Pittosporaceae. 



Corvus hawaiiensis or Alala, which pecks open the large woody capsules and 

 feeds on the oily seeds within. The crow is peculiar to Kona, Hawaii. Nearly 

 80% of all the capsules of this species examined by the writer were eaten out 

 by these birds, which are still very common. 



Pittosporum Gayanum Rock sp. nov. 

 (Plate 61.) 



A small tree 15 to 18 feet high with a round spreading crown, or when growing on 

 the high central plateau near Waialeale in the dense rain forest, a tree with very few 

 straight ascending branches; leaves crowded at the ends of the branches or scattered, 

 obovate oblong, shortly acuminate, with revolute margins, glabrous above, veins very 

 prominent impressed, dark green with dark brown or fulvous tomentum underneath, 

 especially on the very prominent veins, the young leaves covered on both sides with a 

 dark reddish-brown wool, 15 to 25 cm long, 4 to 10 cm wide, on somewhat margined 

 petioles of about 2 cm; inflorescence axillary and cauline, peduncle short, 12 mm, with 

 dark reddish brown tomentum, bracteate, bracts linear subulate, woolly as well as the 

 ovate Lo linear lanceolate sepals; flowers on pedicels of 5 to 10 mm, sepals 3 mm, tube 

 of the cream-colored corolla about 10 mm, the lobes 4 mm, stamens as long as the tube, 

 anthers oblong, style exserted, three times the length of the tornentose ovary; capsule 

 ovoid to cordate, pointed, densely tomentose with dark reddish brown wool, about 2 cm 

 or more in diam. the valves rugose, wrinkled; seeds angular, shining black, smooth, 

 about 5 mm long. 



This very interesting tree is peculiar to the interior, high plateau of Kauai, 

 especially the upper slopes of Waialeale. It grows in the swamps and swampy 

 forests as well as along streambeds several miles inland from Kaholuamano, at 

 an elevation of 4800 to 5000 feet. It is not uncommon in the more open flat 

 swamps in company with the thousands of Lobelia macrostachys at this region, 

 which is constantly wrapped in clouds. It is rather curious plant, with a 

 short trunk and perfectly straight branches, which are only few, three or four, 

 and the large dark green and brown foliage. It is a constant species and grows 

 all over the summit of Kauai. It was collected by the writer first in Septem- 

 ber, 1909, and again in October, 1909, in the Alakai swamp near the head of 

 Wainiha, and on Waialeale October 20, 1911. The type is 8867 in the College 

 of Hawaii Herbarium, Honolulu, T. H. The plant is named in honor of Mr. 

 Francis Gay of Kauai, whose kind hospitality and help in exploring the Kauai 

 forests the writer was fortunate to enjoy. At the very summit of Waialeale 

 in the open bog the writer found a variety of this species perfectly glabrous ; it 

 was a shrub about 5 feet high, and may be described here as follows : 



Var. Waialealae var. nov. 



Leaves whorled at the ends of the branches, glabrous even the very young leaves, 

 obovate oblong, acuminate" dull green on both sides, 5 to 10 cm long, 2 to 3.5 cm wide, 

 contracting into a petiole of 1 cm; capsules 2 cm each way, the valves deeply wrinkled 

 glabrous, young capsules tomentose, seeds as in the species. 



Type No. 8866 in the College of Hawaii Herbarium, collected by the writer 

 October 10, 1911, at the summit bog of Waialeale, Kauai, elevation 5200 feet. It 

 grew in company with Pelea Waialealae. Labordea Waialealae, Lobelia Kauai- 

 ensis, etc. 



166 



