Rubiaceae. 

 PLECTRONIA Linn. 



Calyx short, cup-shaped, truncate or 4 to 5 toothed. Tube of corolla short or pro- 

 longed, corolla funnel shaped or campanulate, with obtuse or acute lobes. Stamens 4 to 5, 

 inserted near the throat. Ovary 2-celled; style with thickened, obtuse, capitate stigma. 

 Drupe 2-seeded, one cell often abortive. Shrubs or trees, occasionally climbers, armed 

 or unarmed, with coriaceous leaves and interpetiolar stipules. Flowers small in fascicles 

 or corymbose cymes. 



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 WalaJiee or Alahee, distributed however over the 

 South Pacific Islands. 



Plectronia odorata (Forst.) F. v. M. 

 Walahee or Alakee. 

 (Plate 178.) 



PLECTRONIA ODORATA Forst. F. v. Muell ? Hbd Fl. Haw. Isl. 



(1888) 175; Del Cast. 111. Fl. Ins. Mar. Pac. VI. (1890) 194; K. Schum. in 

 Engl. et Prantl Pflzfam. IV. 4. (1891) 92; Heller PI. Haw. Isl. (1897) 902. 

 Coffea odorata Forst. Prodr. (1786) no. 94. Ixora odorata Sprengl. Syst. veg. 

 I. (1825) 409. Canthium lucidum H. et A. Bot. Beech. (1832) 65; Mann Proc. 

 Am. Acad. VII. (1867) 169; Wawra in Flora (1874) 298. Myonima umbellatum 

 Hook, et Am. Bot. Beech. (1832) 86. Pavetta dubia Endl. Fl. S'uds. (1836) 176. 

 no. 1296. Canthium odoratum Seem. Fl. Vit. (1866) 132. 



Leaves elliptical-oblong, acuminate or somewhat obtuse, dark green, glossy above, 

 paler beneath; stipules mucronate; flowers white, fragrant in cymose corymbs 2.5 to 3.5 

 cm long; calyx 2 mm, dentate; corolla 6 mm long, 4 to 5 fid, pilose at the insertion of 

 the stamens, the latter exserted; style little longer, glabrous, stigma short ovoid or rather 

 the 2 thick lobes co-adnate; drupe obovoid, compressed, black and juicy when mature, 

 emarginate, grooved on each side, 8x10 mm, 2-celled. Seed incurved. 



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-dioecious. Calyx cup-shaped, truncate, 4-toothed or 4-lobed. 

 Corolla salver-shaped, lobes imbricate in the bud. Stamens inserted in the throat, their 

 apices protruding. Ovary 2 to 11-celled; style in the male flowers with 2-, in the female 

 flowers with 2 to 11 filiform branches. Drupe globose, somewhat dry or fleshy, furrowed 

 when dry, with 2 to 11 osseous, uniseriate pyrenae. Seeds straight. Trees with sub- 

 coriaceous to chartaceous, pale green leaves, and interpetiolar easily caducous stipules. 

 Flowers usually 3, or single, in axillary symes. 



437 



