Acacia koaia
Koaiʻa, Koaiʻe, or Dwarf koa
Fabaceae (Legume or Pea family)
Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands (All the main islands, but status on Oʻahu uncertain)
Vulnerable
Oʻahu (Cultivated); Maui origin
Branch with leaves, flowers and green seed pods
www.flickr.com/photos/dweickhoff/5187363829/in/photostream/
Seeds
www.flickr.com/photos/dweickhoff/5187363409/in/photostream/
Habit
www.flickr.com/photos/dweickhoff/5187363175/in/photostream/
The Hawaiian Islands have two endemic species of Acacia: the much larger Acacia koa; and the smaller, rarer Acacia koaia.
The dense reddish brown wood is harder than koa and was used by early Hawaiians for short spears (ihe), long spears (pololū), fish lures (lāʻau melomelo), shark hooks (makau manō) with bone points, bait sticks in fishing, fancy paddles (hoe), house (hale) construction, ʻukēkē (musical bow), calabashes (ʻumeke), and the ʻiʻe kūkū --the final beater to smooth out the kapa.
Unlike it's larger cousin koa, koaiʻa was not used for making Hawaiian canoes (waʻa) because it produced curly grained wood.
The crushed koaiʻa leaves were mixed with other plant materials and used in a steam bath for skin disorders.
One older source (Charles Gaudichaud, 1819) states that Hawaiians "used all fragrant plants, all flowers and even colored fruits" for lei making. The red or yellow were indicative of divine and chiefly rank; the purple flowers and fruit, or with fragrance, were associated with divinity. Because of their long-standing place in oral tradition, the leaves and flowers of koaiʻa were likely used for lei making by early Hawaiians, even though there are no written sources.
Etymology
The generic name Acacia is derived from the Greek, akakia, the name for Acacia arabica, ultimately from akis or ake, a Greek word meaning "a sharp point" and referring to the thorns of this particular plant.
The specific epithet koaia is from the Hawaiian word for this tree.
NPH00011
Acacia koaia
Koaiʻa, Koaiʻe, or Dwarf koa
Fabaceae (Legume or Pea family)
Endemic to the Hawaiian Islands (All the main islands, but status on Oʻahu uncertain)
Vulnerable
Oʻahu (Cultivated); Maui origin
Branch with leaves, flowers and green seed pods
www.flickr.com/photos/dweickhoff/5187363829/in/photostream/
Seeds
www.flickr.com/photos/dweickhoff/5187363409/in/photostream/
Habit
www.flickr.com/photos/dweickhoff/5187363175/in/photostream/
The Hawaiian Islands have two endemic species of Acacia: the much larger Acacia koa; and the smaller, rarer Acacia koaia.
The dense reddish brown wood is harder than koa and was used by early Hawaiians for short spears (ihe), long spears (pololū), fish lures (lāʻau melomelo), shark hooks (makau manō) with bone points, bait sticks in fishing, fancy paddles (hoe), house (hale) construction, ʻukēkē (musical bow), calabashes (ʻumeke), and the ʻiʻe kūkū --the final beater to smooth out the kapa.
Unlike it's larger cousin koa, koaiʻa was not used for making Hawaiian canoes (waʻa) because it produced curly grained wood.
The crushed koaiʻa leaves were mixed with other plant materials and used in a steam bath for skin disorders.
One older source (Charles Gaudichaud, 1819) states that Hawaiians "used all fragrant plants, all flowers and even colored fruits" for lei making. The red or yellow were indicative of divine and chiefly rank; the purple flowers and fruit, or with fragrance, were associated with divinity. Because of their long-standing place in oral tradition, the leaves and flowers of koaiʻa were likely used for lei making by early Hawaiians, even though there are no written sources.
Etymology
The generic name Acacia is derived from the Greek, akakia, the name for Acacia arabica, ultimately from akis or ake, a Greek word meaning "a sharp point" and referring to the thorns of this particular plant.
The specific epithet koaia is from the Hawaiian word for this tree.
NPH00011