Description: This native woody shrub is known in English as "ironwood" because of its heavy, hard wood. This name causes some confusion, however, because another hardwood tree found widely in the Pacific, but only recently introduced to the Marshall Islands, Casuarina equisetifolia, is also known as "ironwood" to many English speakers. (Casuarina equisetifolia can be found planted and growing on many atolls, where it is also called pinetree.)

Distribution: Kōñe is usually found in strand vegetation close to the hightide line along sandy shores of coral islands. It also grows along the landward edge of mangrove areas.