Rutaceae. 



grandipetala Levl., P. Hillebrandii Levl., P. foetida Levl., P. sessilis LevL, Pelea'l 

 acutivalvata Levl., P. Fauriei Levl. 



The latter one the writer thinks to be only a mere variety of P. clusiaefolia 

 Gray. It is a very small leaved form, but owing to the fact that it is found in 

 the rather dry forests back of Kaluaha and Kamolo on the leeward side of Mo- 

 lokai, it can be easily the result of the location, a fact which has disproved many 

 an apparently new species. Leveille absolutely ignores fertile or sterile flowers 

 and gives only a general description that may be applied to any species in the 

 genus. An example may follow. P. Hillebrandii, Rami fragiles, nodosi; flores 

 magni axillares cymosi pedicelli bibracteolati, caylce minuto, sepala obtusa, glabra, 

 petala 4-5-plo longiora, glabra apice triangularia ; stamina paulo breviora. 



This description, especially of the flower, is really a marvel, and anyone able 

 to place P. Hillebrandii by it, must be a clairvoyant, and a clever one at that. 

 Anyone acquainted with the extreme variability of the Hawaiian Pelea, their 

 many intermediates, and who has at his disposal such a large material as is at 

 the writer's disposal, cannot help but deplore such work, which is not to the ad- 

 vancement, but to the hindrance of botanical science. 



The Hawaiian Pelea, for the sake of convenience, may be classed into four 

 units, and embraced under a special name sp. (ecies) c. (ollectiva). 



For example: Pelea clusiaefolia with all its varieties is closely related to P. 

 auriculae folia, P. Cookeana, P. sapotaefolia, P. Waialealae, P. microcarpa, P. Fau- 

 riei and perhaps P. pallida. All these species have a more or less variable, but 

 always small capsule in common, and have all either quaternate or ternate leaves, 

 and never opposite ones unless it be in very rare instances, or perhaps in a 

 very dubious variety of some one of these species. The writer would propose for 

 this group of species the name Pelea sp. c. verticillifolia ; this expresses the con- 

 ception of the group as a very closely related one, in a comprehensive and easy 

 way. 



The second and largest group has opposite leaves and is characterized by the 

 large capsules, which are deeply parted but not discreet. The typical species of 

 this group is Pelea volcanica, and is followed by Pelea pseudoanisata, P. oblongi- 

 folia, P. rotundifolia, P. orbicularis, P. molokaiensis, P. Mannii, P. parvifolia, P. 

 macropus, P. Kauaiensis, and P. sandwicensis. P. Balloui, of which only 

 young capsules (which are silky pubescent) are known, may also belong to this 

 group for which the writer proposes the name P. sp. c. megacarpa. This in itself 

 is a practical key which will facilitate the identification of species. 



Another marked group, though small, has cuboid capsules and opposite leaves 

 and is made up of the following members : Pelea anisata, P. Wawraeana, P. 

 Zahlbruckneri, and may be termed P. sp. c. cubicarpa. 



The fourth group is composed of the following, with Pelea cinerea, as the most 

 variable one, in the lead; it is followed closely by P. Knudsenii, P. multiflora, P. 



212 



