Rubiaceae. 
PLECTRONIA Linn. 
Calyx short, cup-shaped, truncate or 4 to 5 toothed. Tube of corolla short or pro- 
~ ganboeg funnel shaped or campanulate, with obtuse or acute lobes. Stamens 4 to 5 
serted n the throat. Ovary 2-celled; style with thickened, obtuse, capitate stigma. 
Riis anedod, one cell often Kbortive —Shrubs or trees, occasio onally climbers, armed 
or unarmed, with ¢ coriaceous leaves and interpetiolar stipules. Flowers small in fascicles 
or corymbose cym 
A genus of more than 80 species distributed over the warmer or hottest regions 
of the old world, with the exception of Europe. In the Hawaiian Islands we 
have only one species, the Walahee or Alahee, distributed however over the 
South Pacific Islands. 
Plectronia odorata (Forst.) F. v. M. 
Walahee or Alahee. 
(Plate 178.) 
aeaualahan rs SMA TA Patel. Foo Mae soe og i 8 ony ek Hbd, Fl. Haw. = 
(1888) 175;—Del Cast. Ill. FI. fa Mar. Pac. VI. (1890) ioe ;—K. Schum 
Engl. et Prantl Pfizfam. IV. 4. (1891) 92;—Heller Pl. Haw. Isl. (1897) 902.— 
Coffea odorata Forst. Prodr. (1786) no, 94.—Ixora odorata Spreng]. Syst. veg. 
I. (1825) 409.—Canthium asi idum H. et A. Bias: Beech, (1832) 65; —Mann Proe. 
74) 298.—Myonima umbella 
Hook. et Arn. Bot. Beech. (1832) 86.—Pav be dubia soak Fl. Suds. (1836) 176. 
no. 1296.—Canthium odoratum Seem. Fl. Vit. (1866) 1 
aves elliptical-oblong, acuminate or somewhat obtuse, dark green, ae ore 
oe tenuate: stipu vee es mucronate; flowers white, yee: in ¢ymose corymbs o 3.5 
em long; ¢ alyx 2mm, dentate; ¢ corolla 6 mm long, 5 fid, pilos se at the insertion of 
the stamens, the tates exerted; style wekbibe soe “glabrous, stigma short ovoid or rather 
the 2 thick lobes co-adnate; dru upe obovoid, essed, black and juicy when cantare 
emarginate, grooved on each’ side, 8x10 mm, 2- a Seed ineurved, 
The Walahee or Alahee is a shrub or small tree reaching a maximum height of 
20 feet. It has a round crown, bright green, very glossy leaves; the white frag- 
rant flowers add to the beauty of the little tree during the summer months. 
It inhabits the dry regions of the low land or lower forest zone up to 2000 
feet, and is rather a common tree on all the islands. On the west end of Molo- 
kai, Walahee trees form the sole arborescent growth in the little gulches (see 
plate 178) 
The wood of the Alahee is very handsome, exceedingly hard, and durable. It 
was used by the natives for their implements with which they tilled the soil. 
The leaves were used in coloring articles black. 
BOBEA Gaud. 
Flowers polygamous- segtrdn Calyx cup-shaped, truncate, 4-toothed or 4-lobed. 
Corolla ‘salver: shaped, lobes imbricate in the bud. tamens inserted in the throat their 
ale flowers wi in the femal 
O 
fi with 2 to 11 filiform branches. Drupe she, somewhat dry or fleshy, da edit 
when dry, with 2 to 11 osseous, uniseriate pyre Seeds straight.—Trees with 
coriaceous to chartaceou us, pa ale green eae foes Soleseieia easily caduecous spelen 
Flowers usually 3, or single, in axillary sym 
437 
