DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
- large shrub or small, spreading tree
- leaves alternately attached to stem
- leaves thin, light green above and whitish green below, sometimes with red veins and leaf stems
TRADITIONAL HAWAIIAN USES
- tea made from leaves used for non-specific “run down” conditions
- fruits also used medicinally for various syndromes identified in Hawaiian medicine
- inner bark fibers compressed together in sheets to make kapa (barkcloth) clothing
HAWAIIAN RAIN FOREST ECOLOGY
- uncommon in Ni`aulani Rain Forest; a few plants found mostly on edge of forest but occasionally in large canopy gaps
- light-requiring species, preferring full light but tolerating a little shade
- fast-growing and short-lived, ideal for occupying temporary canopy gaps
- germination of seedlings stimulated by soil disturbance
HOW TO SAY “MᾹMAKI” IN HAWAIIAN