Epacridaceae. 
Th. Nuttal in Transact. Am. Phil. fs VIII. (1843) 270;—A. Gray 
Proc. Am. Acad. V. (1862) 325;—Mann Proc. Am. Ae. VII, (1867) 188;— 
Wawra in Flora (1873) 59;—Hhbd. FI. aw: Isl, (1888) 272;—Del Cast. Ill. Fl. In ns. 
Mar, Pac. VII. (1892) 294;—Heller Pl, Haw. Isl. in ‘Minnes: Bot. Stud. Bull. TX. 
(1897) 872. 
Leaves stiff coriaceous, linear or oblong 8-12 mm long, 2-4 mm broad, on broadish 
petioles of less than 1 mm, acute or somewhat obtuse, shortly mucronate, cuneate or some- 
obtuse coriaceous; corolla whitish, 3 mm long, the tube included in the calyx, the acute 
lobes % the length of the tube, with 5 lines of hairlets running down the tube; anthers 
oblong, obtuse, subexserted, about as long as their filaments; dise small; _ 5-8 celled; 
style as long as the ovary, thick tapering; drupe globose 4-6 mm in diam red, white 
or pink, rather dry; seeds ovoid, with thin testa; embryo axile two-third rs ‘length of the 
mealy albumen, the radicle searcely distinguishable from the cotyledons. 
The Pukeawe, or as it is also called Maiele, Puakeawe and Kawau on Lanai, 
is a shrub in the lower elevations, but becomes a small tree 10-15 feet in height 
in the upper regions at 6000-7000 feet elevation. The trunk is rather twisted 
and vested in a finely corrugated brown bark; the tallest specimens were ob- 
served by the writer on the upper slopes of Mt. Hualalai on Hawaii at an eleva- 
tion of 6000 feet. The species occurs on all the islands of the group and ean be 
round at all elevations. The species besides being found in Hawaii exists also 
in Tahiti and Eimeo of the Society group. 
Interesting legends are connected with this plant in Hawaii; it was a favorite 
of the Kahuna or native priest. David Malo, the Hawaiian historian, tells us 
that it was used in incremating the body of any one who had made himself an 
outlaw beyond the protection of the tabu. Dr. N. Emerson gives an interesting 
explanation of this procedure of incremation. He also says: ‘‘When a kapu-chief 
found it convenient to lay aside his dread exclusiveness for a time, that he might 
perhaps mingle with people on equal terms without injury to them or to himself, 
it was the custom for him and according to one authority those with whom he 
intended to mingle joined with him in the ceremony—to shut himself into a 
little house and smudge himself with the smoke from a fire of the Pukeawe 
shrub. At the conclusion of this fumigation a priest recited a Pule Huikala— 
prayer for a dispensation. 
The Pukeawa is familiar to all who have been at all in the Hawaiian forests, 
especially around the Voleano of Kilauea on Hawaii where the plant is very 
common in company with the Olelo berries. It is very striking on account of 
its heath-like appearance, and the white or red dry berries. On the high 
mountains at from 10,000 feet elevation up to the limit of plant growth occurs 
another species, which is a shrub. Its scientific name, which was Cyathodes 
imbricata Stschegleew, will have to be changed, as there is already a St. im- 
bricata in that genus as a synonym, and therefore will be known from now 02 
as Styphelia Grayana (Stschegleew) Rock. 
366 
