Flueggea neowawraea
Encyclopedia
Flueggea neowawraea, Mēhamehame, is a species of flowering
tree
in the Bignay
family
, Phyllanthaceae
, that is endemic to Hawaii
. It can be found in dry
, coastal mesic, and mixed mesic forests at elevations of 250 to 1000 m (820.2 to 3,280.8 ft). Associated plants include kukui (Aleurites moluccana
), hame (Antidesma
pulvinatum), ahakea (Bobea
sp.) , alahee (Psydrax odorata
), olopua (Nestegis sandwicensis
), hao (Rauvolfia sandwicensis
), and aiai (Streblus pendulinus
). Mēhamehame was one of the largest trees in Hawaii, reaching a height of 30 m (98.4 ft) and trunk diameter of 2 m (6.6 ft). Native Hawaiians
used the extremely hard wood of this tree to make weaponry.
Although it had declined along with other dry and mesic forest plants, many large trees could still be found until the 1970s. At that point, the arrival of the black twig borer, (Xylosandrus compactus) caused a catastrophic collapse of the species. Today, populations only exist in the northwestern part of Kauai
, the Waianae Range
on Oahu
, the southwestern slopes of Haleakalā
on Maui
, and the Big Island's
Kona coast
. Nearly all living individuals exist as basal shoots from older trees where the main trunk has died, or are outplanted saplings. Because of the extreme durability of the wood and its easily-recognized fluted pattern, many dead trunks can still be found.
Flowering plant
The flowering plants , also known as Angiospermae or Magnoliophyta, are the most diverse group of land plants. Angiosperms are seed-producing plants like the gymnosperms and can be distinguished from the gymnosperms by a series of synapomorphies...
tree
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
in the Bignay
Antidesma bunius
Antidesma bunius is a species of fruit tree in the Phyllanthaceae. It is native to Southeast Asia, the Philippines, and northern Australia. Its common Philippine name and other names include bignay, bugnay or bignai and currant tree. This is a variable plant which may be short and shrubby or tall...
family
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
, Phyllanthaceae
Phyllanthaceae
Phyllanthaceae is a family of flowering plants in the eudicot order Malpighiales. It is most closely related to the family Picrodendraceae. The Phyllanthaceae are most numerous in the tropics, with many in the south temperate zone, and a few ranging as far north as the middle of the north temperate...
, that is endemic to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. It can be found in dry
Hawaiian tropical dry forests
The Hawaiian tropical dry forests are a tropical dry broadleaf forest ecoregion in the Hawaiian Islands. They cover an area of on the leeward side of the main islands and the summits of Niihau and Kahoolawe. These forests are either seasonal or sclerophyllous. Annual rainfall is less than and...
, coastal mesic, and mixed mesic forests at elevations of 250 to 1000 m (820.2 to 3,280.8 ft). Associated plants include kukui (Aleurites moluccana
Candlenut
Aleurites moluccana, the Candlenut, is a flowering tree in the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, also known as Candleberry, Indian walnut, Kemiri, Varnish tree, Nuez de la India, Buah keras or Kukui nut tree....
), hame (Antidesma
Antidesma
Antidesma is a species of tropical plant in the Phyllanthaceae. This is a variable plant which may be short and shrubby or tall and erect, approaching 30 meters in height.It has large oval shaped leathery evergreen leaves up to about 20 centimeters long and seven wide. The flowers have a strong,...
pulvinatum), ahakea (Bobea
Bobea
Bobea is a genus of flowering plants in the coffee family, Rubiaceae. All species in this genus are endemic to Hawaii. . Bobea was named for Jean-Baptiste Bobe-Moreau by Charles Gaudichaud-Beaupré in 1830 in his book Voyage de l'Uranie.The wood of Bobea is hard, wearable, and yellow. It was used...
sp.) , alahee (Psydrax odorata
Psydrax odorata
Psydrax odorata, known as Alahee in Hawaiian, is a species of flowering shrub or small tree in the coffee family, Rubiaceae, that is native to the Pacific Islands, Malesia and Australasia...
), olopua (Nestegis sandwicensis
Nestegis sandwicensis
Nestegis sandwicensis, commonly known as Olopua, is a species of flowering tree in the olive family, Oleaceae, that is endemic to Hawaii. It is found on all major islands at elevations of in coastal mesic and mixed mesic forests, and, especially, dry forests...
), hao (Rauvolfia sandwicensis
Rauvolfia sandwicensis
Rauvolfia sandwicensis, known as Hao in the Hawaiian language, is a species of flowering plant in the milkweed family, Apocynaceae, that is endemic to Hawaii. It is a shrub, a small tree reaching in height, or, rarely, a medium-sized tree up to tall with a trunk diameter of . Hao inhabits...
), and aiai (Streblus pendulinus
Streblus pendulinus
Streblus pendulinus, commonly known as Hawaiian Roughbush or Aiai , is a species of flowering plant in the mulberry family, Moraceae, that is native to eastern Australia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia. It is usually a small tree or shrub, reaching a height of with a trunk diameter of...
). Mēhamehame was one of the largest trees in Hawaii, reaching a height of 30 m (98.4 ft) and trunk diameter of 2 m (6.6 ft). Native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians
Native Hawaiians refers to the indigenous Polynesian people of the Hawaiian Islands or their descendants. Native Hawaiians trace their ancestry back to the original Polynesian settlers of Hawaii.According to the U.S...
used the extremely hard wood of this tree to make weaponry.
Although it had declined along with other dry and mesic forest plants, many large trees could still be found until the 1970s. At that point, the arrival of the black twig borer, (Xylosandrus compactus) caused a catastrophic collapse of the species. Today, populations only exist in the northwestern part of Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
, the Waianae Range
Waianae Range
Waianae Range is the eroded remains of an ancient shield volcano that comprises the western half of the Hawaiian Island of Oahu...
on Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
, the southwestern slopes of Haleakalā
Haleakala
Haleakalā , or the East Maui Volcano, is a massive shield volcano that forms more than 75% of the Hawaiian Island of Maui. The western 25% of the island is formed by the West Maui Mountains.- History :...
on Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
, and the Big Island's
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
Kona coast
Kona District, Hawaii
Kona is the name of a moku or district on the Big Island of Hawaii in the State of Hawaii. In the current system of administration of Hawaii County, the moku of Kona is divided into North Kona District and South Kona District . The term "Kona" is sometimes used to refer to its largest town,...
. Nearly all living individuals exist as basal shoots from older trees where the main trunk has died, or are outplanted saplings. Because of the extreme durability of the wood and its easily-recognized fluted pattern, many dead trunks can still be found.