It is a native of the island of Madagascar and was named for de Poinci, a governor of the Antilles in the 17th century. The French have given it another name, Flamboyant, by which it is widely known all over the tropical world and one which is particularly appropriate.
No visitor to Hawaii can miss the Poinciana, but the row that grows along Wilder avenue is perhaps the most effective, although individual large trees elsewhere may be more impressive for size and form. ([Plate II])
POTATO TREE
Solanum macrophyllum Dunal
The nightshade family, to which the potato belongs, is one of the most widespread of botanical groups. It contains however, but few trees. One of these is usually called the Potato tree, because its flower is similar in form to that of the common potato. It grows in Hawaii, but is not common although it grows in some gardens and in the Mid-Pacific Horticultural Establishment. While similar in form to the ordinary potato blossom, the flower of the Potato tree is comparatively large, being about two inches across. It has five joined segments which give it almost a pentagonal outline. The color is a rich purple-blue when it first opens, but this fades to a pale blue and then almost white. In the center is a golden yellow column made of the thick anthers.
The tree grows very rapidly. Its leaves are large, about a foot long, and irregularly lobed. They carry a few sharp thorns along the back of the midrib. The plant is a native of Mexico. ([Plate II])
TIGER’S CLAW. CORAL TREE. INDIAN WILI-WILI
Erythrina indica Lamarck
Tall trees, bursting into pointed red blossoms in midwinter and early spring, are appropriately called Tiger’s claw or Coral trees. The flowers are a deep, rich, red, very striking on the bare trees at this season. They grow in long clusters which radiate horizontally on woody stems from the ends of the branches. Individual flowers break out of the split side of a pointed calyx. Fundamentally of the pea-type, these flowers have one petal much larger than the others, the general effect being that of a pointed claw or feline toe-nail.
The leaves, which appear soon after the flowers, are made up of three triangular leaflets. The pod is black and contains dark red seeds. The branches are thorny.
This tree is a native of tropical Asia and a member of the legume family. There is a fine specimen growing in the grounds of Iolani Palace which blooms in January or February. Others grow on Punchbowl street near Beretania, and in the grounds of the Central Intermediate School.
A closely related tree, which is native to the Hawaiian islands, is called the Wili-wili by the native people. Botanically it is Erythrina monosperma. It grows in dry places on the islands where it is conspicuous for its pale red, orange or yellowish flowers, similar in form to the Indian Tiger’s claw. The bright red seeds of this Wili-wili were made into leis by the Hawaiians, but nowadays most of the red seed-leis are made from the Adenanthera pavonina, known as false Wili-wili. Adenanthera trees, which have unusual, curling pods filled with the bright red seeds, grow in Thomas Square where the seeds may be picked up in the Spring.