Cyatheaceae. 
Metrosideros polymorpha or Ohia lehua of the natives. Where these ferns grow 
with a typical Ohia lehua forest, the soil is usually not deeper than 2 or 3 feet 
at the most, below which we find the arched pahochoe lava. 
The Ohia lehua is, however, not their only associate. In the older forests we 
find them growing together with Cheirodendron Gaudichaudii (Olapa), Ilex 
sandwicensis, Perrottetia sandwicensis (Olomea), and especially with Suttonia 
Lessertiana (Kolea). In the drier or semi-wet forest we find it again with Aca- 
cia Koa (Koa), while it can also be met with in a typical xerophytie forest, but 
then only at an elevation of 4000 feet or so, and not at all common. Only a few 
stragglers can be found scattered in these interesting dry regions. On Oahu the 
Hapu is much smaller than on Hawaii and not quite as common, as it never 
forms pure stands or covers large tracts of land as is the ease on Hawaii. 
On the Island of Kauai oceurs a variety of this species named var. a. by 
Hillebrand, which differs from the species in its smaller frond, whieh is dull 
glaueous underneath. 
The young stems of this species are farinaceous, and used to be eaten by the 
natives in times of scarcity. They are baked in hot ashes and are then quite 
palatable. 
The trunks of the Hapu, as well as of the Hapu Jii, are used for forest trails, 
where they make an excellent pathway through the otherwise hardly-penetrable 
swampy jungles. Portions of trunks, when used for fern trails, sprout usually 
at one end, forming quite a handsome hedge of young fronds. The pulu wool, 
which densely covers the base of the leafstalks, is glossy and of a fine, silky tex~ 
ture, and was used together with that of the Hapu Jii for stuffing pillows and 
mattresses, and formed a regular article of export to California. According to 
Hillebrand, the hairs consist of a single series of flat, thin-walled cells which 
break readily at the joints. The cells are shorter in Cibotium Chamissoi. 
Cibotium glaucum is occasionally found with the other two species, but is 
rather rare. All three species are peculiar to the Hawaiian Islands, outside of 
which they have not been recorded. 
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