tianum var. occurs also, but only small trees can be found. Malvaceous trees 

 are entirely absent, though we might expect to find the newly discovered genus 

 Hibiscadelphus, which is peculiar to such localities, one species, H. Hualala- 

 iensis, occuring on Puuwaawaa. Besides Tetraplasandra Hawaiiensis, no other 

 species of that genus, nor of Pterotropia, are present, though several can be 

 found in similar localities. Neither can any urticaceous trees be observed. The 

 Pipturus, so common in Kau, is not found in the district here described, and is 

 only sparingly represented in the forest above it, where one would naturally ex- 

 pect it in abundance, as in forests of Kau. Suttonia Lessertiana (Kolea) is 

 scattered here and there. 



Nearly all the species of trees were in full fruit when visited by the writer 

 during the month of February, 1912, with the exception of one tree, which is 

 undoubtedly new and of which only three individuals were seen. As the tree 

 had neither flowers nor fruits, and as a careful search on the ground below the 

 tree did not reveal any sign of fruits or seeds of a previous season, the writer 

 was unable to classify it. The writer, however, had occasion to visit that district 

 again in the month of July when in company with Mr. W. M. Giffard ; the trees, 

 which were then in flower and fruit, proved to be new, and are described in this 

 volume; two male and one female trees were observed. 



Several Convolvulaceae flourish, such as Ipomoea insularis, and others of the 

 same genus. Of Crassulaceae, the common Bryopliyllum calycinum (air plant) 

 grows very gregariously along the roadside together with Cassia gaudichaudii, 

 Pteridium aquilinum, Nephrolepis exaltata, Stachytarpheta dichotoma, and 

 many other weeds. On old native homesteads or kuleanas which have been for- 

 saken for many years, orange trees are bearing very prolifically, while the Che- 

 rimolia, or Momona, as it is called by the natives, fruits seldom. One other re- 

 markable fact is the absence of any leguminous tree, such as Mezoneurum 

 Kauaiense, or the Sopliora clirysopliylla, or Mamani, so common on lava fields, 

 and invariably associated with Myoporum sandwicense, the Naio, another tree 

 which is absent on the lower half of the district of Kapua. It may be remarked 

 that the inflorescences of Maba sandwicensis are attacked by a species of Acari, 

 causing them to have the same appearance as the deformed inflorescences of 

 Elaeocarpus bifidus on Oahu. 



Of interest is also the fact that it is difficult to find a sound capsule of 

 Pittosporum Hosmeri var., as they are almost invariably pecked open by the 

 native bird Alala (Corvus liawaiiensis), which feeds on the very oily black 

 seeds. The bird is very abundant in this district. 



About a mile above the government road at an elevation of about 2000 feet 

 we find an entirely different type of forest. It is neither exactly a wet nor is 

 it a dry forest, but has all the characteristics of the former. Of the first, tall 

 Oliia leliua trees form almost pure stands, with trunks, as elevation increases, 

 covered by the climber Freycinetia Arnotti, the ie-ie. Straussia Hawaiiensis, 

 a very handsome tree peculiar to Kona and Puna, reaches a height of about 40 



41 



