similar in habit to Gleiclienia linear is, the well-known Uluhe or staghorn fern. 

 The writer has found it also on one of the other craters, but sparingly, and 

 again on the lava fields of Puuwaawaa, in North Kona. 



An arborescent Raillardia about 15 feet high grows on Puuokeanue in com- 

 pany with Solanum incompletum, also found in North Kona, where it is a shrub 

 5 to 8 feet tall. Campylotheca micrantha, another shrubby composite, was as- 

 sociated with it. Campylotlicca Menziesii var. y, was only found on one crater 

 on the slopes of Hualalai on Puuoikaaka. It, however, is not uncommon on the 

 "Waimea side on the slopes of Maun a Kea, especially on Nohonaohae and Kemole 

 crater. A species of Sida not found on the central plain proper is confined to 

 Pohakuloa, where it forms dense thickets. Of trees, Santalum Freycinetiannm, 

 Snttonia, Wikstroemia, etc., form the main vegetation, besides Sopkora cliry- 

 sopliylla, the everpresent Naio, and Acacia Koa. The slopes of Mauna Loa are 

 covered with a dense growth up to an elevation of 8000 feet, after which the 

 plants become very stunted and few until we find nothing but a species of grass, 

 Koelileria glomerata. 



The main trees are Sophora and Myoporum, but Koa is wanting. Of shrubs, 

 the epacridaceous Styphelia is common, together with a species of Raillardia ; of 

 Rubiaceae, two species of Coprosma are present, one being a creeper, the other 

 a small shrub. GaJinia Gaudicliaudii, Carex, and Cyperus are scattered here 

 and there. The main plant covering at an elevation of 6000 feet is the grass 

 Keolileria glomerata, which grows exceedingly rank and stands sometimes three 

 feet high. As already mentioned, it is the last plant one sees at an elevation of 

 11,000 feet. Of course, the Olielo is also common. Noteworthy is the fact that 

 Argyroxipkium sandwicense is not to be found on this side of Mauna Loa, but 

 only above Kapapala at an elevation of from 7000 to 9000 feet. Besides, one 

 looks in vain for the tree composites which can be met with so frequently on 

 Mauna Kea up to 11,500 feet. Here on Mauna Loa only one species is present. 

 The slopes of the mountain on the Kona side are mainly composed of palwelioe 

 which is of great age, and very much disintegrated; the country is covered with 

 holes, which are usually overgrown with Stenogyne rugosa at the lower levels, 

 5000 to 6000 feet, and harbor Vaccinium shrubs or Mamani at the higher levels. 

 The lava crust is very thin and cracks like ice, which makes traveling very un- 

 comfortable. At about 9000 feet we meet the first aa flow, which covers the 

 palwelwe for miles. It was ejected from a crater situated at that elevation. It 

 is a triangular steep cone with sharp rims, and is called Puuouo. The aa flows 

 are barren and of great thickness. Many aa flows intersect the ancient palwelioe 

 at the higher levels. In traveling it is a continuous going round these flows, 

 which one is occasionally forced to cross. Above 11,000 feet perfectly black, 

 shining palwelwe covers the mountain. It is extremely thin and glassy in ap- 

 pearance, breaking in at nearly every step. When the writer ascended Mauna 

 Loa on February 17, 1912, snow was to be foimd only in patches several feet 

 thick. The steep crater walls were more or less covered with snow, which was 



47 



