supports a vegetation mostly composed of Nototrichium sandwicense and Dra- 

 caena aurea, which are the predominant trees in this district. An occasional 

 Pittosporum, Straussia, and Santalum can be observed, but the two first men- 

 tioned form the main plant growth. On the kipukas, which were originally 

 covered with Cynodon dactylon (Manienie grass), the guava has established 

 itself to such an extent that it is difficult to penetrate far into these kipukas 

 without a cane knife or an axe. 



From Manuka toward Honomalino are several stretches of aa lava flows 

 geologically younger than the rest of the country. These flows have originated 

 at an elevation of about 4000 feet and can be distinguished from afar by the 

 entirely different vegetation which they support. These flows, of which Kaula- 

 namauna is an example, are sharply outlined against the sky from the country 

 which they intersect, by the tall, straight trees of Metrosideros polymorpha 

 (Ohia) which form the main plant covering. It is only on the margins of these 

 flows that intruders from the surrounding country, such as Reynoldsia, Pittos- 

 porum, and others have taken a foothold, while Alphitonia excelsa (Kauila) has 

 become a part of these Ohia forests. The scrub vegetation is mainly composed of 

 the following plants: Styphelia tameiameia (Pukeawe), Santalum Freycine- 

 tianum (Iliahi), the above mentioned Alphitonia, Gouldia sp., with very large, 

 black berries, Vaccinium reticulatum, Coprosma montana, C. ernodeoides, Gah- 

 nia gaudichaudii, and Eumex giganteus (Pawale), besides the two species of 

 Cladium, Pellaea ternifolia and the everpresent Nephrolepis exaltata, which 

 seems to thrive as well on aa lava as in the dampest lower forests. The vegeta- 

 tion of Manuka is more or less uniform and not as interesting as that of Kapua, 

 only a few miles distant. 



Besides the Kipuka Puaulu near the Volcano House, there are only two dis- 

 tricts on Hawaii which possess an extremely rich and xerophilous flora, namely, 

 Puuwaawaa in North Kona, and its rival Kapua in South Kona. There is no 

 doubt in the writer's mind that a vegetation such as is represented in both these 

 districts encircled the southern slopes of Mauna Loa, but was consumed by the 

 various lava flows, leaving these two districts unmolested. Kapua is small in 

 area, and so is Puuwaawaa; their vegetative growth is very similar, though the 

 latter is richer in species. They are about 50 miles apart, and the intervening 

 country is taken up by more or less uniform vegetation which has little in com- 

 mon with either Kapua or Puuwaawaa. Beginning with the lowlands at Kapua 

 to an elevation of about 2000 feet, the vegetation covering this area, which is on 

 a gradual slope, belongs strictly to the dry or mixed forest type, while above it, 

 between 2000 and 4200 feet, the vegetation is of the rain forest type, but by far 

 not as wet as the rain forest above Naalehu, Kau. Species of the lower levels 

 have ascended into the wet forest, or vice versa. 



Immediately above the lowland zone, which is composed of the ordinary 

 types of plants common to that region, commences an exceedingly interesting 

 and very varied xerophilous vegetation. The most common tree, forming 60 



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