'ulei
The Rose family (Rosaceae) is very large, found world wide, with 100 genera and 3,000 species, including plants like apples and roses. In Hawaii, however, this large plant family is represented only by a few native species: two endemic raspberries, one indigenous strawberry, and 'ulei, Osteomeles anthyllidiflora. This low representation of native rose family members on the Hawaiian Islands is a dramatic example of disharmonic flora.

'Ulei has small, five petaled flowers about one inch in diameter and round green fruit, turning white, about a half an inch in diameter, which are like miniature apples. This fruit type is called a pome, of which the apple is the best known example.

'Ulei's long, slender branches were bent into loops for fish nets by Hawaiians. and the hard wood was used for digging sticks, called 'o'o.

It grows well on slopes, forming dense thickets two or three feet high, and is found in the dry shrub and forest lands of Hawaii. Photo by P. Millen


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