Director s Report for i<.ji6. * n 



a primitive condition or parti}' an after effect or weathering, per- 

 haps due to rain falling on the cooling lava. 



"On the south point of Hawaii there are now four flows of 

 known date in close proximity, even overlapping in places, namely 

 1868, 1887, 1907 and 19 1 6. The invasion of plants on these areas 

 of brand new earth are of immense interest to a botanist ; there 

 being few places in the world where such phenomena can be readily 

 observed. 



"During October and a part of November a collecting trip 

 was made to Kauai. With Lihue as a base, camping trips were 

 taken to Kilauea, Nonou Mountains, Hii Mountains, and day trips 

 to the Haupu Range, Wailua Falls and other places in the immedi- 

 ate vicinity. In spite of rainy weather a fair collection of plants 

 was made. 



"I was enabled to confirm certain statements made to me by 

 Rev. J. M. Lydgate concerning Brighaviia iiisignis -SiS it occurs on 

 Kauai. The Kauai plant has different colored flowers from the 

 plant occuring on the central islands of the group, but otherwise 

 there seems to be no constant or striking differences of specific or 

 varietal rank, although it may be safe to give the Kauai plant the 

 form name of citrina.^ 



"Probably Remy's Niihau specimens cited by both Gray and 

 Hillebrand belong to this form. I have observed BrioJianiia along 

 the Kalalau trail on Kauai but not in flower. So far the genus 

 has not been reported from either Oahu or Hawaii, but it would 

 not be safe to say that it does not occur. A difference between 

 the plant of the central islands of the group and that o*f Kauai is 

 of ratlier more than passing interest. 



"During the year Mr. A. S. Hitchcock of the Bureau of Plant 

 Industry, Washington, D. C, an expert on grasses, visited our 

 Herbariam and looked through the specimens. Both his friend- 

 ship and identifications in this difficult group were a welcome help. 

 An exchange has been arranged with Mr. Hitchcock. 



^ Biighamia iiisignis forma citrina forma nova, Forbes and Lydgate. 

 Differs in the lemon yellow corolla, brighter j'ellow on the inner side of the 

 expanded lobes ; in contrast to the creamj' or white corolla of the tj'pe. The 

 expanded lobes are acnte rather than acnminale, and the calyx teeth are 

 shorter, but these are not constant differential characters. Leaves as in the 

 species. Type locality, Haupu Range near Nawiliwili Bay, Kauai. Forbes, 

 No. 706, K., Oct. 31, 1916. 



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