Acacia koaia "laau melomelo" (fishing lures), "hoe" (paddles), "ihe" (short spears), "pololu" (long spears), "ōō" (digging sticks), "ie kūkū" (square "kapa" beaters), and "papa olonā" ("Touchardia latifolia" scrapers). "Koaia" leaves were used to cover "hale lau koaie" (shelters and permanent sheds). Acacia koaia Acacia koaia, known as koaia or koaie in Hawaiian, is a tree in the pea family, Fabaceae, that is endemic to Hawaii. It is closely related to "koa" ("A. koa"), and is sometimes considered to be the same species. "Acacia koaia" is usually distinguished by growing as a short (rarely more than ), broad, gnarled tree; having the seeds
Acacia koa confirmed this close relationship; the estimated time of divergence is about 1.4 million years ago. "A. heterophylla" sequences nest within those of the more diverse "A. koa", making the latter paraphyletic. Both species are thought to be descended from an ancestral species in Australia, presumably their sister species, "Acacia melanoxylon". Dispersals most likely occurred via seed-carrying by birds such as petrels. Both species have very similar ecological niches, which differ from that of "A. melanoxylon". A closely related species, koaia or koaie ("A. koaia"), is found in dry areas. It is most easily distinguished by having smaller seeds that are