Pittosporum hosmeri, which also goes by Hō'awa, Hāʻawa, ʻaʻawa, ʻaʻawa hua kukui, or Kona cheesewood is a perennial dicot endemic to the island of Hawai'i[1] [2] [3] . It is a species of tree in the Pittosporaceae family. This species is listed as endangered and are endemic to the islands.
Pittosporum hosmeri is small tree with height ranging from 10 to 25 feet (3 to 7.5 m)[4] [5] . Branches are typically smooth, but new growth is often covered in woolly brown hairs. Leaves are leathery and oblong, ranging in length of 3 to 10 inches (7.6 to 25 cm). There are large white colored flower clusters. These flowers bloom throughout the year[6] .
The fruits of the Pittosporum hosmeri are 1-3 inch (2.5 to 7.6 cm) fuzzy brown capsules. They contain ~40 seeds arranged in two rows.
Pittosporum hosmeri are part of the largest genus, Pittosporum Banks[7] .
Pittosporum hosmeri is endemic to Hawaii.[8] [9] [10] It can be found in wet and mesic forests on the west and south sides of the island of Hawai'i at an elevation of 1200 to 3500 ft (365 to 1066 m). It can also occasionally be found in dry leeward forests.
The plant has traditionally had use as wood for gunwales in canoes.[11] The outer layer of the capsules were also pounded and used on sores. It now has use in landscaping.