The Holio is a very common tree in the forests of the leeward side of Kauai, 

 where it associates with Bobea Mannii (Ahakea), Elaeocarpus bifidus (Kalia), Al- 

 pliitonia excelsa (Kauila), and others. It is a medium-sized tree, reaching a 

 height of 20 to 30 feet, but rarely more. The trunk is somewhat rough and not 

 exceeding 10 to 12 inches in diameter. It inhabits the drier districts of Kauai at 

 an elevation of 3000 to 4000 feet, is light-loving and therefore mostly found on 

 the outskirts of the forests. Mr. Forbes has found this tree, which was thought 

 to be peculiar to Kauai, on the Waianae range of Oahu, whose vegetation is very 

 similar to that of Kauai. Nothing could be ascertained from the natives as to 

 the uses of this tree. Even the name Holio was not known to many of them. 



SAXIFRAGACEAE 



The family Saxifragaceae, which consists of 69 genera and about 581 species, is 

 very widely distributed from tropical Asia to Africa and Australia, also in 

 America and insular regions. In the Hawaiian Islands the family is represented 

 by a single endemic genus with two species, which belongs to the section Hydran- 

 geoideae, as it is a relative and representative of the well-known Hydrangea. 



BROUSSAISIA Gaud. 







Flowers through abortion unisexual. Male flowers with fiat receptacle, 5 lanceolate 

 sepals, and 5 valvate petals. Stamens 10, with thick subulate filaments, ovate anthers, and 

 sterile gynoeceum. Female flowers with cup-shaped to ovoid receptacle, triangular sepals, 

 and small scale-like petals, without stamens. Ovary inferior, five-celled; ovules numerous 

 on thick bipartite placentas, with thick style and thick 5-lobed stigma. Berry globose, 

 fleshy, many seeded. Trees with thick densely tomentose terete branches, opposite or 

 whorled serrate leaves, and small flowers arranged in terminal corymbs. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



Leaves opposite; petals bluish green B. arguta 



Leaves ternate; petals reddish B. pellucida 



Broussaisia arguta Gaud. 

 Kanawau and Puahanui. 



BROUSSAISIA ARGUTA Gaud. Bot. Voy. Uranie (1826, 1830) 479-80 t. 69; DC. Prodr. 

 IV. (1830) 17; Hook, et Am. Bot. Beech. (1832) 84;-Endl. Fl. Suds. (1836) 

 no. 1417; A. Gray Bot. U. S. E. E. (1854) 683. t. 87; H. Mann, Proc. Am. Acad. 

 VII. (1867) 165, et Fl. Haw. Isl. (1867) 240; Mrs. Sinclair Indig. Fl. Haw. Isl. 

 (1885) pi. 36 (is not B. pellucida] i ; Hbd. Fl. Haw. Isl. (1888) 120; Del Cast. 

 111. Fl. Ins. Mar. Pac. VI. (1890) 163; Engler in Engl. et Prantl. Pflzfam. III. 

 2. a. (1891) 77; Heller PI. Haw. Isl. (1897) 828. 



Leaves opposite (never ternate) obovate oblong, slightly acuminate, closely serrate, 

 gradually tapering into a thick fleshy petiole which is dilated at the base, coriaceous gla- 

 brous, quite opaque, dark green above with impressed A r eins which are shortly hirsute; 

 corymb 5 to 7 cm in height and about 10 cm in width, hirsute, the branches subtended by 

 foliaceous sessile bracts of 12 to 25 mm, the bractlets smaller, caducous; male flowers: 

 petals greenish-blue, spreading triangular, coriaceous, much longer than the acute sepals; 

 stamens exserted; female flowers calyx ovoid, the narrow acute teeth 2 mm, petals scale- 

 like, 1 mm, ovary adnate to about % of its length; berry dark red, globose with a free 

 conical apex, with distinct persistent style and crowned by the calycine teeth and petals; 

 seed V-2 mm. 



151 



