nogyne. Encircling the base of the cone Nau is a deep lava guleh with precipi- 
tous walls, inaccessible to cattle. Here a composite vegetation with Labiatae 
flourishes; while outside only the hardy Mamani trees have survived the ravages 
of cattle. 
The forests of Puna near Hilo are extremely rich and are situated almost 
between the slopes of Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. Immediately back of Hilo 
is a somewhat mixed forest composed of species of trees peculiar to the dry and 
wet regions. The nearly impenetrable forests of the Hilo district are com- 
posed mainly of Metrosideros polymorpha, which forms almost pure stands. 
FLORAL ASPECTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF THE VOLCANO KILAUEA ON HAWAII. 
The floral aspects of the country surrounding Kilauea are exceedingly in- 
teresting, as there are many peculiar types of vegetation which are limited to 
certain small areas. Immediately back of the Voleano House is the fern or rain 
forest (see plate IX), composed of the tree ferns Cibotium Menziesii and 
Cibotium Chamissoi, which reach here a wonderful development as far as fronds 
are concerned, though the trunks are not so high as in the mountains of Kohala. 
The main trees are Cheirodendron Gaudichaudii, Ilex sandwicensis, Suttonia 
Lessertiana, while lobeliaceous species such as Clermontia parviflora var. plei- 
antha and others grow in the forks of trees. Metrosideros polymorpha is also 
extremely common. The trunks of these trees are usually covered with moss a 
foot or so thick, holding a tremendous amount of water. In the moss on these 
trees epiphytes are numerous; 10 to 15 species of ferns can sometimes be found 
on one trunk, mainly Polypodium tamariscinum, P. lineare, P. pseudo- 
grammitis, P. sarmentosum, Asplenium horridum, A. pseudofaleatum, Elapho- 
glossum gorgoneum, E. reticulatum, E. Wawrae, ete., while an occasional Ly- 
copod may be found also. Besides these numerous ferns, the liliaceous plant 
Astelia veratroides forms dense beds, especially on horizontal tree trunks, while 
Vaccinium penduliflorum and another variety oceur quite frequently on the 
same trees. The undergrowth is mainly of ferns of the genera Asplenium and 
Aspidium. (See plate X.) From the trunks of tree ferns a beautiful Labiate, 
with large pink flowers, Stenogyne calaminthoides, hangs gracefully and some- 
times interlaces several tree ferns with a number of its runners. Of shrubs, 
Broussaisia arguta and several species of Cyrtandra are not uncommon, while in 
certain localities the eyperaceous Uncinia sp. covers the ground. However, the 
native undergrowth is now being driven out by the tenacious Rubus jamaicensis, 
or thimble berry, an introduced pest, which makes walking very difficult on ac- 
count of its nasty recurved thorns. The plant grows luxuriously in the shade of 
the tree ferns. Besides this obnoxious plant, another one has been introduced of 
late, the ordinary blackberry, which already shows signs of having taken a 
strong foothold 
Before one reaches the true rain or fern forest, where rich, black, muddy 
soil abounds, a sort of semi-wet forest, or rather shrubby vegetation, is passed 
27 
