said, since their number and variety 

 defy a brief characterization. llov.-ever, the class can be easily recognized b}' 



■' I'hoenix diHtuHfern. 'Arcrn rnther,:. '■ PrU.hiinliu Giiudirhninlii. « I'lil.-liniilm Miiitii. 



