Heller : plants of the Hawaiian islands. 867 



was also noticed on Kauai, but not in bloom. The lax, and 

 somewhat drooping branches, which, with the leaves, are 

 almost continually in motion, suggested the specific name. 



Nani(a) lutea (A. Gray). 



Metrosideros lutea A. Gray, Bot. U. S. Expl. Exped. 15:560. 

 1854. 



The type of this was collected on the island of "Hawaii, 

 Sandwich Islands, in the vicinity of Hilo," and is desaribed as 

 follows: "Apparently a tree of considerable size; the branch- 

 lets nearly terete, the younger ones only hoary with a fine 

 pubescence. Leaves oval or broadly elliptical, rarely verging 

 to ovate, rounded at both ends, often refuse, sometimes slight- 

 ly subcordate, coriaceous, H to 2| inches long, glabrous or 

 early glabrate above, hoary with a minute canescent tomentum 

 underneath, which is very tardily deciduous, closely feather 

 veined, the veins slender, but perspicuous, reticulated, the 

 basal ones produced into an intramarginal false vein. Petiole 

 rather conspicuous, 2^ to 4 lines long. Cymes small, solitary or 

 in pairs at the apex of the branches, not exceeding the leaves, 

 very short peduncled. Bracts caducous. Flowers subsessile 

 or very shortly pedicelled (the pedicels less than a line long, or 

 rarely a line and a half long, often scarcely any), usually in 

 threes at the apex of the partial peduncles. Calyx densely 

 canescent tomentose, as also the inflorescence, about 2£ lines 

 long, campanulate-turbinate, five lobed, the lobes very obtuse. 

 Petals tomentose externally, 'yellow, as well as the stamens,' 

 apparently pale. Filaments and style nearly an inch long." 



This seems to be the polymorphous species, rather than N. 

 polymorpha, from which it differs in leaf outline, as well as in 

 other particulars. The yellow color cannot be depended upon, 

 for yellow flowers are likely to be found among any of the 

 forms. The form in my collection which most nearly ap- 

 proaches N. lutea, is No. 2417, collected on the ridge between 

 the Hanapepe and Wahiawa rivers, Kauai. It is a large tree, 

 and was in full bloom in the third week in June. The leaves 

 are inclined to be acute, and are glabrous. The flow T ers are 

 dep red. 



The next nearest form is No. 2690, collected on the banks of 

 the Wahiawa, just below the second fall. This is a medium 

 sized tree, with narrower, glabrous leaves. The peduncles are 

 longer, but the pedicels are very short. The flowers are yel- 

 low, the style a little longer than the stamens. 



