Chapter IV TROPICAL SHRUBS |
Illustrated capital Hawaii has a wealth of flowering shrubs, most of them introduced from other tropical regions to augment the few which are native. These shrubs make up the larger portion of island gardens, since many of the annuals and perennials of the temperate zone do not grow well in a warm climate. Many of the shrubs have unusual flower forms and others create spectacular effects with masses of color. PAGODA FLOWER
Clerodendron squamatum Vahl Brilliant scarlet flowers, in large, loose, upright heads, proclaim the Clerodendron. The blooming period is winter and spring. Individual flowers are slenderly tubular, widening into five narrow lobes which turn back against the tube. The stamens and pistil curve beyond the flower in a small red tuft. Stems of the flower head are also red and hold this color even when the green berries turn blue-black. The shrub grows about ten feet tall. Its large, heart-shaped leaves are thick and velvety, with wavy margins and prominent venation. The stems and pedicels are downy, and the latter have a tendency to turn red as the leaf matures. This exotic looking shrub comes from South China and India. It is a member of the Verbena family. Specimens grow in the Royal Hawaiian Hotel garden and Thomas Square. (Plate VI) GOLDEN DEWDROP
Duranta repens Linnaeus The popular name, Golden Dewdrop well describes the clusters of small, bright, yellow berries which hang on this shrub a large part of the year. They are so plentiful they usually cause the slender, grey-stemmed branches to droop gracefully. They lend themselves to interesting arrangements. The shrub may attain ten feet in height. Its small, light-green leaves are pointed at either end. The flowers are a delicate, lavender-blue, or white, very small and formed as minute tubes, with five lobes. They grow as spreading clusters at the ends of the branches. This shrub, a member of the Verbena family, is a native of tropical America. It is grown in the Royal Hawaiian Hotel garden. (Plate VI) SHRIMP PLANT
Beloperone guttata Brandegee
(Beloperone nemorosa) Rosy or yellowish bracts, overlapping with scale-like precision to form a curving tube, are highly suggestive of the curved tail of a shrimp and explain the popular name of this plant. The true flowers appear, one or two at a time, from beneath the colored bracts, near the tip. They are small, white, tubular, with purplish dots on the larger of the two lobes. The plant is herbaceous and sprawling, growing at most to five feet. Its leaves are slightly rough to the touch, opposite, and of medium size. It is a native of tropical America and a member of the Acanthus family. It grows in the garden of the Royal Hawaiian hotel. (Plate VI) Plate V
NATIVE TREES—CHAPTER III Identification key - Identification key
- (1) Hau
- (2) Hala
- (3) Ohia Lehua
- (4) Kamani
- (5) Koa
- (6) Milo
- (7) Kou
- (8) Kukui
Plate VI
TROPICAL SHRUBS—CHAPTER IV Identification key - Identification key
- (1) Pagoda Flower
- (2) Golden Dewdrop
- (3) Shrimp Plant
- (4) Flowering Eranthemum
- (5) Madagascar Periwinkle
- (6) Rondeletia
- (7) Star Jasmine
- (8) Galphimia
- (9) Plumbago
- (10) Ixora
Plate VII
TROPICAL SHRUBS—CHAPTER IV Identification key - Identification key
- (1) Candle Bush
- (2) Coral Plant
- (3) Lipstick Plant
- (4) Brunfelsia
- (5) Cotton
- (6) Ilima
- (7) Thunbergia
- (8) Mock Orange
- (9) Justicia
Plate VIII
TROPICAL SHRUBS—CHAPTER IV Identification key - Identification key
- (1) Dwarf Poinciana
- (2) Chenille Plant
- (3) Cape Honeysuckle
- (4) Crepe Myrtle
- (5) Crown Flower
- (6) Beach Naupaka
- (7) Purple Lantana
- (8) Pikake
- (9) Crown of Thorns
- (10) Singapore Holly
FLOWERING ERANTHEMUM
Pseuderanthemum reticulatum Radlkofer Conspicuous for its yellowish leaves and small white and purplish flowers is this Eranthemum. The yellow color appears extensively on the young leaves and survives on the older ones as yellow venations, making the plant appear very bright and sunny. The tubular flowers grow in small spikes, the tubes broadening into four lobes. These are spotted with purple dots where they begin to broaden. The plant grows about six feet high. It belongs to the Acanthus family and possibly comes from Indo-Malaya or Polynesia. Specimens may be seen in the Royal Hawaiian Hotel garden. (Plate VI) VINCA ROSEA. MADAGASCAR PERIWINKLE
