Гавайи маилесі: сипаттамасы, қолданылуы және маңыздылығы

Species of plant

Alyxia stellata, known as maile in Hawaiian, is a species of flowering plant in the dogbane family, Apocynaceae, that is native to Hawaii. It grows as either a twining liana, scandent shrub, or small erect shrub, and is one of the few vines that are endemic to the islands. The leaves are usually ternate, sometimes opposite, and can show both types on the same stem. Flowers are quite inconspicuous and have a sweet and light fragrance of honey. The bark is most fragrant and exudes a slightly sticky, milky sap when punctured, characteristic of the family Apocynaceae. The entire plant contains coumarin, a sweet smelling compound that is also present in vanilla grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum), woodruff (Galium odoratum) and mullein (Verbascum spp.). Fruit are oval and dark purple when ripe. Maile is a morphologically variable plant and the Hawaiian names reflect this (see Ethnobotany section).

Maile can occur in most types of vegetation at elevations from on all of the main Hawaiian Islands, however it is believed that both Kahoolawe and Niihau likely had populations of the species before large scale disturbances occurred. Lowland wet forests occur from elevation in the Hawaiian Islands and are prime habitat for maile, receiving of rainfall annually. Maile is also found in montane mesic and wet communities. have become more common as some people feel that imported (non Hawaiian) maile is not as fragrant as Hawaiian maile.

This plant was used medicinally to treat puho, puka puhi, kaupo, and na eha moku kukonukonu e ae (other cuts). Maile kaluhea was mashed with aukoi (Senna occidentalis) stalks, ahakea (Bobea spp.) and koa (Acacia koa) bark. After water is added to this mixture and heated, it is put on infected areas to clean.

Lei maile are often worn by the groom, and also by the groom's men in weddings which is a lovely sight. For high school proms in Hawaii, the boy is often given a lei maile. Birthdays, graduations, anniversaries and any celebration for that matter are all an occasion for lei maile, however many responsible stewards to the land understand there is not enough maile to go around for everyone. This ties back in to local maile plantations that have started up. One study looked at the potential of planting native Hawaiian plants as an understory layer to reduce weedy seedlings from sprouting up and gaining hold again in a restored area. Maile, māmaki (Pipturus albidus) and palapalai (Microlepia strigosa) were the plants used.

Mention of the maile plant occurs in various stories (moolelo), proverbs (ōlelo noeau), and in the song (mele) "Lei Awapuhi".

The maile sisters are a favorite stock characters in Hawaiian romance tales. The story of Lāieikawai tells of five Maile sisters. Maile hai wale (brittle maile), Maile lau lii (small leaved maile), Maile lau nui (large leaved maile), Maile kaluhea (sweet scented maile), and Maile pakaha (blunt leaved maile).

Keaoua Kekuaokalani, a cousin to Liholiho (Kamehameha II), objected to the overturn of the kapu system and with supporters, they gathered together with weapons at the battle of Kuamoo in attempt to restore the kapu taken away. Hawaiians from the area where the battle took place hold that the fragrance of maile worn by the Kekuaokalani's warriors into battle can still be smelled.