Hawaiian Word of the Week - #36
Tuesday, September 01, 2009
The Hawaiian Word of the Week is:
pua keni.keni - a shrub or small tree (Fagraea berteriana) from the South Pacific, grown ornamentally for foliage, flowers, fruit. The flowers are 5 cm long, white, changing to orange, fragrant, and used for leis. The 2.5 cm wide berry is orange or red. Lit., ten-cent flower, so-called because at one time the flowers are said to have sold for ten cents each.
Definitions from the Hawaiian Dictionary by Mary Kawena Pukui and Samuel H. Elbert.