Diospyros sandwicensis

Diospyros sandwicensis is a species of flowering tree in the ebony family, Ebenaceae, that is endemic to Hawaii. It belongs to the same genus as both persimmons and ebony. Its common name, lama, also means enlightenment in Hawaiian. "Lama" is a small to medium-sized tree, with a height of and a trunk diameter of . It can be found in dry, coastal mesic, mixed mesic, and wet forests at elevations of on all major islands. "Lama" and "olopua" ("Nestegis sandwicensis") are dominant species in lowland dry forests on the islands of Maui, Molokai, Kahoolawe, and Lānai.
Uses.
The sapwood of "lama" is very white and forms a wide band inside the trunk. The heartwood is reddish-brown, fine-textured, straight-grained, and extremely hard. Native Hawaiians made "aukā" (upright supports) out of "lama" wood, which were used in "hīnai" (basket fish trap) construction. The white sapwood represented enlightenment, and thus had many religious uses. The "pou" (posts), "aho" (thatching sticks) and "oa" (rafters) of a special building called a "hale lau lama" were made of the sapwood. A "pā lama" is a fenced enclosure made from "lama" sapwood. A block of the sapwood, covered in a yellow "kapa" and scented with "ōlena" ("Curcuma longa"), was placed on the "kuahu" (altar) inside of a "hālau hula" (building in which "hula" was performed). This block represented Laka, goddess of hula. The "pioi" (berries) are edible.