Lochnera rosea (L.) Reichenbach Rosy pink or pure white flowers, on a short, herbaceous plant which looks like a temperate zone annual, is the Periwinkle. It is a cousin of the blue myrtle, or periwinkle of the mainland, but resembles the latter only in the general form of the flowers. Known elsewhere as Madagascar periwinkle (although not a native of that island) it is called in Hawaii simply Periwinkle or Vinca. The flowers are flat, five-petalled and ever-blooming. Some of the white ones have a cerise eye in the center. The leaves are greyish, long, narrow, with blunt tips. It is a cosmopolitan in the tropics and can be found growing on the University of Hawaii grounds. (Plate VI) RONDELETIA
Rondeletia odorata Jacquin Small, round, heads of many bright, red and yellow flowers mark the Rondeletia. It is a shrub which is not common in Hawaii but may be found in the Royal Hawaiian and Foster gardens. The flowers are tubular, with a bright yellow throat and orange-red lobes. The leaves are opposite and sessile. The shrub grows to about six feet high. It is a native of Mexico and a member of the Coffee family. (Plate VI) STAR JASMINE
Jasminum pubescens Willde
(Jasminum multiflorum) The Star Jasmine takes its name from the starry, white flowers which cover the plant at all seasons. Each has from four to nine, pointed lobes, radiating from the mouth of the slender tube. Ordinarily, they are scentless, but a variety with faint fragrance is now becoming popular. When the flowers fall, they leave a group of coarsely hairy, green calyxes like small green pompons. The plant is at first a sprawling shrub, but later becomes a vine. Its leaves grow in opposite pairs along the length of the shoots. They are pointed and slightly velvety. This plant is widely used in Honolulu. It is a native of tropical Asia, and like all the Jasmines, belongs to the Olive family. (Plate VI) GALPHIMIA
Thryallis glauca Kuntze
(Galphimia glauca) Small, terminal, clusters of bright, yellow, little flowers with red stamens, characterize the Galphimia shrub. It grows about five feet high and has small, glossy, opposite leaves. The yellow flowers bloom most of the year, making the plant popular in gardens. The word Galphimia, by which it is popularly known, is an anagram of Malpighia, the name of the Italian physician for which the family to which it belongs was named. It is a native of southern Mexico. (Plate VI) PLUMBAGO
Plumbago capensis Thunberg The pale blue flowers of the Plumbago are frequently seen especially in dry places where the plant thickly covers the ground or grows over walls and trellises, often with a heavy undergrowth of dead branches below. The flowers have a long tube and five lobes, and grow in short clusters. Their blue color varies from a soft azure to palest tints, and there is a pure white variety. The species with pink blossoms is Plumbago rosea. The blue flowering plant is a native of South Africa, near the Cape of Good Hope, as its name indicates. It gives the name of Plumbago to its family. (Plate VI) IXORA
Ixora macrothyrsa Teijsmann and Binnendijk Large, round “snowball” heads of scarlet bloom make the Ixora a very conspicuous shrub. Sometimes it seems almost like a small tree for it can reach fifteen feet in height. The small individual flowers have four petals growing at the end of a slender tube that appears to be a red stem. These flowers are sometimes laboriously strung by the Hawaiians into leis, which become solid red cylinders, two to three inches in diameter. There are also plants with pale red or with white flowers, the latter scented. The shrub has fine, large, glossy foliage suggestive of that of the Coffee, of which family it is a member. It is a native of Malaya. There is a tendency in Honolulu to mispronounce the name as if it were spelled Exoria. (Plate VI) CANDLEBUSH. ACAPULCO
Cassia alata Linnaeus Upright stalks of bright yellow flowers, almost cylindrical in form, explain the popular name of this shrub. When first opening, the individual flowers are closer together on the stalk than shown on Plate VII, heightening the suggestion of golden candles growing over the shrub. The flowers are at their best in winter, although they may be found later. The individual flowers are pea shaped, as the plant is a member of this family. The leaves are luxuriant, each one from eighteen inches to two feet long. The leaf is made up of many pairs of large leaflets, which increase in size from the base to the tip. The plant is probably a native of tropical America, but is widely grown in the tropics. CORAL PLANT
Russelia juncea Zuccarini Tiny, tubular red flowers, growing loosely over the drooping sprays of a graceful bush have again suggested coral and given the name of Coral plant to this shrub. The sprays may grow to six feet, with stems and a few leaves of greyish green. Individual flowers are about an inch long, tubular, and hang loosely on slender angular stems. The plant is a native of Mexico and belongs to the Figwort family. (Plate VII) LIPSTICK PLANT
