DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS
- fairly common shrub up to 10 feet tall with arching branches
- leaves alternately arranged on stems and finely toothed on the margins
- milky juice in veins of leaves
- flowers with curved and spreading petals about one inch long
- fruits turn orange when ripe
TRADITIONAL HAWAIIAN USES
- fruits eaten raw
- sap used to treat cuts
- sap or fruits combined with other plant species to treat shortness of breath and asthma
HAWAIIAN RAIN FOREST ECOLOGY
- common shrub in Ni`aulani from deep shade to partial shade or nearly full light on edge of forest
- frequently seen as an epiphyte on tree ferns and `ōhi`a and nurse logs
- now more commonly found growing out of the soil where tree fern litter is sparse, following removal of kahili ginger
HOW TO SAY “`ŌHᾹ WAI” IN HAWAIIAN