Oliver. — Vegetation and Flora of Lord Howe Island. 129 



Carex gracilis R. Br. 

 Carex gracilis R. Br., Prodr. Fl. Nov. Holl. 242, 1810. 



Recorded : F. Muell., Fragm. Phytogr. Austr. viii, 250, 1874 ; Hemsley, 

 Ann. Bot. x, 258, 1896. 



Habitat : Undergrowth in forest at the lower levels ; abundant. 

 Distribution : Eastern Australia. 



Howea Forsteriana (F. Muell.) Becc. 

 Kentia Forsteriana F. Muell., Fragm. Phytogr. Austr. vii, 100, 1870. 



Recorded : F. Muell., I.e. ; Hemsley, Ann. Bot. x, 255, 1896 ; Maiden, 

 Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. 23, 138, 1898 {Kentia). 



The two species of Howea are closely related. The more apparent 

 differences are contrasted in the following statement : H. Forsteriana 

 (thatch-palm) — Stem stout ; petiole short ; leaflets drooping ; spikes short, 

 4 to 7 united at base ; fruit elongated. H. Belmoreana (curly palm) — 

 Stem slender ; petiole long ; leaflets erect ; spikes long, single ; fruit stout. 



Habitat : In forest, chiefly below 150 m. alt., but on northern slopes or 

 Mount Lidgbird ascends to 300 m., mixing with Hedyscepe canterbury ana. 

 It is often the dominant plant in lowland forest, its foliage-level being below 

 that of Ficus. 



It has been recorded (Etheridge, Mem. Austr. Mus. ii, 6, 1889) that 

 " Wherever the soil is derived from the decomposition of the coral-sand rock 

 the thatch-palm (K. Forsteriana) exclusively prevails, whilst the appearance 

 of the curly palm [K. Belmoreana] at once indicates a volcanic soil." Maiden 

 also (Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. 23, 138, 1898) states that H. Belmoreana 

 will not grow on the coral-sandy ground ; it is always found on basalt. 

 I paid particular attention to the distribution of the two species of Howea 

 in Lord Howe Island, and consider there is no foundation in fact for the 

 above-quoted statements. Howea Belmoreana is common enough in places 

 on the sandy flats, though not nearly so abundant there as H. Forsteriana. 

 Conversely, H. Belmoreana is the dominant palm on the mountain-slopes 

 up to 300 m., though H. Forsteriana on the northern slopes of Mount Lidg- 

 bird ascends to that height. 



Distribution : Endemic. 



Hybrids of Howea. 



At the north end of West Bay, Lord Howe Island (19th November, 

 1913), I examined two specimens of supposed hybrids between Howea 

 Forsteriana and H. Belmoreana. In their essential characters they were both 

 H. Forsteriana, but had some of the habits of H. Belmoreana. Although 

 one must be cautious in accepting as hybrids variants in nature, I think the 

 present specimens are best considered as such. 



Specimen 1. — Characters of H. Forsteriana : Leaves with drooping 

 pinnae, spikes in clusters of three or four, stem stout, fruit long. Characters 

 of H. Belmoreana : Spikes long, 1-6 m. 



Specimen 2. — Characters of H. Forsteriana : Leaves with horizontal or 

 slightly drooping pinnae, spikes in clusters of three or four. Characters 

 of H. Belmoreana: Spikes long (much longer than those of H. Forsteriana 

 in same locality), pinnae in central leaves with upward tendency, stem 

 slender, fruit robust. 



5 — Trans. 



