Saxifragaceae. 



This is one of the most common trees or shrubs which the traveler will meet in 

 the Hawaiian rain forests. It occurs in all the islands of the group at elevations 

 of 1000 to 3000 feet. It is conspicuous by its dark green shiny leaves, and when 

 in fruit it is not at all unattractive. The native name of this, as well as of the 

 other species, is Puahanui and Kanawau. It is never found in the dry districts, 

 but is confined to the rain forests, where precipitation is heavy. It is easily dis- 

 tinguished from the other species by its small corymb and opposite leaves, which 

 are not transparent. 



Broussaisia pellucida Gaud. 

 Puahanui. 

 (Plate 54.) 



BROUSSAISIA PELLUCIDA Gaud. Bot. Voy. Bon. (1844-52) pi. 9. (exclus. fig. 11 & 12); 

 Hbd. Fl. Haw. Isl. (1888) 121; Del Cast. 111. Fl. Ins. VI (1890) 163; Engl. in 

 Engl. et Prantl Pflzfam. III. 2. a. (1891) 77. 



Leaves whorled, ternate, narrower, 4 to 6 cm in width; corymb larger and more 

 open; male flowers: calyx about 2 mm; petals 4 mm, reddish; female flowers: calycine 

 lobes short dentiform, not longer than the petaloid scales; ovary adnate only in the lower 

 half; berry smaller, the stigma sessile on the free conical apex. 



This species is certainly quite distinct from B. arguta, but is not confined to 

 Puna, Hawaii, as it occurs on all the islands of the group, but at higher elevations 

 than B. arguta. This latter species practically goes not higher than 3000 to 3500 

 feet, while the other species takes its place up to 5000 and nearly 6000 feet eleva- 

 tion. It differs from B. arguta in the larger female corymb, which is more open 

 and almost as long as broad, while the male corymb is smaller and denser. A 

 characteristic is the ternate leaves, which are not as broad as in B. arguta, and 

 are perfectly pellucid, a characteristic not found in B. arguta, whose leaves are 

 opaque. All these characteristics are constant; Gaudichaud's plate in Bot. Voy. 

 Bonite is most excellent and shows at a glance the specific distinction from B. 

 arguta. (Excluding figures 11 and 12.) 



The figs. 11 and 12 in Gaudichaud's plate certainly do not represent B. pellu- 

 cida as the stigmas in all specimens examined are sessile and not raised on a 

 columnar style as is the case in B. arguta. As no text was published with the 

 plate, they perhaps were introduced for comparison. 



The native names for this and the previous species are Puahanui and Kanawau. 

 It occurs on all the islands of the group, and is not confined to Puna, Hawaii, as 

 ;*iven by Hillebrand. The writer collected it on the high plateau of Kauai and at 

 the summit of Waialeale, on the same island : on Haleakala, Maui, it is not uncom- 

 mon in the rain forests at an elevation of 4000 to 6000 feet. It is found on all 

 the mountains of Hawaii, Mauna Loa, Kau, Hualalai, South and North Kona, Ila- 

 makua, and on the summit of the Kohala Mountains. The red berries are much 

 sought for by the native birds. 



It is a small tree, but often a shrub with stout and soft branches which are 

 hirsute at their ends. 



152 



