FLORA OF THE GROUP. 215 



the awapulii often entirely covers the ground in the lower forests. The natives 

 made no use of the horizontal, fleshy root stocks, but the slimy juice from the 

 inflorescence, being "as slippery as water oft' an eel," was used by the beauty- 

 doctors of a former time as a dressing for the hair. This substance, as 

 also the .juice of ki, and the sap of the hau tree mixed with poi for use in 

 cooling the skin, were three of the chief cosmetics to be found on the dressing 

 table of the Hawaiian belle. The Chinese ginger >* of commerce is occasionally 

 grown in the islands in a limited way by the orientals. A number of other 

 species are also grown as ornamental plants. 



Kauila,!* or the more widely ranging formi'' known by the same native 

 name, was one of the useful woods of old Hawaii. By reason of its remarkably 

 close, heavy grain it was especially useful in making spears, kapa beaters, and 

 other tools and implements. The second species mentioned was formerly fairly 

 common on the lower slopes of all of the islands, where it formed a tree fifty 

 to eighty feet high with alternate, parallel-veined hairy leaves, and small 

 terminal flowers. 



The uulai,!" a low, much-branchinji', stiff shrub with small leaflets and small 

 white inconspicuous flowers which were followed by whitish roseapple-like fruits, 

 was used for making arrows for the toy bows used in killing rats. 



The ohia,i" nr ohia lehua, though growing best in altitudes where rain is more 

 abundant, is common and one of the characterLstic trees of the lower forest zone. 

 From about 1,500 feet elevation to at least 6,000 and even 8,000 feet, it is an 

 important and abundant tree, to be seen in every landscape. Often it forms 

 dense shaded forests where the trees are festooned with vines and the ground is 

 carpeted with moss and ferns. In such localities trees four feet in diameter 

 and nearly one hundred feet tall are occasionally seen. Unfortunately the root 

 system of this important forest tree is very shallow, often spreading over the sur- 

 face of the hard soil beneath. As a result they are especially liable to be blown 

 down in the high winds and heavy storms of the higher forest zones. Its wood 

 is very hard and durable, but warps badly. With the coming of the whites it 

 was used to some extent in the framework of their houses and as fence iiosts. 

 More recently its hard and durable wood has been found to make very excellent 

 railroad ties, street-paving blocks, and it is also much used as a hardwood floor- 

 ing in dwellings. 



The ohia occurs on many of the important islands of Pol^'nesia, and its many 

 and intergrading forms long puzzled the native botanists, and it is only fair to 

 say that their European friends have by no means satisfactorily dispo.sed of the 



iiiah. ^* Colubrinfi opponitiftilia. ^^ Alphitovia excelsa. 



ntkylUdifoHa. ^' Metrosideros polymorpha. 



(Description 0/ Plate Continued from Opposite Page.) 



[Wawae iole] Lycopoclium cernuum). 7. Liniu Koha {Itepatica). 8. Hepatica. 9. Hawai- 

 ian Mistletoe [Kaumahana] (Fiscum urticuldtiiiii). 10. Nertera depressa. 11. Wawae iole 

 {Lycopodium pacliystachyon) . 12. Cyrfandni sp. 13. Budleya asiaiica. 14. Oha wai {C\er- 

 montia persica-foUa) . 1.5. Papala {'PisDiiin itmhdiifcm). 16. Kaawau {Ili:r = (Byronia) 

 Sandwicensis) . 17. Lycopodium serratuni. 