Bixa orellana Linnaeus Seedpods of the lipstick plant are extremely ornamental and are often used as dried floral material. They are covered with heavy soft, dark hairs, deep red when fresh and turning to stiff brown as they dry. The pointed pod splits to reveal rows of seeds covered with a red powdery material. This red covering provides the annotto dye of commerce, used among other things for coloring oleomargarine, butter and cheese. It is not produced commercially in Hawaii, but the plants are grown for this purpose in tropical America, where they are native. The name Lipstick plant was produced locally on the spur of the moment when a name was needed, based on the way the red material smeared the skin. Flowers of this plant, which appear in summer, are pale orchid pink, the five petals surrounding a central mass of lavender stamens. The foliage is dark green and prominently veined. The shrub may attain almost the proportions of a small tree. Specimens grow in Iolani Palace grounds across from the Library of Hawaii. The plant is a member of the Bixa family. (Plate VII) BRUNFELSIA
Brunfelsia hopeana Bentham A shrub curiously covered in spring with both blue and white flowers, superficially suggesting pansies in form, is the Brunfelsia. The two colorings are due to the fact that the flowers are a soft lavender blue when they open but fade to almost pure white before they fall. They have five velvety petals, which are actually the lobes of a slender tube, and they give off a delicate fragrance. The shrub is woody, with light grey bark and sparse dark green leaves. This species is a native of Brazil. A specimen grows on Metcalf street near Hunnewell. (Plate VII) Another Brunfelsia grows in Honolulu with white flowers which turn a deep cream as they grow older. This is B. americana, a native of tropical America. It is almost scentless by day, but develops fragrance after dark. Both are members of the nightshade family. COTTON
Gossypium barbadense Linnaeus The cotton plant is a cousin of the Hibiscus and in Hawaii grows to be a tall shrub which is often used in gardens. The yellow flowers are formed like Hibiscus, but do not open widely. As they fade, they become tinged with purple, a color change which suggests the related Hau and Milo blossoms. The seed case is large, round and pointed and partly covered by three fringed bracts. When it opens the boll of white cotton, in which are the seeds, breaks out. This fluff of white fiber remains on the plant for a long time, suggesting a different kind of blossom. In Hawaii the local cotton is sometimes gathered and used for homemade mattresses, but it is inferior in quality. Cotton leaves are heart-shaped and velvety, due to whitish hairs which cover them and give a greyish green appearance to the plant. (Plate VII) ILIMA
Sida fallax Walpers Another close relative of the Hibiscus is the Ilima, a native plant which has orange flowers about an inch across, looking like miniature Hibiscus blooms. The color ranges in tone from light yellow through orange and buff, to brownish red, but the orange color is the most popular. Leaves and stems are covered with whitish hairs creating a velvety effect. The plant grows as a small shrub, rather straggling in appearance. It is seldom cultivated except by the lei makers, but is found wild in dry places. It also grows on other South Sea islands. Leis made of these thin, silky flowers are the originals of the often-seen orange paper leis, like paper ropes about an inch in diameter. The paper leis, which are so artificial looking, are nevertheless really very much like the flower originals. The true Ilima lei has the soft texture of flesh, created by great numbers of the flowers being strung flatly together. In early days such leis were reserved for royalty and they are still called the royal lei. The Ilima is the flower of the Island of Oahu. (Plate VII) THUNBERGIA
Thunbergia erecta T. Anderson Rich purple-blue flowers with golden throats are Thunbergias, closely related to the white and blue flowering vines of the same name. The velvety purple petals are lobes expanding a tube that is whitish without and bright yellow within. The flowers grow singly in leaf axils, emerging from a pair of whitish bracts. The blossoms are thin and delicate and fade almost at once after being picked. There is a pure white flowering form with yellow throat. The plant is an open, rather straggling shrub, about five feet high. Its slender branches bear small opposite leaves, rather pointed at either end. It is a native of tropical west Africa and belongs to the Acanthus family. (Plate VII) MOCK ORANGE
