Dodonaea viscosa

Description:

Aalii or Hawaiian hopseed bushSapindaceae (Soapberry family)Indigenous to the Hawaiian IslandsOahu (Cultivated)Female flowers; ripening fruits.Early Hawaiians had many uses for alii. The yellowish-brown hard wood, sometimes with black heartwood, was used for canoe building, weapons, agricultural tools, rafters, posts and thatching posts or purlins in house (hale) construction.Regarding the resiliency of these tough shrubs, an ancient boasts of the people of Ka states: "He aalii au; aohe makani e hina ai" which means "I am an aalii shrub; no wind can push me over," or in other words, "I can hold my own even in the face of difficulties."The seeds were boiled to make red dye for decorating kapa (tapa) cloth.The very hard, durable wood is heavy and sinks in water and so was used for bait sticks. From a canoe, the bait sticks were lowered into water at a depth or twenty or so feet to attract fish or hee (octopus), which then could be lured to the surface and caught with a waiting net. Aalii was also fashioned into light fishing spears, especially for hee.Fruits (capsules) and leaves were used in lei making by early Hawaiians, as they are occasionally used today.Medicinally, the crushed leaves were used as a topical medicine for relief from irritating rashes and contagious diseases such as ringworm or "haole rot" and staff infections. For a treatment called holoina, aalii leaves are mixed with alaa (Planchonella sandwicensis) bark and puakala ku kula (Argemone glauca) root then ground and strained. The liquid is heated in a steam bath, which is followed with a purge of ground pilikai (Stictocardia tiliifolia) fruit to treat skin rash (hune or maneo).Like hops, flowers were used to impart a bitter flavor, and also used as a tonic.Some Polynesian Names:Aalii, Aalii k ma kua, Aalii k makani (Hawaiian); Ake, Akeake, Akerantangi (Mori); Apiri (Tahiti, Society Islands); Kmakani (Hawaiian)NPH00008nativeplants.hawaii.edu/plant/view/Dodonaea_viscosa