Sausage Tree (botanical series) Traditional Cache
escondido100: aloha to this one.
Sausage Tree (botanical series)
-
Difficulty:
-
-
Terrain:
-
Size: 
(small)
Related Web Page
Please note Use of geocaching.com services is subject to the terms and conditions
in our disclaimer.
This cache will take you to the northern part of the island. You
will discover and learn about a not very common tree that has made
its way to Hawaii. This is the first in a series of informative
botanical caches that I am working on. Nearby is an interesting
wind farm and Hawi has some interesting shops and restaurants...my
favorite is Lukes' place.
Hawi (pronounced: Ha-vee) is known for the statue of King
Kamehameha and also as the turn around for the bike ride portion of
the Ironman Triathalon held in October. Click on "Users Web Page"
link above for more information on the town of Hawi. Below is an
informative description of the tree that you will be looking for.
Have Fun!
Sausage Tree (Kigelia
pinnata)
Flowers of the African sausage
tree (Kigelia pinnata) bloom at night on
long, ropelike stalks that hang down from the limbs of this
tropical tree. |
The
bignonia family (Bignoniaceae) is a fascinating tropical family
containing many vines, trees and shrubs with beautiful, showy
blossoms. Some of the well-known members of this family include
cape honeysuckle (Tecomeria capensis), yellow bells
(Tecoma stans), jacaranda (Jacaranda mimosifolia),
common catalpa (Catalpa bignonioides), desert willow (Chilopsis
linearis), African tulip tree (Spathodea campanulata),
and the golden and pink trumpet trees (Tabebuia chrysotricha
and T. impetiginosa). Also in the family is the unusual
calabash tree (Crescentia cujete) with remarkable
cauliflorous fruits that develop directly from the main trunks and
limbs. But the most unusual tree in this family is the South
African sausage tree (Kigelia pinnata), with huge
sausagelike fruits that hang down from the limbs on long, ropelike
stalks. The positioning of the noctural blossoms below the dense
branches and foliage makes them ideally suited for visits by
night-flying bats and insects.
| The blood-red flowers of the South African
sausage tree (Kigelia pinnata) bloom at night on long,
ropelike stalks that hang down from the limbs of this tropical
tree. The fragrant, nectar-rich blossoms are pollinated by bats,
insects and sunbirds in their native habitat. The mature fruits
dangle from the long stalks like giant sausages. They may be up to
two feet (0.6 m) long and weigh up to 15 pounds (6.8
kg). |
| > |
 |
| The nocturnal blossoms and elongate fruits of
the South African sausage tree (Kigelia pinnata) are
produced on long ropelike stalks. |
Additional Hints
(No hints available.)