Alyxia oliviformis
| Alyxia oliviformis | |
|---|---|
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| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Eudicots |
| (unranked): | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Apocynaceae |
| Genus: | Alyxia |
| Species: | A. oliviformis |
| Binomial name | |
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Alyxia oliviformis Gaudich. |
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| Synonyms | |
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Alyxia stellata (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) Roem. & Schult. |
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Alyxia stellata (J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.) Roem. & Schult.
Gynopogon stellata J.R.Forst. & G.Forst.
Alyxia oliviformis, known as Maile (pronounced MY-lĕ) 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 binomial nomenclature means "chain resembling olive" in Latin. 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 Apocynaceae family. 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 from 50 to 2000 m on all of the main Hawaiian Islands, however it is believed that both Kahoʻolawe and Niʻihau likely had populations of maile before large-scale disturbances occurred. Lowland wet forests occur from 100 to 1200 m elevation on the main Hawaiian islands and are prime habitat with around 1500–5000 mm of rainfall usually. Montane mesic and wet communities are also where maile occurs.
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