Murraya exotica Linnaeus The Mock Orange bears flowers several times a year in sporadic outbursts which cover the plant with clusters of small snowy blossoms. At such times the fragrance nearby is so intense that no one in the vicinity can miss it. The Mock Orange is a true member of the Citrus family and has the delightful scent which they all possess. Individual flowers are five petaled, and waxy, like a very small orange blossom. When these petals fall they cover the ground with white. The fruit is a small red ball filled with a large seed. It is not edible, but very bitter. Between periods of bloom the shrub, which may become a small tree, remains attractive in its small, glossy, dark green foliage. Leaves are compound, the leaflets being about two inches long and pointed. This shrub is a native of tropical Asia and widely grown. (Plate VII) JUSTICIA
Odontonema strictum Kuntze
(Justicia carnea) The Justicia bears stiff, upright spikes of red flowers, each one a waxy little cornucopia with five small lobes. The flower stalk is a mass of buds, of which only a few, up and down its length, develop at a time giving it a rather ragged and irregular appearance, but prolonging its blooming season almost indefinitely. The open flowers fall quickly. The plant is herbaceous and grows about five feet high. Its leaves are bright green and glossy, large, pointed, and with prominent veins. It is a native of tropical America and belongs to the Acanthus family. (Plate VII) DWARF POINCIANA. PRIDE OF BARBADOES
Caesalpinia pulcherrima (L.) Swartz Bright clusters of fiery scarlet and yellow flowers growing on the higher branch tips of a tall shrub or small tree, announce the Dwarf Poinciana. While not a true Poinciana, it is a close relative, so that its common name is not far amiss. Individual flowers are smaller, but quite similar in form to those of Royal Poinciana, with five crepy spreading petals and a colored calyx. The petals are sometimes margined with yellow which gives added brilliance to the effect. Very long stamens and pistil project from the center. Unlike Poinciana, the plant blooms most of the year. Flat seedpods follow the flowers. There is an all-yellow flowered form. The leaves are doubly compound, with many small rounded leaflets along the pinnae. It is a legume, and widely grown in the tropics. In India it is the sacred flower of Siva. Specimens grow in the University of Hawaii grounds. (Plate VIII) A similar plant with flowers of bright yellow but with conspicuous, long, red stamens is Caesalpinia gilliesii, sometimes called Bird of Paradise. CHENILLE PLANT
Acalypha hispida Burmann One of the strangest looking of tropical shrubs bears long, thin velvety tails of dark red, which well deserve the common name of Chenille plant, or sometimes, Redhot Cat-tails. The shrub will attain eight feet and presents a striking appearance with these long, crimson, flower spikes hanging from among the large green leaves. The tails are made up of the staminate flowers, which have no petals; pistillate flowers are inconspicuous. A fine plant grows in front of Gumps at Waikiki. The shrub is a member of the Euphorbia family and a native of the East Indies. (Plate VIII) CAPE HONEYSUCKLE
Tecomaria capensis (Lindley) Seemann The orange red flowers of this shrub have the typical trumpet form of the Bignonias, to which family it belongs. The slightly curving tube broadens into five lobes, beyond which extend the yellow stamens. The flowers appear in small clusters at the branch ends. The shrub is sprawling and vinelike, often used as a ground cover. It may be seen at the University of Hawaii. It has small, compound leaves notably dark green in color, each leaflet having a serrated margin. Its specific name, capensis, reveals its native home to be South Africa. CREPE MYRTLE
Lagerstroemia indica Linnaeus In midsummer there is a sudden burst of bright, pink blossoms in Honolulu, due to the flowering of the Crepe Myrtle. Most of these plants are shrubs, but sometimes they attain the size of a small tree. The exceedingly frilled, fringed and crepy petals, five to a flower, occur in such fluffy masses that individual blossoms are often hard to distinguish. There is a white variety and some vary in color to lavender. Leaves are small, leathery, smooth above, but rough beneath. The stems are brown. The bark, when the plant attains tree size, is so smooth that in some Oriental countries, where it is native, it is called a “monkey slide” tree. (Plate VIII) A large tree in the Foster Garden bears heads of lavender bloom in summer, making a very striking appearance. This tree is Lagerstroemia speciosa. Crepe myrtles belong to the Henna family and are natives of the Far East. CROWN FLOWER. GIANT INDIAN MILKWEED
