Solanaceae. 



Nothocestrum longifolium Gray. 

 Aiea. 



NOTHOCESTRUM LONGIFOLIUM Gray, in Proc. Am. Acad. VI. (1862) 48; Seem. 

 Flora Vit. (1866) 173; Mann in Proc. Am. Acad. VII. (1867) 191; Wawra in 

 Flora (18731 62; Hbd. Fl. Haw. Isl. (1888) 308; Del Cast. 111. Fl. Ins. Mar. Pacif. 

 VII. (1892) 249. 



A small tree or shrub with slender ascending branches, quite glabrous; leaves thin 

 membraneous, lanceolate or elliptical-oblong, acuminate at both ends or occasionally only 

 acute or somewhat obtuse, 10 to 20 cm long, 3.5 to 8.5 cm wide, on petioles of 8 to 20 mm; 

 flowers axillary, usually single, but not uncommonly 2 or 3, on pedicels of 8 to 30 mm; 

 calyx tubular, 8 to 12 mm with flowers, 14 to 16 mm with fruit, glabrous, sharply or ob- 

 tusely, always unevenly, 4-toothed; corolla pale yellow, the tube not longer than the 

 calyx, the lobes of variable size, narrowly margined, glabrous when open, silky pubescent 

 when in the bud, but with a remnant of pubescence on the back of the petals when open; 

 anthers partly exserted; stigma clavate, included in the tube; berry elongate or fusiform, 

 12 to 20 mm long, orange-colored, rather fleshy, included in the calyx or exserted beyond. 



This rather slender species is more often a shrub than a tree, and is peculiar 

 to the rain forests on all the islands of the group. It usually sends out thin 

 slender stems which do not branch, reaching a height of 7-10 feet, bearing leaf 

 whorls at the ends, or it is a regular shrub with long and slender branches. 

 Occasionally it is a tree 15-20 feet high. As such it was observed and collected 

 by the writer in the Kipuku Puaulu, near the Volcano Kilauea on Hawaii at 

 an elevation of over 4000 feet. This is the only record where it was not found 

 in the .rain forest proper. It is not uncommon on Oahu, on the Koolau range, 

 and can be collected in the mountains back of Honolulu. 



A variety /? brevi folium Hbd. occurs in the mountains of Kauai, where it was 

 collected by the writer along Opaiwela stream in the forests of Kaholuamano. 



Nothocestrum breviflorum Gray. 



Aiea. 

 (Plates 170, 171.) 



NOTHOCESTRUM BREVIFLORUM Gray in Proc. Am. Acad. VI. (1866) 49; Seem. 



Flora Vit. (1866) 173; Mann Proc. Am. Acad. VII. (1867) 191; Hbd. Fl. Haw. 



Isl. (1888) 308; Del Cast. 111. Fl. Ins. Mar. Pac. VII. (1892) 248. 



A stout tree about 10 to 12 m high; branches stiff, ascending; leaves oblong or 

 elliptical-oblong, 5 to 12 cm long, 3 to 6 cm wide, on petioles of 3 to 5 cm, acute or obtuse 

 on both ends, thin chartaceous, tomentose underneath, flowers many, clustered on short axil- 

 lary spurs, the pedicels 4 to 10 mm, calyx campanulate with flowers, globose with fruit and 

 closed over it, dentate, almost bilabiate; corolla greenish yellow, tube enclosed in the calyx, 

 lobes with yellowish, coarse pubescence outside, with the exception of the margins which 

 are glabrous, glabrous inside; anthers not protruding, linear, acute, glabrous; ovary ovoid, 

 style short; berry globose or oblong, orange-red, 6 to 8 mm, or more long. 



The Aiea of Hawaii is a medium sized tree, 30-35 feet high, with a trunk of 

 often V/ 2 feet in diameter ; the bark is perfectly smooth and of a chocolate brown 

 or grayish color; the wood is soft and w T hitish-green, and full of sap. It is 

 peculiar to the Island of Hawaii, where it occurs in the dry districts especially 

 on the aa lava flows of North Kona, at Puuwaawaa on the slopes of Mt. Hualalai, 

 where it is exceedingly common. In that locality the writer met with the big- 

 gest trees. The trunks, owing to their softness are easily damaged and often 



419 



