mokihanan.
/mɒkɪˈhɑːnə/, U.S. /mɑkiˈhɑnə/ A Hawaiian tree, Pelea anisata (family Rutaceae), having highly scented seed pods used in garlands.The mokihana is peculiar to the island of Kauai, and garlands of its seed pods are regarded as emblematic of this island.
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the world > plants > particular plants > trees and shrubs > non-British trees or shrubs > Asian trees or shrubs > [noun] > other Asian trees or shrubs
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mokihana1888
1888 W. Hillebrand Flora Hawaiian Islands 64 P. anisata... Nat[ive] name: ‘Mokehana’.—All parts of the tree, but particularly the capsules, when bruised, emit a strong spicy odor of anise.
1890 Cent. Dict. Mokihana, a tree of the Sandwich Islands, Melicope (Pelea) anisata, all parts of which, especially the capsules, emit when bruised a strong, spicy, anisate odor.
1915 W. A. Bryan Nat. Hist. Hawaii xv. 221 The most highly scented of all are the seed pods of the mokihana used in making leis.
1954 Ellery Queen's Myst. Mag. Oct. 45/1 She..hung around her neck a lei of mokihana and maile.
1984 Contact Dermatitis 10 224/1 The fruits of Pelea anisata H. Mann (mokihana) are used on the Hawaiian island of Kauai to make a fragrant dark green bead-like lei..having a long-lasting ‘anise’ or licorice aroma.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, September 2002; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1888