Leguminosae. 
Erythrina monosperma Gaud. 
Wiliwili. 
(Plate 75.) 
ERYTHRINA MONOSPERMA Gaud. Bot. Voy. Uranie (1826) 486, ee vee —Hook. et 
E, 
Arn. Bot. Beech. (1832) 81;—Endl. Fl. Suds, (1836) no, 1641;—A. x Uo8o8. 
(1854) moo Ea Mann c. bP 163, et Fl. Haw. Isl. (1867) 18 5;—Sineait ‘Indig. 
Fl. Haw. Isl. (1885) pl, 1 Hbd. Fl. Haw. Isl. (1888) 99;—Del Cast. Il. - Coy 
Mar. Pacif, és oo. 151, et Fl, eee Frane. ape 47 ;— —Heller 
(1897) 834.—E, monta: a For st. in Pancher, Herb., in Cuzent, tahite era00) 
. (1873) n. 499.  hgeaiodcaiven’ monosperum (), 
Leaflets ovate or deltoid, broader a long 5 to 6.5 em x 6.5 to 9 em, obtuse, entire, 
truncate or petted af at the base, chartaceous, Seasons underneath; the petiole of the 
serenmee? leaflet 10 to 25 em long, the pe etiolules of the lateral one mm; stipules 
nd-like; racemes in the axils of the ulti je ar Ne es, 
to 
hickly tomentose; Bede toothed: flowers pale yellow or 
5) s broad as long, about 3 times longer than the 
a 
as long as the vexilum; anthers pointed, versatile; 
e pict 
The Witwiti is a eon tree of 20 to 30 feet, with stiff, gnarled 
branches and a spreading crown. The trunk is usually short, with few conical 
prickles on its otherwise smooth, thin, yellowish bark. It is usually of very 
large diameter, often 3 to 4 feet and more. The Wiliwili has the reputation of 
having the lightest wood of any of our island trees. It loses its leaves in the 
early fall or late summer and flowers from early spring to June or July, accord- 
ing to environment, before the new leaves appear, though sometimes flowers and 
leaves may be found together. The former are of a brick-red or white color, 
and not altogether unhandsome. The bright-red seeds are usually single, one 
in a pod, from which the tree derives its specific name monosperma (one- 
seeded). It is called tiger’s-claw by the foreigners, on account of its flowers, 
which are claw-shaped. 
The Wiliwili is the feature of lowland vegetation up to 1500 feet. It thrives 
best in the hottest and driest districts on the leeward sides of all the islands, es- 
pecially on the scoria and among rocks. It grows usually in company with 
Myoporum sandwicense (Naio), Reynoldsia sandwicensis, Nototrichium sandwt- 
cense, etc. It is characteristic of the lava fields of North Kona, Hawaii, on the 
west end of Molokai, the gorges of Mauna Lei and Nahoku on Lanai, the lava. 
fields on the southern slopes of Haleakala, Maui, in the dry canyons on Kauai, and 
even on the barren Island of Kahoolawe a few trees are still in existence. (See 
Plate XXVII.) 
The very soft, white wood of the Wiliwili was and is still used by the na- 
tives for outriggers on their fishing canoes, but since it has become more and 
more searce, the Hau is used as a substitute. The pretty red seeds are strung 
into leis and worn by the native women; those sold as Wiliwili leis in the curio 
shops are not of the native Wiliwili, but are the seeds of the so-called Red San- 
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