75 



Waimea, at the outskirts of the rainforests, at an elevation of from 3000 to 4000 

 feet. Cyanca Hardyii must be considered as belonging to that locality also. 



The genus EoUaiidia. which occurs practically on Oahu alone (save a single 

 species on Kauai), is confined to the rainforests of both mountain ranges, the 

 Koolau and the Waianae ranges, from a hundred feet elevation to practically 

 the summit of the ridges A particular species of Lobclioideae may, however, be 

 confined to a certain elevation, above or below which it does not occur. This is true 

 of the ma.jority of the species in all genera with the exception of one or two 

 species of Dclitisca. liesides the restriction of the numerous species of Lohelioideae 

 to specific altitudes, they are also restricted to certain circumscribed localities 

 often comjirising only an acre or even less, outside of which area they are not 

 found. This is at least true today. Previously, of course, when forests remained 

 undisturbed, conditions may liave been different, but still it must be considered 

 that they were always more or less local. Today cei'tain species have survived in 

 a particular locality, from which they cannot spread, as they are surrounded by 

 grazing animals whiclL devour eagerly any germinating plant, thus precluding 

 the establishiiig of a progeny, and they are thus doomed to extinction. Clcr- 

 monfia llalcahalcnsia. for example, has already disajjpeared. A few years ago 

 three healthy trees existed of this species. It is true they were surrounded liy 

 their enemies, the cattle, which lirowsed on their lowest l>ranches and trampled 

 under foot or devoured any seedling which might have dared show its cotyledons 

 above groiuul even in what nuist now be considered unnatural surroundings and 

 among foreign plant associates. Today the species has become extinct; not even 

 a vestige of the trunks of these giants of Lobelioids remains to bear testimony to 

 their previous existence. Fortunately, the writer photographed these trees when 

 he discovered them, the only record besides herbarium specimens. 



Numerous may have been the species which lived in remote places and became 

 extinct before they were discovered. 



The species occurring in dense rainforests are more secure from extinction 

 than those which grow in the drier regions, as cattle are usually not found 

 there save where the forests have been turned over to the rancher for grazing 

 purposes. 



Jlost of the species of Clermontia are epiphytic, and they are thus saved from 

 immediate destruction. However, the large tree ferns and 3Irtrosideros trees on 

 which they grow stand sometimes isolated in fields of Paspalum conjugatum, 

 conniionly known here as Ililo grass, either in a dying condition or already dead 

 and ready to fall, but with the Clermontia tree still alive in the uppermost 

 branches. Ch nuonlia I'chana and CIcniionlia situfuUlliim. both species occur- 

 ring on Hawaii, find themselves in the above descrilied predicament and ready 

 for extinction, as there are no other healthy trees in the neighborhood on which 

 birds may be permitted to deposit the minute seeds. In such localities native 

 birds usually responsible for the distribution of Lohelioids have also vanished, 

 and the work of dissemination could now only be carried on by the pernicious 

 and introduced Mvnah l)ird, which nmy now lie found all over the islands from 

 sea level to more than 10.000 feet elevation. 



The deep ravines and gorges of the various islands are inhabited each b.y 

 their particular species of Lobelioids. and it is not often that the same species is 

 found in ninri' than two or three valleys. Jnit oftener a particidar species would 



