nogyne. Encircling the base of the cone Nau is a deep lava gulch 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 Mctrosideros polymorpha, which forms almost pure stands. 



FLORAL ASPECTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OP 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 Volcano House is the fern or rain 

 forest (see plate IX), composed of the tree ferns Cibotium Menziesii and 

 Cibotmm Cliamissoi, 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- 

 antlia and others grow in the forks of trees. Metrosideros polymorplia 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 Poly podium tamariscinum, P. lineare, P. pseudo- 

 gramnntis, P. sarmentosum, Asplenium horridum, A. pseudofalcatum, Elaplio- 

 glossum gorgonciim, E. reticulatum, E. Wawrae, etc., while an occasional Ly- 

 copod may be found also. Besides these numerous ferns, the liliaceous plant 

 Astelia vcrairoidcs forms dense beds, especially on horizontal tree trunks, while 

 Vaccinhtm penduliflorum and another variety occur 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, Stcnogyne calamintlwides, hangs gracefully and some- 

 times interlaces several tree ferns with a number of its runners. Of shrubs, 

 Broiissaisia arguta and several species of Cyrtandra are not uncommon, while in 

 certain localities the cyperaceous Uncinia sp. covers the ground. However, the 

 native undergrowth is now being driven out by the tenacious Eul)iis 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 



