Again the similarity of a flower to coral has given the name of Coral Bush to a plant. In the case of the Jatropha, the likeness is not far-fetched, for the Jatropha flower head is very curious and strangely like a small bunch of red coral. Stems and rounded buds are red and glossy. A few flowers open at a time, showing five small petals and yellow stamens. The fruit which follows is a green capsule holding several seeds.
The leaves of the plant are palmate, and deeply divided in seven to eleven slender parts, giving a lacy appearance to the shrub. It grows about ten feet high. ([Plate IX])
Flowers of almost identical form grow on a related plant called Jatropha podagrica. This plant, however, is small and usually grown in pots. It is characterized by a greatly thickened stalk which seems to be a large bulb rising from the ground. Flowers and a few leaves grow from the top of this stem. The leaves of this plant are not divided, as in the shrub, but are either entire or lobed. Both are natives of Central America, and belong to the Euphorbia family.
LASIANDRA. PLEROMA. PRINCESS FLOWER
Tibouchina semidecandra Cogniaux
Flowers of rich royal purple, a regal and exciting color, make the Lasiandra conspicuous wherever it blooms. It is not commonly seen in Honolulu, because it prefers slightly higher altitudes, but on the road to the Volcano on Hawaii, or at Kokee on Kauai, it has escaped and makes conspicuous purple masses of bloom. The flowers have five velvety petals, and in the center a group of pinkish stamens, which are peculiarly angled.
The leaves are almost as attractive as the flowers being thickly piled with velvety green hairs which create a silver sheen. They are marked laterally by several conspicuous veins. Old leaves scattered over the plant turn bright scarlet and are as noticeable as flowers.
The plant grows as a spreading shrub. It is a native of Brazil and a member of the Melastoma family. ([Plate IX])
NATAL PLUM
Carissa grandiflora De Candolle
The Natal plum, (a native of Natal, in South Africa) is characterized by its long sharp thorns, its fragrant white flowers and its bright red fruits which shine conspicuously among the leaves. The plant may attain almost the size of a small tree but is usually smaller and is often used as a hedge. Its thorns make it practically impenetrable.
The flowers have five, waxy, white petals which always twist slightly to the right. They are very fragrant. The red fruits are edible but sub-acid in flavor. The leaves are very glossy and thick, growing opposite each other on the stem. The plant is a member of the Periwinkle family. It may be seen growing along the Makiki side of the Round Top road. ([Plate IX])