104 BOTANICAL GAZETTE [AUGUST 
toa high degree by many of our species. As HILLEBRAND states, 
“‘the polymorphism of the Hawaiian cyrtandras is extraordinary; 
no single form extends over the whole group, and not many are 
common to more than one island. The variations affect every 
part of the plant, and branch out and intercross each other in 
manifold ways to such an extent that it is next to impossible to 
define exact limits of species.’”*® The evolutionary status of our 
species is closely analogous to that of the native lobelias. 
The species of Cyrtandra are largely confined to the humid 
regions; they are precinctive and extremely shade-tolerant. 
Many species are to be found only in the narrow-walled ravines 
and dimly lighted recesses of the rain forest. C. cordifolia Gaud., 
C. Pickeringii Gray, C. gracilis Hbd., C. Kahilii Wawra, C. grandi- 
flora Gaud., C. paludosa Gaud., C. latebrosa Hbd., and C. Lessoniana | 
Gaud. are representative Hawaiian species of this genus. 
Composites 
Spiind only to the lobelias in importance are the Composine. 
There are over 80 species, representing 29 genera; of these , 60 species 
are distributed among 9 endemic genera. Several of the genera 
(Argyroxiphium, Wilkesia, Hesperomannia, and Remya) show 
“Many evidences of | isolated and specialized evolution and, as. 
HILLEBRAND rema probably belong to the oldest denizens of — 
our islands, a sepotition countenanced by the fact that each — 
holds no more than two species.” With reference to the last 
statement it must be remarked that several new forms in these 
a probably of specific rank, have recently been discovered. 
_ A number of these peculiar Compositae (Artemisia, Dubautia, 
_ Raillardia) are arborescent, and alpine in habitat. On the ee : 
_ mountains of Maui and Hawaii ii they reach an elevation of moe 
