Rhamnaceae. 



base by the calycine cup. Endocarp divided into three cocci, opening elastically. Seeds 

 with thick smooth testa, occasionally with small arillus. Albumen present. Unarmed 

 shrubs or trees with glabrous or more or less tomentose leaves which are usually alter- 

 nate, or opposite in one of the Hawaiian species, cordate to elongate, three to penninerved. 

 Flowers usually in axillary, short peduncled cymules or single. 



The genus Colubrina consists of about 15 species distributed mainly in trop- 

 ical America and the warmer regions of North America. One is endemic in the 

 Hawaiian Islands, and one is widely distributed in the tropics of the old world. 



Colubrina opposil ifolia Brongn. 



Kauila. 

 (Plates 110 and 111.) 



COLUBRINA OPPOSITIFOLIA Brongn. (In Herb. Gray) H. Mann Proc. Am. Acad. 

 VII (1867) 161, et Fl. Haw. Isl. Essex Inst. V.' (1867) 173; Wawra in Flora 

 (1873) 170; Hbd. Fl. Haw. Isl. (1888) 80; Del Cast. 111. Fl. Ins. Mar. Pac. 

 VI. (1890) 140; Weberb. in Engl. et Prantl III. 5. (1896) 415. 



A medium sized tree (and not a shrub) 10 to 12 m high with a trunk of often 3 dm 

 and more in diameter; leaves opposite, ovate or oblong 7 to lo cm long, 3 to 6 cm wide, 

 on petioles of 3 to 5 cm, thin chartaceous, bright green on both sides, entire; penninerved, 

 with a gland at the base of each nerve on the lower face; flowers 5 to 10 in an umbellate 

 cyme on a common peduncle of about 1 cm or more, the pedicels 6 to 12 mm, with minute 

 ovate bractlets at the base; calyx cup-shaped 3 mm, parted to the middle; petals not ex- 

 ceeding the calyx and enclosing the short stamens; anthers ovoid; style very short, three- 

 lobed; fruit subglobose, 3-grooved at the apex, about 10 to 12 mm in diameter, the calycine 

 cup not exceeding the lower third; exocarp woody, not separating from the endocarp, 

 cocci 3; seeds reddish-brown, angular convex; cotyledons rather thick and fleshy, nearly 

 as long and broad as the thin albumen; radicle short. 



This is the Kauila of South and North Kona, Hawaii. It is in the latter lo- 

 cality that the tree is quite common, while in South Kona on the lava fields of 

 Kapua the tree is quite scarce. Between Puuwaawaa and Huehue, on the slopes 

 of Hualalai in North Kona, the tree reaches its best development. Trees 35 feet 

 or more in height are not uncommon, with a trunk of often a foot or more in 

 diameter. The bark is of a light brown color and scales off in large round 

 flakes. It is associated with Kokia Rockii (Kokio), Mezoneurum Kauaiense 

 (riiiuhi), Myoporum sandwicense (Naio), and many others. 



The wood of this Kauila is harder than the Kauila (AlpJiitonia excelsa} of 

 Kauai, Hawaii and Maui ; it is exceedingly hard, close grained and of a dark 

 red color, without black streaks such as occur in Alphitonia excelsa. 



The wood of this tree was used by the natives for spears on account of its 

 hardness and durability. It is peculiar to the Hawaiian Islands, as it is not 

 known from other parts of the world. A second species occurs in the islands, 

 which is a small rambling shrub (Colubrina asiatica) and is at once distinguish- 

 able by its alternate leaves. Its native name is Anapanapa or Kukuku. It is 

 extremely poisonous and was often used for stupefying fish. It grows only 

 near the sea. It is a cosmopolitan and is widely distributed over the tropics of 

 the old world. 



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