Natural History

Be-Still tree, Nohomalie
(Thevetia peruviana)

Be-still is a small tree with shiny, long, narrow, light green leaves. It grows to a maximum of 20 feet. The tree is a member of the periwinkle family and is a native of tropical America. The trees were imported into Hawaii around 1900 as ornamental shrubs. One plant writer says, "There seems to be no reason for this name, unless it is that the slender leaves are never still and the name is a sort of invocation." The Hawaiian name for the tree, nohomalie, also means "sit still."

The satiny, fragrant, trumpet-shaped flowers bloom year-round. The flowers, which are commonly yellow or sometimes apricot-colored or almost white, never open fully, earning the plant the Spanish name, campanilla, "small bell-flower." The fruit is small, green and apple-like. It turns brown and then black and it has two to four seeds inside.

The trees were recommended as small shade trees for patios, but as one gardening expert warned, "children must be warned not to eat its highly poisonous shiny black seeds which fall to the ground." Today be-still plants are common plantings as roadside hedges in gardens and parks throughout the state. They are sometimes found growing wild, especially in low-lying areas that have been disturbed.

In other parts of the world, be-still is a medicinal drug. The sap, bark, leaves and seeds have been used in various herbal medicines. Plant parts have also been used to kill insects, and stun fish and other animals. It is a powerful poison.

Be-still is often referred to as "yellow oleander" for good reason. While they are not close relatives, both plants contain potentially lethal heart toxins. All parts of the be-still trees contain the cardiac glycosides peruvoside and thevetin A and B. Cardiac glycosides block normal electrical impulses throughout the body, including the heart by interfering with the exchange of sodium and potassium in and out of nerve and muscle cells. Thevetin is another poisonous, digitalis-like drug that was once used to treat heart disease. At one point, be-still was grown commercially in Hawaii for the manufacture and export of this drug. Hundreds of pounds of be-still seeds were once shipped from Honolulu for pharmaceutical use. Today, the drugs are made synthetically.

Some people are apparently not affected by the glycosides in the plant, but several people have become very ill and a couple of children have died from be-still poisoning. The seeds have the highest concentration of the toxin. (Fortunately the seeds are bitter-tasting and produce nearly instant vomiting. Eating one seed can kill a child; eating eight or ten seeds can kill an adult.) Besides this, an unknown toxin in the trees may cause kidney and liver damage when eaten. And the trees contain gums and oils in the latex-like sap that can cause a blistering rash on the skin and irritate the eyes.

Although cases of be-still poisoning have been rare in Hawaii, medical professionals advise that the wood never be used as fuel for cooking and that the sticks not be used as skewers to cook food. Care should be taken to avoid inhaling the plant dust while raking up the be-still leaves since it can irritate the nose and throat. Avoid inhaling smoke from burning leaves or wood. The experts definitely discourage its use in herbal remedies.
 

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Arts & Culture

Forest Reserves - Part 2

During Charles S. Judd's tenure as the Superintendent of Forestry, he had three goals: to remove the wild stock (which included goats, sheep and pigs, as well as cattle and donkeys, dogs and horses), to fence the land, and to plant trees on a large scale.

Mostly, these were not native trees. An estimated 70 native tree and shrub species were planted in Island forest reserves, between 1910 and 1960. However, almost 1,000 alien species were planted in the forest reserves during those same 50 years.

Harold Lyon, the head of the Dept. of Botany and Forestry of the Hawaii Sugar Planters' Association, and an influential figure on the Board of Commissioners of Agriculture and Forestry, believed that the native forests were "doomed" so there was no point in planting native species. At the time, the phenomena of 'ohi'a die-back was thought to be due to a disease with "no practical solution." Natural forest regeneration was considered unlikely in the dieback areas.

Because of the forest reserve's importance as watersheds, Lyon felt it was necessary to introduce "a new flora." He advocated planting tree species that were fast-growing to protect slopes denuded by feral animals and cattle grazing. Native trees were generally thought to be too slow-growing to be useful in reforestation. It was also believed to be impossible to grow native plants on the altered soils of disturbed native forests.

Lyon also felt that it was important that the introduced tree species have no commercial value so that generations would not be tempted to cut timber or fuel wood in the watershed forests. For this reason, fast growing blue gum (Eucalyptus globules and paperback (Melaleuca quinquenervia) were planted in the forest reserves.

According to Lyons, the perfect tree for forest reserve plantings was the banyan. They could grow in a range of soils and climates. They were enthusiastically spread by birds and could establish themselves in uluhe fern-dominated areas and could start life epiphytically on dead trees. He also thought the banyan's multiple trunks and tangled aerial roots might serve as a barrier to cattle on forest reserve boundaries. They were the perfect invasive species. A total of 37 species of Ficus was planted in Hawaiian forest reserves.