Calotropis gigantea R. Brown The Crown Flower derives its name from its oddly shaped blossoms which rise in clusters at the branch ends. The flowers are a grayish lavender or a greenish white, the latter being more popular for lei making than the former. Above the five thick, starlike, greenish petals rises a miniature crown which looks as if it had been carved from white jade. It is tipped by the stamens and the five pointed style. These “crowns,” when stripped from the flower, are strung into leis which appear like carved beads; indeed, they have been imitated in carved ivory, perhaps the best of all the imitation flower leis. The shrub grows rather tall. It is whitish, the stems and thick leaves being covered with down. When cut, the stems give off a milky juice as do other members of the Milkweed family. This plant is a native of India, where, like the Caesalpinia, it is sacred to Siva. (Plate VIII) BEACH NAUPAKA
Scaevola frutescens (Miller) Krause A quaint little flower, which seems to have been torn in half, since the white petals radiate in only half of a circle, is called Naupaka-kai by the Hawaiians. It is a native plant, found wild on the beaches of these islands, and others in the South Seas. It has been adopted here for seashore planting, since it is resistant to wind and salt spray. There are other species of Scaevola growing in Hawaii, some of them preferring a mountain habitat, but all are characterized by the half blossom. The five petals have purple streaks. Leaves of the Beach Naupaka are thick and grey-green because of a velvety down. They become broader toward the tips than toward the base. A plant with such an odd flower would be certain to have had legends created about it. They are several in Hawaii, usually on the theme of lovers parted, typified by the incomplete blossom. The plant belongs to the Goodenia family. It may be seen growing along the seawall of the Halekulani hotel or along the shore lines of the Islands. (Plate VIII) PURPLE, OR TRAILING LANTANA
Lantana sellowiana Link and Otto A low, covering plant, dotted with small clusters of rosy lavender flowers is the purple Lantana. The flower heads are an inch or so across, each made up of flowerets which are little tubes with five lobes. The foliage is small, stiff and rough, with prominent veins, each leaf minutely scalloped. The plant is woody and firm, by which it can be distinguished from an annual, herbaceous Verbena which is sometimes grown as a ground cover and has flowers of somewhat similar form and color. The Lantana belongs to the Verbena family, accounting for the similarity. The trailing purple Lantana comes from South America. (Plate VIII) The familiar red and yellow Lantana camara is often seen in Hawaii growing wild beside the road. It is an “escape” from gardens. At one time it threatened all island agriculture, for without natural checks in the new territory to which it had been introduced it formed dense thickets which could hardly be eradicated. It was finally controlled by introducing parasites from tropical America, where it is native. PIKAKE
Jasminum sambac Solander The Pikake flower is seldom seen growing, for the shrub is rather ungainly, with large stiff paired leaves, and the blossoms make little show. It is when these flowers are strung into leis, however, that they become universally recognized, through their magnificent fragrance. It is regarded by many people as the most enchanting flower scent in the world. The individual flowers are small, waxy, white, usually double. One lei strand is enough to scent a room, but several are usually worn in order to make an attractive showing. It is this Jasmine that is grown commercially in China and added to tea leaves to make Jasmine tea. Its peculiar Hawaiian name (pronounced peacocki), was probably derived from association with the white peacocks which used to wander through Ainahau, the beautiful estate at Waikiki where the Princess Kaiulani lived in the nineties. The lei of Jasmine flowers was the favorite of this young heiress to the Hawaiian throne and by a natural association of favorites, her lei and her birds were called by the same name. (Plate VIII) CROWN OF THORNS
