Pret Ais 
It has long been the writer’s desire to give to the public a volume on the na- 
tive trees of Hawaii, giving popular as well as technical descriptions of the trees 
peculiar to Hawaiian soil. 
At first it was thought that plain popular descriptions would suffice, but it 
soon became evident that the technical part could not be dispensed with, and in 
order to make the book valuable for both the ay man and the scientist, it was 
therefore included. 
The rather lengthy introduction seemed an advisable feature and necessary, 
-as it gives practically for the first time a more or less detailed description of all 
the floral regions and their plant associations found in this island group, not 
being restricted to trees alone but embracing the whole plant covering. 
In the sequence of families Engler and Prantl’s Natiirliche Pfanzenfamilien 
System has been followed, beginning with the Cryptogams and ending with the 
Compositae. 
Under each species a complete reference and synonomy is given, as far as 
was possible. Of course, as in all works of this nature, mistakes will un- 
doubtedly be found, which will have to be overlooked on account of the insular 
position of the writer, as it was not always possible to consult original works, 
some of them old and out of print and therefore unobtainable. It will not be 
out of place here to acknowledge the kind assistance of Miss Mary A. Day, the 
Librarian of the Gray Herbarium, for the loan of books and copies of articles, ete. 
Following the reference is a technical description, usually enlarged and based 
on material in the College of Hawaii Herbarium; only in such instances as when 
the plant is very common or has not been collected by the writer, are descrip- 
tions of old authors quoted. As far as possible native names are given under 
most of the trees in italics, as well as any legendary or other facts of sufficient 
interest, together with habitat, plant association, ete. Of a number of trees of 
which nothing is known of a popular nature, the technical side is enlarged upon, 
especially in the family Rutaceae (genus Pelea) and Campanulaceae (tribe Lo- 
belioideae). 
The writer wishes here to acknowledge above all the kind assistance of Prof. 
Dr. Ignatz Urban of Berlin, Prof. Le Comte of Paris, Prof. Dr. A. Zahlbruckner 
of Vienna and Profs. B. L. Robinson and M. L. Fernald of Harvard, in the loan 
of herbarium material, mainly types, for comparison, without which the authen- 
ticity of many determinations would have been doubtful; this refers mainly to 
the tribe Lobelioideae of the family Campanulaceae, one of the most intricate 
tribes found in these Islands. 
