71 

 BOTANICAL EXPLORATIONS. 



NORTH KONA, HAWAII. 



On June 1, 1909, I left Honolulu on the S. S. Mauna Loa for 

 Kailua, Hawaii, to make a botanical survey of Mt. Hualalai, as 

 well as to explore parts of the Parker Ranch and Hamakua. 



Headquarters were established at Mr. John Maguire's Huehue 

 Ranch, situated at an elevation of 2000 feet on the slopes of Hua- 

 lalai. The time from June 3 to June 7, inclusive, was spent in 

 collecting, at an elevation of 2000 feet, in the vicinity of Huehue, 

 mainly along the government road. The forest along the road 

 is intersected by two large a-a flows, as well as pahoehoe lava 

 flows dating back to the last eruption of Hualalai, in 1801. 



It may not be out of place to give a general description of that 

 most interesting of all districts, including Puuwaawaa. 



The most prevailing tree near Huehue is Plectronia odorata 

 (Walahee or Alahee), belonging to the order Rubiaceae, which 

 has, besides the coffee, one other representative at this elevation, 

 the "Nau" of the natives (Gardenia brighami), which on ac- 

 count of its large white and fragrant flowers is worthy of culti- 

 vation. The latter was not previously recorded from Hawaii. 



A few trees of the Hame or Haa (Antidesnta platyphyllum) , 

 without blossom or fruit, were found near a large Kukui grove, 

 while only 500 feet higher the same tree was found loaded with 

 the black ripe berries. Another species belonging to the Eu- 

 phorbiaccae, Euphorbia lorifolia, or Akoko of the natives, who 

 make charcoal of its wood, was seen on a-a lava fields ; here it 

 formed a small, straggling shrub of about four feet, while 700 

 feet higher it is a tree of considerable size, with a trunk of almost 

 ten inches in diameter. A rosaceous shrub (Osteomelcs anthyl- 

 lidifolia), Ulei, grew nearby. On the more exposed places Rey- 

 noldsia sandwicensis, the "Ohe," a represetnative of the order 

 Araliaceae, is abundant on the a-a lava fields. The most com- 

 mon of the shrubs is the native Kului, (Nototrichium sandivi- 

 censc}. It forms a hedge on both sides of the government road. 

 Its foliage is of a silvery gray which blends with the color of the 

 lava. The Lama (Maba Sandwicensis}, a very handsome tree 

 of small size, is quite common. Aalii (Dodonaea eriocarpa), a 

 shrub 6-8 feet in height, grows on open places which are desti- 

 tute of other vegetation. Myoporum sandwicense, or Naio, is 

 predominant on the roadside. 



One of the most interesting and rare trees is Gossypium dry- 

 narioides, the native brown cotton, "Kokio" (see plate 13), 

 Hillebrand in his "Flora of the Hawaiian Islands," says : "The 

 species was imperfectly described by Seeman from a specimen 



