FLORA OF THE GROUP. 205 



convolvulus family is a golden yellow leafless parasitic vine that begins 

 life as a herb with a twining stem. When it comes into contact with 

 a suitable tree, shrub or vine it twines itself about it, and at the place where 

 it twines about the host plant it develops suckers which sa]) from the tree all 

 the nourishment the dodder requires for its growth. Finall\- the roots of the 

 parasite die and the ignoble plant continues to live on its victim much as the 

 mistletoe does. In various places about the group as in Kau on Hawaii, 

 it covers the bushes and the plant growth over hundreds of acres of the low 

 lands. 



Introduced Plants. 



As has been said, the region from the sea-shore up to and above one thou- 

 sand feet elevation has been most used by man, and as a result the character 

 of the flora has been changed by many plants, both of native and European in- 

 troduction, that have here found congenial surroundings. 



A note^vorthy example of undoubted Hawaiian introduction is the noni.'^^ 

 It is a small tree with stout angular branches clothed with thick, smooth, green 

 leaves six or eight inches long by half as broad. The tree is most easily recog- 

 nized by its curious potato-like greenish fruits. They are fleshy and .juicy, but 

 insipid to the taste, and are very fetid while decaying. The noni occurs all over 

 Polynesia from the strands up several hundred feet in the valleys, and in former 

 times Avas cultivated as a dye plant by the Hawaiians, who secured a yellow 

 dye from the roots and a pink dye from the bark. AVitli the addition of salt 

 they also secured a blue color that was very permanent. 



Of the plants that have escaped from European introductions only a few 

 of the more conspicuous or interesting can be mentioned. Next to the lantaua per- 

 haps the Verbena or oi,-"*-^ an erect perennial three to six feet high with spikes 

 of small lilac-blue flowers, is one of the most troublesome introductions, especi- 

 ally where large tracts of land are used for pasture. The cassia flower-^" or 

 kolu bean was an early introduction into the islands and grows luxuriantly along 

 the road sides and elsewhere in unproductive regions. Its finely pinnate leaflets 

 and yellow, sweet-scented ball-like flowers are characteristic of this hush, but are 

 no better known to the cross-country rambler than are their sharp needle-like 

 spines. India furnishes tons of the dried blossoms of this plant to connnerce, 

 and France, we are told, has plantations devoted to the culture of this or a 

 closely allied species, the aromatic blossoms of which are much used in the manu- 

 facture of perfume. Experiments have proven that the quality of th(^ Hawaiian 

 grown flowers, if properly dried, excel in fragrance those gi-owii -.wmI cured in 

 India. 



Perhai)s a dozen species of Acacia are grown in Hawaii, some of which have 

 established themselves in the open. With these should be mentioned several 

 species of the genus Cassia, belonging with their cousin the kolu to the great 

 order of pod-bearing plants •^' that are both wild and cultivated. 



^* Morinda ritrifolia. ^^ Verbena Poiiai-ieiixis. '" Arariit Farnesiaita. *" Legiiminosa. 



