'Ohi'a lehua

One of my favorite Hawaiian plants: 'ohi'a lehua. Legend says that the goddess of fire, Pele, fell in love with a man named 'Ohi'a. However, 'Ohi'a snubbed her for a woman named Lehua. So the goddess got a little angry and turned 'Ohi'a into a tree, while turning Lehua into the flower on the tree. Which is why the tree itself looks masculine while the flower looks feminine.

Photo taken at the foot of Kilauea, Hawai'i.
Copyright by me.