The extreme western side is intersected by the valley Honokawai, which 

 reaches almost to the head of Puukukui, the summit of West Maui, with an ele- 

 vation of 5788 feet. This valley is much narrower than either lao or Oloalu, but 

 resembles very much the northern valley called Honokahau, which finds its 

 source at the head of Mauna Eeke at a height of approximately 4500 feet. On 

 the northeastern side are still other valleys, the most interesting one being Wai- 

 hee, which has a very interesting vegetation; but owing to the enormous amount 

 of rainfall is not often accessible. The streambed is narrow and enclosed be- 

 tween steep walls, which makes it very dangerous should one be caught in even 

 a slight rain storm. The same is practically true of Waikapu, which is south of 

 lao valley. 



The vegetation in most of these valleys is rather uniform and belongs to the 

 lower forest zone. As the walls are very steep, in reality vertical, it is impossible 

 to investigate these, but one has to satisfy himself by exploring the gradual 

 slopes on each side of the valleys, which culminate into a more or less flat plateau 

 with a stunted swamp vegetation. In the Kohala Mountains on Hawaii, how- 

 ever, the plateau is much more extensive and is covered by a typical middle 

 forest zone formation. Metrosideros polymorpha is again a predominant tree, 

 with Cheirodendron Gaudichaudii, several species of Suttonia, Pelea clusiae- 

 folia, Cyrtandra pilosa, the rubiaceous Kadua formosa, together with Schiedea 

 diffusa and again Gunnera petaloidea, which covers the walls of the valleys to 

 the exclusion of nearly everything else. 



The ground on the slopes at 4000 feet elevation is covered with moss, hold- 

 ing a tremendous amount of moisture. In such places, under the dense shade, 

 grow many species of Cyrtandra, which are nearly all dense shade-loving plants. 

 With it we find the terrestrial Lycopodium serratum, while Lycopodium erru- 

 bescens is found on rocks in streambeds. Here also is the home of the genus 

 Labordea of the family Loganiaceae, herbaceous species with orange-colored 

 flowers, growing in the thick moss, while shrubby or even arborescent species 

 are found mostly along streambeds together with Urera sp., Gouldia axillaris, 

 and Pittosporum insigne, the latter a common but handsome tree in this locality. 



Of Compositae, we find Dubautia laxa along the edge of Honokawai gulch, 

 with species of Pelea and the rubiaceous genus Coprosma. Campylotheca has 

 several species at an elevation of 4500 feet, while it is also represented in the 

 lowlands by one or two species. Cladium angusti folium and Cladium Meyenii 

 occur on the rather windswept edges of the gulches, together with Scaevola 

 chamissoniana, Styphelia and other plants. 



Of interest is the tribe Lobelioideae, which is represented here by the genera 

 Lobelia, Clermontia and Cyanea. The genus Lobelia is found only near the 

 swampy plateau in the more open forest which leads into the great bog, the only 

 species being L. Gaudichaudii. 



Immediately below the swampy plateau are one or two miniature bogs which 

 harbor Plantago pachyphylla, with its many varieties peculiar to high elevations. 



66 



