meiandra var., Eurya sandwicensis (Wanini), and several species of Gouldia, 

 Coprosma being very common at lower levels. 



On the slopes of Kumauna and Kaiholena valley is found Pterotropia dipy- 

 rena var., which reaches here a beautiful development. Trees 60 feet tall and 

 more, with trunks of nearly two feet in diameter, are not uncommon in the 

 valley, while at higher elevation it is a tree 30 feet in height with rather ram- 

 bling branches. The ie-ie is gregarious, besides Smilax and Embelia, which are 

 all lianes, climbing over trees. Of Leguminosae, a beautiful climber, Strongy- 

 lodon lucidum, called Nukuiwi by the natives, covers the tops of the numerous 

 Kukui trees in Kumauna valley. In few places has the writer seen such a beau- 

 tiful forest as the one in question, reaching from Hilea to Waiohinu. Its natural 

 condition is undisturbed, and therefore presents a marvelous display of growth 

 up to an elevation of nearly 6000 feet. (See plate XV.) Several Lobeliaceae 

 occur, such as Cyanea tritomantlia, which is exceedingly common in this locality, 

 favored by the very shaded situation under the rank growth of trees, ferns and 

 lianes. It belongs to the section Palmaeforin.es, which is peculiar to the middle 

 forest region, but occasionally going a little lower. Clermontia coendea, Cl. 

 parviflora, are also common, both being trees sometimes growing in the forks of 

 other trees. The solanaceous genus Nothocestrum is represented by the species 

 breviflorum, which is here a little tree 20 feet in height. 



The only plant cultivated near the Hilea plain is Piper methysticum, the 

 awa of the natives. Pittosporums are absent as well as Sideroxylon and its as- 

 sociates. In Kumauna valley proper, Pisonia inermis var. leiocarpa (Papala 

 kepau) is very common. 



The country just below Hilea is called Kalaiki, and is mainly aa lava, which 

 supports a strictly speaking dry or mixed forest flora, though not as rich in 

 species, as the area is limited. It consists mainly of large groves of Kukui, be- 

 sides stunted forms of Straussia and a few trees of Antidesma pulvinatum; Os- 

 manthus sandwicensis is very common besides Plectronia odorata (Walahee), a 

 pretty little tree or shrub with horizontal branches and a dark green, glossy 

 foliage, which is pleasingly contrasted by the white, birch-like bark. A white 

 flowered and white fruiting variety of the Ohia ai or mountain apple is also to 

 be found among shrubs of the tapa plants Pipturus (Mamake) and Brousso- 

 netia papyrifera (Wauke), the latter having of late become exceedingly scarce, 

 as its cultivation has been discontinued since about fifty years or more ago. 



A few hundred feet below this small grove of mixed forest we find the 

 typical lowland formation on aa lava fields, which is characterized by the legum- 

 inous trees, Erythrina monosperma, Reynoldsia sandwicensis, Myopornm sand- 

 wicense, Nototrichium, Dodonaea, several Cyperaceae, besides the following 

 climbers, of which the leguminous thorny Caesalpinia bonducella (Kakalaioa) 

 is the most common, in company with the convolvulaceous Ipomoea insularis 

 (Koaliawahia) and Argyreia tiliaefolia (Pilikai). Large yellow patches are 

 discernable on the tops of trees from the distance, and on examination are found 



34 



