Rhamnaceae-Elaeocarpaceae. 



It inhabits the dry regions on the leeward slopes of all the islands, but is no- 

 where common except on Kauai and at Auahi, district of Kahikinui, on Maui, 

 where it is gregarious on the aa lava fields. It is in this latter place that the 

 writer met with trees whose trunks were more than 2 feet in diameter. 



On the islands of Molokai and Lanai it is very scarce indeed and found only 

 on exposed ridges as straggling shrubs. On Maui, on the southern slopes of 

 Haleakala at an elevation of 2600 to 3000 feet, it is a beautiful tree with a 

 straight trunk. The name Kauila is unknown on the Island of Maui, for this 

 species; it is always referred to as the O'a, while the name Kauila is applied to 

 Colubrina oppositi folia, from Hawaii. 



On Oahu it can be found on Mt. Kaala on dry exposed ridges, while on Ha- 

 waii it is not uncommon in Kau and North and South Kona; but never in com- 

 pany with Colubrina oppositi folia, which inhabits the more ancient lava flo\vs. 



The wood, which is of a beautiful reddish color with black streaks, is very 

 durable, close and hard grained and exceedingly heavy. It was employed by 

 the natives for their spears as well as for tapa beaters or mallets and other tools. 



The Kauila or O'a is indigenous to Hawaii, but not endemic, as it is also 

 found in most of the Polynesian islands of the South Seas, Australia and Borneo. 



It is known as Doi in Fiji and as Toi in Tahiti, while the Samoan name of the- 

 species is also Toi. 



The Samoans use the leaves for medicinal purposes. They are also often 

 ground between stones, and are used in washing out the lime from the hair. 



In Australia the tree is known as Mountain Ash, Red Ash, Leather Jacket, 

 and Cooper's Wood. The aboriginals of Australia have also several names for 

 it ; among them are Mee-a-mee, Culgeraculgera, and Murrrung in the Ilaawara 

 district of New South Wales. 



E1LAEOCARPACEAE. 



The family Elaeocarpaceae is rather small, consisting of only seven genera, 

 with somewhat more than 120 species. It is distributed over the tropics of the 

 old and new world, and reaches its most northern point in Japan, where two 

 species, belonging to the genus Elaeocarpus, are to be found. 



The genus Elaeocarpus, represented in thes^ islands by one species, is the- 

 largest in the family, with more than 60 species. The distribution of the family 

 ranges from the West Indies to the latitude of the Island of Chiloe, and from 

 Japan to New Zealand. 



ELAEOCARPUS L. 



Flowers usually hermaphrodite. Sepals 5. Petals 5, usually bifid at the apex, at the 

 base flat, free, valvate in the bud. Androgynophor mostly 5 lobed. Stamens numerous, 

 anthers linear, often ciliate, with two adnate cells opening at the apex into transverse 

 valves. Ovary 2 to 5 celled with several ovules in each cell. Stone fruit with hard, 

 3 to 5 celled, 1 to 5 seeded stone, usually very hard and rugose. Trees with usually 

 alternate leaves, which are either entire or serrate. Flowers in simple axillary, often many" 

 flowered racemes. 



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