Nothocestrum breviflorum Nothocestrum breviflorum Nothocestrum breviflorum, commonly known as smallflower aiea, is a species of tree in the nightshade family, Solanaceae, that is endemic to the island of Hawaii. It inhabits dry and mixed mesic forests at elevations of . These forests are dominated by ōhia lehua ("Metrosideros polymorpha") and koa ("Acacia koa") or lama ("Diospyros sandwicensis"), while plants associated with smallflower aiea include wiliwili ("Erythrina sandwicensis") and uhiuhi ("Caesalpinia kavaiensis"). "N. breviflorum" reaches a height of . It is threatened by habitat loss. It is federally listed as an endangered species of the United States. There are fewer than 50 individuals
Acacia koa arranged end-to-end in the pod, rather than side-by-side. The phyllodes are also usually straighter, though this character is variable in both species. The wood is denser, harder, and more finely grained than koa wood. Koaia has been much more heavily impacted by cattle and is now rare, but can be seen on ranch land in North Kohala. The koa population has suffered from grazing and logging. Many wet forest areas, where the largest koa grow, have been logged out, and it now comes largely from dead or dying trees or farms on private lands. Although formerly used for outrigger canoes,