Coffea odorata
Plectronia odorata

Common Names:
Alahe'e
Ohe'e
Walahe'e

Classification:

Psydrax odorata (G. Forst.) A. C. Sm. & S. P. Darwin
Kingdom: Plantae - Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta - Vascular plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta - Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta - Flowering plants
Class: Magnoliopsida - Dicotyledons
Subclass: Asteridae
Order: Rubiales
Family: Rubiaceae - Madder family
Genus: Psydrax Gaertn.
Species: Psydrax odorata (G. Forst.) A. C. Sm & S. P. Darwin - Alahe'e
(Wagner, W. L., Herbst, D. R. and Sohmer, S. H. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i.)
(USDA National Plant Database. 2006)

The elliptical leaves are glossy green on the top surface and up to 9 cm long. The small, white flowers are fragrant and are born in clusters up to 3.5 cm long. The fruits of alahe`e are between 0.5 and 1 cm in diameter, more or less round, and black at maturity. The fruits generally ripen in the late fall and winter and contain one or two seeds.
(Wagner, W. L., Herbst, D. R. and Sohmer, S. H. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i)

It is also found on the islands of Micronesia, Fiji and Southern Polynesia. Alahe'e grows in lowland areas and in moist forests. It may also be seen growing on lava flows.
(Wagner, W. L., Herbst, D. R. and Sohmer, S. H. 1990. Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai'i)

(Krauss, B.H. 1993. Plants in Hawaiian Culture.)