Trees and shrubs from all over the world were collected in their native habitats and then planted in Hawaii's forest reserve. Ornamental trees, trees that bore edible fruit, and trees that grew quickly were all introduced. Swamp mahogany (Eucalyptus robusta), the most commonly planted tree, was a good timber species, but it was primarily selected because of its rapid growth.
Back then, during the mid-1900s, few controls were in place to prevent the wholesale importation of alien plant species into Hawaii. Lyon is credited with introducing the seeds of more than 10, 000 species. He also obtained seeds through correspondence with people in other countries and was instrumental in sending others on foreign collecting expeditions.

Some introduced species proved to be highly invasive and disruptive to natural communities. Christmasberry (Schinus terebinthifolius), strawberry guava (Psidium cattleianum), glorybush (Tibouchina urvilleana) and shoebutton ardisia (Ardisia humilis) - all beautiful and all highly invasive - were planted during this time.

After World War II, during a time of great change for Hawaii, plans for the use of the forest reserve were revised. Large-scale, local industrial forestry was envisioned and initiated. It was decided that the native 'ohi'a was useless as timber - difficult to work and having a tendency to warp badly and to check. "More valuable" alien timber species were planted and the existing plants studied to assess the growth, performance and wood characteristics. Native forest was cleared and timber plantations started in yearly increments.

The reality of a local timber industry using the nonlocal trees did not materialize. The difficulty that local wood products have in competing with those produced on a vastly larger scale on the Mainland was cited as the most significant limiting factor. Other possible limiting factors, they said, were the expense of drying and curing wood in high-rainfall areas, the acceptability of locally grown hardwood to those accustomed to using Mainland softwood timbers, and the cost of shipping.

Another plan that is still evolving is to use the eucalyptus and other alien species planted for the still-born timber industry for wood chips, both for paper production and for biomass power generation. When wood-chippers started grinding down the 'ohi'a forests, however, public protests and local opposition by botanists and environmentalists made national news.

And the problem of maintaining the watershed areas continues to loom large in the minds of legislators and citizens alike.

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Hawaiiana

MOLOKAI pt.4

Po’olau:
Po’olau is also known as Bomb Bay. A pasture to the rear of the bay was used for target practice by the military during World War II. A member of the Cook family found a large, undetonated bomb here which gave it its alternate name.

Pāpōhaku:
Stone fence

This is the largest beach on Moloka’i and also one of the largest white sand beaches in the Hawaiian Islands. The range of the beach is over 2 miles long and can average one hundred yards twice!

Kepuhi:
The blowhole

Pōhaku Māuliuli:
Dark stone

This beach is also known as Maké (dead) Horse Beach because allegedly an old horse fell off the cliff here and died on the beach below.

Mo’omomi:
Mo’omomi is a huge costal area that is a popular fishing site. This is also the site of the Hawaiian Home Lands Commission CommunityRecreation Center.

Pelekunu:
Smelly (from dampness and lack of sunshine)

The sun shines into the valley for only 4 to 5 hours a day here because it’s a narrow valley with very high walls.

Wailau:
Many waters

Wailau is the largest valley Amphitheater on Moloka’i.

Pāpalaua:
Rain fog

Pāpalaua Falls is one of the highest waterfalls in the Hawaiian Islands.

Hālawa:
Curve

Hālawa is one of the local’s favorite surfing spots.

Honouli Malo’o:
Dry, dark bay

Honouli Wai:
Wet dark bay

Pūko’o:
Support hill

Within Pūko’o is the oldest and largest Heiau on Moloka’i.

Kakahai’a:
Fish Slicing

Oneali’i:
Royal Sands

Many years ago, this beach was the first and only public beach park on Moloka’i.

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Braddah-Nics Lexicon

STANDARD: What an awesome thing!
BRADDAH-NICS: Daz nutz!

* * * * * * * *

STANDARD: This is NOT a good idea!
BRADDAH-NICS: Daz nutz!

* * * * * * * *

STANDARD: That's crazy!
BRADDAH-NICS: Daz nutz!

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Local Grinds

Crock Pot Chili

Ingredients: 

• 1 ½ pound ground beef
• 1 medium onion
• 4 cloves garlic
• 4 teaspoons chili powder
• 3 8oz can tomato sauce
• 1 15 oz can chili beans
• 5 red hot dogs
• 2 tablespoon sugar

Procedure:

 
Chop the onion, mince the garlic, and cut the hot dogs. Cook the onion and garlic in a pan, adding 1 teaspoon of chili powder. Set the onions aside and cook the ground beef, adding salt and pepper to taste. Once the ground beef is brown, drain the oil. Cook ground beef again, adding 3 teaspoons of chili powder and stir till well coated. Now add in the onions and garlic. Cook until mixed well.

Put the ground beef, onions, and garlic in the crock pot. Then add the cut hot dogs, tomato sauce, and chili beans. Let cook on high for about 1 hour adding salt for taste. Once cooked for an hour add in 2 tablespoons of sugar and let cook for another hour.

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