Hawaiian Flowers

As elegant as its scientific name, Plumeria Alba (honouring Charles Plumier a botanist) or popularly known as white frangipani, has corolla white petals with yellow centers and slightly scented. It is a small low-branching shrubby tree that can grows up to 4 meters. It is also rubbery with copious white latex from cut twigs and leaves. The leaves are in very recurved margin and extremely bullate; where the upper surface is slightly glossy while the veins are visible on lower one. The fruits are in green and tinged maroon colors.

 

The Hawaiian flower is popularly used in garlands of Hawaii which are locally and commonly found on windswept headland,  either as ornamental plant or the component flower of lei. The milky sap from this member of Apocynaceae family has been used to treat warts. In Bangladeshi culture, the white frangipanis (Bengali: চম্পা chômpa or চাঁপা chãpa), are associated with funerals and death. It is commonly used as offerings in Buddhist temples as well but not in Hindu’s although were associated. This Hawaiian flower is also the national flower of Nicaragua where it is known locally as sacuanjoche; and the official flower of Laos, under the local name champa. Indians called it champa as well beside of Temple Tree. Thais named it as lantom or leelaawadee. Its Tagalog name is kalachuchi while Sri Lankan recognised this flower as araliya or pansal mal.