Euphorbia splendens Bojer Quantities of very long, sharp thorns on a low shrub bearing small, red flowers is the Crown of Thorns. The little, rosy-scarlet flowers grow in small clusters on longish stems. What appear to be two red petals are really a pair of bracts. The leaves are few, bright green, and appear on the new growth. The plant, which is usually less than three feet high, forms a dense mass of thorns with its bare, brownish stems. It is sometimes planted in areas from which it is desired to keep people, as in the parking strip before the Advertiser building. The plant is a native of Madagascar, and a member of the Euphorbia family. (Plate VIII) It is a cousin of the Poinsettia, Euphorbia pulcherrima from Mexico, which grows very luxuriously in Hawaii. SINGAPORE HOLLY
Malpighia coccigera Linnaeus Miniature, holly-like leaves, crisp, shining and thorny, mark this charming little plant which is not a native of Singapore but of the West Indies. Nor is it a true holly, but a member of the Malpighia family. The plant is covered occasionally with dainty pink flowers, their five petals around the yellow stamens, very fringed and crepy and suggesting in form their cousins, the Orchid vine (Stigmaphyllon). They have a slight fragrance. The plant grows rather stiffly and is often seen in pots. (Plate VIII) DOMBEYA
Dombeya wallichii Bentham and Hooker The Dombeya is a shrub or small tree with large leaves among which hang showy round, drooping heads of many pink flowers. The flower clusters grow at the end of long, downy pedicels and are so heavy that they hang far over. Individual flowers have five pink petals, and the stamens are united into a short tube in the center. Even when these flowers are brown and dried the cluster still hangs on the plant. The leaves are big and velvety, roundly heart shaped, with lobes. The plant is a native of Madagascar and a member of the Cocoa family. A white flowering shrub of similar appearance is the Dombeya spectabilis. A specimen grows in the University of Hawaii grounds. (Plate IX) KALAMONA
Cassia glauca Lamarck A very commonly seen shrub or small tree bearing numerous clusters of bright yellow flowers and, at the same time, bunches of brown pods, is the Kalamona. A native of tropical Asia, this plant has become naturalized in Hawaii and is often seen growing wild, especially in dry places. Its yellow flowers are similar in general form to those of its cousins, the Shower trees, and like them also, the foliage is compound. Each leaf is made up of many medium-sized leaflets. The flowers appear most of the year, but are best in spring and early summer. (Plate IX) The Hawaiian name has been transferred to this plant from a native Cassia of similar appearance, C. gaudichaudii. HAOLE LEHUA
Calliandra grandiflora Bentham Flowers which are pompons of pink or white stamens, blooming in winter and spring, announce the Haole Lehua. This name, meaning foreign Lehua, is applied also to a closely related species, Calliandra haematoma which has similar flowers of a bright pinkish red. Resemblance of these flowers to those of the native Ohia Lehua has resulted in this name being transferred. At the present time they are more commonly seen in leis than the true Lehua. Such leis are particularly beautiful suggesting a garland of marabou feathers. The shrub has small compound leaves and grows twelve feet tall. The flowers are followed by brown seedpods, showing the plant to be a member of the bean family. It is a native of tropical America. (Plate IX) CUP AND SAUCER PLANT. CHINAMAN’S HAT
Holmskioldia sanguinea Retz Tall sprays of the Holmskioldia are lined with quaintly shaped little flowers, of tawny orange or deep scarlet color. They are well described by the names of Cup and Saucer, or Chinaman’s hat. Each is made up of a saucer-shaped bract, which is the most conspicuous part, from the center of which rises a small tubular flower. They bloom the year round and may be found in many gardens. The shrub is sprawling or half climbing, with small opposite leaves, usually with irregular margins. It is a native of Burma and a member of the Coffee family. (Plate IX) KONA COFFEE. ARABIAN COFFEE
