areas to the exclusion of everything else. A striking plant of the lowland zone 
is the Mexican Poppy, Argemone Mexicana, the Puakala of the natives. On the 
lava fields which have reached the shore, especially on the island of Hawaii in 
South Kona, native trees belonging to the lower forest zone have descended to 
the lowlands and can be found within a few yards from the sea. The most 
common is Reynoldsia sandwicensis. Even the Metrosideros polymorpha (Ohia 
lehua) the writer found growing practically at sea level, together with Plectronia 
odorata, which was covered with the lauraceous leafless parasite, Cassytha fili- 
formis. What has just been said of the Ohia lehua is also true of Myoporum. 
sandwicense (Naio), which can be found near the sea on the west end of Oahu 
near Kaena Point, only a foot in height. 
THE LOWER FOREST REGION. 
This region is perhaps the most interesting one as far as tree growth is con- 
cerned. It ranges from about 1000 feet to 2000 feet elevation, and is exceed- 
ingly tropical on the windward side, with a more or less uniform vegetation, 
though, of course, varying according to locality. 
Nothing can be more different in aspect than the lower forest region of the 
lee sides of some of the islands as compared to that of the windward side. How- 
ever, there are exceptions, as no two islands are alike in formation, and vary 
also greatly in age. The vegetation on some of the lava flows of more recent 
origin differs from that of the lava flows of greater age. On some of the islands, 
as on Oahu and Kauai, and perhaps Molokai, in certain localities on the leeward 
side, the vegetation differs very little from that of the windward side; but, 
nevertheless, each island, with the exception of Kahoolawe, and also Niihau, has 
its peculiar leeward lower forest flora, which is in all cases richer in species as 
far as tree growth is concerned than the rain forest. 
The island of Hawaii will need a special chapter, as it is the largest of the 
group and has the most widely ranging regions of all; differing in climatic con- 
ditions, rainfall, soil formations, lava flows of all ages, winds, ete., all of which 
have contributed or are the cause of these marked types of forest or plant cover- 
ings belonging to the lower forest region. 
The island of Maui, which is the next largest, has also a very striking forest 
flora that belongs to the region discussed in this chapter. For convenience sake, 
this lower forest region is here divided into two subsections: (a), the windward, 
and (b), the leeward forest flora. The island of Hawaii is discussed separately. 
The most striking of all trees belonging to this region is the Alewrites moluc- 
cana or Kukwi. It can be recognized at once from a distance on account of its 
pale foliage, which gives this lower forest region a distinguishing character. (See 
plate IV.) It either forms large groves to the exclusion of everything else or 
is found in company with Jambosa malaccensis (Ohia ai) and other trees which 
will be taken into consideration as a whole. Immediately above the lowland re- 
gion a few straggling Kukui trees may be observed. They grow on the leeward 
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