Osteomeles anthyllidifolia
Species of shrub
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Osteomeles anthyllidifolia, commonly called ʻŪlei, eluehe, uʻulei, Hawaiian rose, or Hawaiian hawthorn, is a species of flowering shrub in the rose family, Rosaceae, that is indigenous to Hawaiʻi (all islands but Kahoʻolawe and Niʻihau), the Cook Islands, Tonga, Pitcairn Island, and Rapa Iti,[3] Taiwan and the Ryukyu Islands of Japan.[4][1]
| Osteomeles anthyllidifolia | |
|---|---|
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Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Rosids |
| Order: | Rosales |
| Family: | Rosaceae |
| Genus: | Osteomeles |
| Species: | O. anthyllidifolia |
| Binomial name | |
| Osteomeles anthyllidifolia | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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Description
Osteomeles anthyllidifolia grows as either an erect shrub that reaches 3 metres (9.8 ft) or a spreading shrub. The compound leaves are alternately arranged on branches and divided into 15â25 leaflets. The small, oblong leaflets are 1.5 centimetres (0.59 in) long and 0.7 centimetres (0.28 in) wide. White flowers with five 7â11-millimetre (0.28â0.43 in) petals form clusters of three to six on the ends of branches. The fruit is white when ripe, 1.0 centimetre (0.39 in) in diameter, and contains yellow seeds that are 1.5 millimetres (0.059 in) in diameter.[3]
Habitat
Osteomeles anthyllidifolia can be found in dry to mesic forests, shrublands, coastal areas, and lava plains at elevations of 2â2,320 metres (6.6â7,611.5 ft).[5] It is a ruderal species, able to effectively compete with other plants on disturbed sites.[6]
Uses
Medicinal
The leaves and root bark are used on deep cuts; the seeds and buds are used as a laxative for children.[7]
Non-medicinal
The wood of a mature Osteomeles anthyllidifolia is very strong, and Native Hawaiians used it to make ʻŠ(harpoons) with which they caught heÊ»e (octopuses).[8] Ihe paheÊ»e (javelins), ihe (spears), Ê»ÅʻŠ(digging sticks),[5] hohoa (round kapa beaters) Ê»iÊ»e kÅ«kÅ« (square kapa beaters), ʻūkÄkÄ (musical bows), and Ê»auamo (carrying sticks) were also made from the wood. Young, flexible O. anthyllidifolia branches were fashioned into the hoops of Ê»aÊ»ei. These were 25-foot (7.6 m) bag nets that were used in conjunction with kalo (taro) as bait to catch schools of Ê»Åpelu (Decapterus macarellus).[9] The fruit is edible and was used to make a lavender dye.[5]