Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1884-12-06
4 HANDFUL aJ iiomsrs


beauty We have been told that II is |
Characteristic Of tropical regions, lhat
foliage, and not flowers, abound in
them Gluiuusly tinted foliage We d.
have here, ranging into nuul hucs
lovely parasites and vines, and ferns with
cndlcssly intricate variations Bot wc
atc sure, that our loyal Hawaiian, who
IN his adopted Amcfcon ~ English
home recalls his carly days upon these
suff beaten shores, will See no picture
ol daisy sircwn meadows, or woodsy
hauuts Of violet and ancmone, wind.
flower and trailing atbutus but instead
vcrdnnt picture, blue waves agnlns,
m emerald isle, a carpet ofmoss, da1zl
ing in sheen and depth, with but one
melody Of color, one refrain through all
IT'S infinite harmony
Yet there are rewards for the true
lover of wild flowers, even here. II
could not be otherwise where nature is
always busy, weaving over every stone
and crag some dainty device. Nor do
wc need to go far TO find them, they
are often at our feet, though their com
monncss makes us indifferent to their
charms.
One Of these very common plants is
found in all our running streams, and
swampy grounds. II has tiny blossom
OF lovcliest blue, clear and pure as the
forget ne-not, or the ncmophlla OF
California. 1t is species Of Wander
ing Jew, il not identical with it, so
much coveted for the hanging baskets
OF our eastern homes. When first
came to the islands, could never pass
ii, without stopping to gather handful
Of the pretty bluceyed things, that
looked up at me SO brightly from the
waysidc. and felt myself amply repaid
for my wet feet, by the pleasure which
4 vase full ofthe cheery flowers gave me.
Another modest but charming little
Wild flower is the pink souel, which is
ready to spring up everywhere where
rain and dew abound. The flower
always reminds me of the spring
Of New England, and, as there, | love
To- gather handful # the tiny blossoms,
nudding on their slender steus, and tie
them into a nOsegay, pretty thing for
baby hands.
We have here the dandelion too,
though modified little by its peren-
nal growth Basams and fouro'.clocks
are scattered broadcast, through fields
and lanes. Tie Ind IN ,hot, thytsprings
up readily every where, recalls, in It's
vivid scarlet, and gay yellow clusters,
the cardlnal-flJwer, and golden rod of
New England autumn walks.
The convolvulus is true island
flower. 1t is in all our woods, twning
itself about messy branches Of k, a and
kukui trees, and holding cut its lovely
cups Of purple and white and blue to
the morning sun. There is Z beautiful
variety i'll our ravines, called the even
ing-glory. The flower is large and pure
white, unfolding as the night dews
gather, and sending out delicious
perfume upon the evening. And near
the sea, in all the coral sand, grows the
marine convolvulus, with purple flowers,
like petunia, and with leaves thick,
and glossy, and rust-stained, like the
trailing arbutus. Here by the sea too
is another vine, that weaves close mat
Of green over the glistenng sand, with
small yellow flowers, as if strawberry
should bloom yellow, and leaves like
butter cup leaves.
Verbenas grow wild upon the islands,
always in the wild state with purple
blossoms and the lantana grows into
dense hedges, thorny and impeneuable,
with seeds that pretend to be black
berries, while birds, and fowls, and
native babies, feast upon them as if
they were.
| think the night blooming cereus
may be called wild-hower. Certainly
there is something OF the Bohemian
about it. 1t does not take kindly TO
restraint, but loves neglected stone walls,
and remote corners Of unfrequented
gardens, and thrives best when left to
dream in solitude, winding ungainly
arms about a decayed tree-trunk, or
adobe ruin. And here in silent moon
light nights, what glory awaits the in
truder Noiselessly, as the evening
hours 60 by, these superb flowers un-
fold, scores Of them, till the glory OF
the tropical moon light is ecllpsed by
their tawny splendosr, and every other
perfume is hidden beneath their over
powering, drowsy fragrance. Had the
islands no other flower but this, its
peerless queen, it might well rest salts.
fed with its possession.
The scarlet hibiscus, with its magni-
fcent flowers cleaning like the wing OF
"a gay bird in the deep green foliage
though not strictly wild plant, yet like
many Of the lilies, grows abundantly
everywhere, hardly needing any per
sonal care for its well-being. In strik'
ing contrast with il, often stands the
horaponda with its n,ullitudinous white
bells, waiting for the evening dews to
call forth its vesper-peal Of fragrance
; OleaDders and ginger blossoms, be
loved Of the natives, can be met at every
grassy h.t, where these dark skinned
children of the sun love to weave then
int, fragrant leis far their shining hai
or naked shoulders. The natives ar,
flowing people; they spenS
, hours and hours upon the grass, thread
in their fsvorite oolors into g,ud'
wrea'hs. There is never feast OF
! mery-making, but flowers make th'
chieiest OF tleir decorations. One o
the pretiiest and most familiar sight
in the streets OF Honolulu, is a grouI
of these ever laughing, ever chaiterinI
grown.up children, squatted on th'
sidewalks in shady spot, with ,hei
n heaps of gay blossoms about them an'
{ their increasing pile OF many-hued gar
+ lands, which tney are stringing upoi
c lhrcads Of bamboo, for s.le 10 th
: passer by. NJ. & h.