Coffea arabica Linnaeus The shrub or small tree that produces the coffee bean of commerce is sometimes grown in Hawaii as an ornamental plant. It is conspicuous for its rich, dark, shining, leaves, strongly veined and for its bright red berries and the fragrance of its small, white flowers. The flowers are starlike, and grow rather inconspicuously in the leaf axils, a few in a cluster. They are followed by the green berries which turn bright red when ripe. These berries usually contain two seeds which are the coffee “beans” of commerce. The Arabian coffee plant grows best at levels cooler than the average in Honolulu, so the plant is seen on Tantalus and in the high valleys. It is grown commercially in the Kona district, on the Island of Hawaii and the product has been given the name of Kona coffee. Most of the world’s coffee is made from this species, which was originally native to tropical East Africa, but was introduced very early into Arabia. (Plate IX) Another coffee plant grown in Honolulu is Coffea liberica, also a native of tropical Africa. It grows under slightly warmer conditions than the other and so does better in Honolulu. It is larger than C. arabica, becoming a small tree. Coffee plants are related to the fragrant Gardenias, and give their name to the family. CORAL BUSH
Jatropha multifida Linnaeus Again the similarity of a flower to coral has given the name of Coral Bush to a plant. In the case of the Jatropha, the likeness is not far-fetched, for the Jatropha flower head is very curious and strangely like a small bunch of red coral. Stems and rounded buds are red and glossy. A few flowers open at a time, showing five small petals and yellow stamens. The fruit which follows is a green capsule holding several seeds. The leaves of the plant are palmate, and deeply divided in seven to eleven slender parts, giving a lacy appearance to the shrub. It grows about ten feet high. (Plate IX) Flowers of almost identical form grow on a related plant called Jatropha podagrica. This plant, however, is small and usually grown in pots. It is characterized by a greatly thickened stalk which seems to be a large bulb rising from the ground. Flowers and a few leaves grow from the top of this stem. The leaves of this plant are not divided, as in the shrub, but are either entire or lobed. Both are natives of Central America, and belong to the Euphorbia family. LASIANDRA. PLEROMA. PRINCESS FLOWER
Tibouchina semidecandra Cogniaux Flowers of rich royal purple, a regal and exciting color, make the Lasiandra conspicuous wherever it blooms. It is not commonly seen in Honolulu, because it prefers slightly higher altitudes, but on the road to the Volcano on Hawaii, or at Kokee on Kauai, it has escaped and makes conspicuous purple masses of bloom. The flowers have five velvety petals, and in the center a group of pinkish stamens, which are peculiarly angled. The leaves are almost as attractive as the flowers being thickly piled with velvety green hairs which create a silver sheen. They are marked laterally by several conspicuous veins. Old leaves scattered over the plant turn bright scarlet and are as noticeable as flowers. The plant grows as a spreading shrub. It is a native of Brazil and a member of the Melastoma family. (Plate IX) NATAL PLUM
Carissa grandiflora De Candolle The Natal plum, (a native of Natal, in South Africa) is characterized by its long sharp thorns, its fragrant white flowers and its bright red fruits which shine conspicuously among the leaves. The plant may attain almost the size of a small tree but is usually smaller and is often used as a hedge. Its thorns make it practically impenetrable. The flowers have five, waxy, white petals which always twist slightly to the right. They are very fragrant. The red fruits are edible but sub-acid in flavor. The leaves are very glossy and thick, growing opposite each other on the stem. The plant is a member of the Periwinkle family. It may be seen growing along the Makiki side of the Round Top road. (Plate IX) Plate IX
TROPICAL SHRUBS—CHAPTER IV Identification key - Identification key
- (1) Dombeya
- (2) Cup and Saucer
- (3) Kalamona
- (4) Haole Lehua
- (5) Coral Bush
- (6) Lasiandra
- (7) Kona Coffee
- (8) Natal Plum
Plate X
COLORED FOLIAGE SHRUBS—CHAPTER V Identification key - Identification key
- (1) Snow Bush
- (2) Assorted Croton Leaves
- (3) Purple Eranthemum
- (4) Golden Eranthemum
- (5) Panax
- (6) Spiral Leaved Croton
- (7) Beefsteak Plant
- (8) Caricature Plant
Plate XI
FLOWERING VINES—CHAPTER VI Identification key - Identification key
- (1) Yellow Allamanda
- (2) Pink Allamanda
- (3) Baby Morning-glory
- (4) Orange Trumpet Vine
- (5) “Mauna-loa”
- (6) Pink Bignonia
- (7) Wooden Rose
Plate XII
FLOWERING VINES—CHAPTER VI Identification key - Identification key
- (1) Cat’s Claw Vine
- (2) Galphimia Vine
- (3) Phanera
- (4) Giant Potato Vine
- (5) Sandpaper Vine
- (6) Orchid Vine
- (7) Garlic Vine
- (8) Mexican Creeper
- (9) Cup of Gold
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