Common Forest of (Native and Introduced)

Mamaki strong fibers. The were used in home remedies. The young made a good tea that was used as a albidus (Hook. & Arn.) Gray tonic. This species of mamaki in the broad sense is dis- Nettle family () tributed through the islands in moderately wet to wet forests at 200Ð6000 ft (61Ð1829 m) altitude. The three Native species (endemic) other Hawaiian species currently accepted are Pipturus forbesii Krajina of east Maui, P. kauaiensis Heller of This variable species (in the broad sense including Kauai, and P. ruber Heller of Kauai. closely related species) is characterized by ovate leaves with wavy toothed edges, three main veins from base, Special areas and under surface light gray or brown and finely hairy. Wahiawa, Haleakala, Volcanoes, Kipuka Puaulu The fibrous bark was an important source of tapa or paper cloth. Champion A small to 30 ft (9 m) high and 1 ft (0.3 m) in Height 28 ft (8.5 m), c. b. h. 2.8 ft (0.9 m), spread 33 ft trunk diameter, or a , with long drooping branches. (10.1 m). Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii Bark light brown, smooth, with scattered raised dots. (1968). Inner bark streaked green, fibrous, mucilaginous, and almost tasteless. Twigs finely gray hairy, slightly en- Range larged at nodes and often slightly zigzag. Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Lanai, Maui, and Hawaii Leaves alternate, varying greatly in shape, size, and hairiness, with slender finely hairy leafstalks of 1Ð3 Other common name 1 inches (2.5Ð7.5 cm). Blades ovate or elliptical, 2 ⁄2Ð8 waimea 1 inches (6Ð20 cm) long and 1 ⁄4Ð6 inches (3Ð15 cm) wide, thin or slightly thickened, long-pointed at apex, blunt or Botanical synonyms rounded at base, with wavy toothed edges, with 3 main Pipturus brighamii Skottsb., P. gaudichaudianus Wedd., veins from base slightly sunken and often reddish, up- P. hawaiiensis Levl., P. hel-Skottsb., P. oahuensis per surface green and slightly rough, under surface Skottsb., P. pachyphyllus Skottsb., P. pterocarpus mostly light gray and finely hairy. Microscopic mineral Skottsb., P. rockii Skottsb., P. skottsbergii Krajina. growths (cystoliths) like crystals are present. Flower clusters (heads) stalkless at bases, Mamaki is the favorite food of the green cat- 1 1 rounded, ⁄4Ð ⁄2 inch (6Ð13 mm) in diameter, gray hairy. erpillar that becomes the beautiful reddish brown Flowers male and female mostly in different clusters of , according to Degener. same plant (monoecious), many, stalkless, without co- Another Hawaiian plant, ‘äkölea, Boehmeria 1 rolla. Male flowers less than ⁄8 inch (3 mm) long, com- grandis (Hook. & Arn.) Heller, is also reported in old posed of cup-shaped 4-lobed finely hairy calyx and four accounts as mamake or mamaki. It is a shrub with red- stamens. Female flowers with urn-shaped four-toothed dish leaves arranged like Pipturus but opposite, smooth, finely hairy calyx and hairy pistil with ovary and long and not hairy, and that are long and dan- style. gling. Both species were used by the Hawaiians for simi- 1 a dry whitish ball about ⁄2 inch (13 mm) across. lar purposes. Individual fruits many, rounded, with enlarged dry ca- 1 lyx enclosing one seed (achene) ⁄16 inch (1. 5 mm) long, elliptical and flattened, shiny. Wood is dull reddish brown with pale whitish sap- wood. Soft and fine-textured, it is easily worked. The early Haweaiians prepared their tapa, , or paper cloth from the bark of this native tree and from the introduced wauke or ( papyrifera (L.) Vent.). This cloth served for clothing and bed covering. Rope and cord were made from the long

This information is from Agriculture Handbook no. 679 by Elbert L. Little Jr. and Roger G. Skolmen, published by the Forest Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, in 1989. Its present format is that of a reprint version published by the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2003. Common Forest Trees of Hawaii (Native and Introduced)

Mamaki (Hook. & Arn.) Gray 1 Flowering twig, ⁄2 X (Degener)

This information is from Agriculture Handbook no. 679 by Elbert L. Little Jr. and Roger G. Skolmen, published by the Forest Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, in 1989. Its present format is that of a reprint version published by the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2003.