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HAWAII'S TAPESTRY FORESTS 



Vaughan MacCaughey 



(with SIX figures) 



Many of the Hawaiian mountains are deeply eroded. Torren- 

 tial rainfalls, operating throughout vast periods of time, have 

 strongly carved the original volcanic domes. Extraordinary 

 precipices (called pali by the natives) abound in all parts of the 

 islands. Fantastically sculptured canyons, ravines, and gorges, 

 profusely cliffed and ramified, are characteristic of the montane 

 areas. The valley walls are notably abrupt. Many of the valley 

 heads are rimmed with cliffs and crags. The summit ridge on 

 such islands as Kauai, Oahu, and Molokai is worn in many places 

 to a thin crest, with numerous lateral "razorback" ridges. • 



Associated with this highly dissected topography is the sub- 

 / tropical montane rain forest. The general features of this forest 



have been presented by the writer in other papers. 1 Herein are 

 described only those portions of the rain forest that cling to very 

 steep slopes. 



The naturalist, exploring the Hawaiian forests, is sure to be 

 impressed by the ability of the groves to maintain themselves on 

 very precipitous slopes. Although the individual trees are of 

 small stature, with abundant shrubby undergrowth, all of the area 

 is closely occupied, forming an unbroken arborescent or semi- 

 arborescent mantle. The writer proposes the name "tapestry 

 • forest" for this particular forest type, that successfully occupies 

 almost vertical mountain walls. All tapestry forest is montane 

 rain forest, but all rain forest is not tapestry forest. Indeed, the 

 most luxuriant rain forest is on gently sloping uplands (for example, 

 Puna and Olaa, Hawaii); the trees of this Metrosideros-Cibotium 

 formation attain heights of 75-90 ft. The tapestry groves of 

 course do not grow on absolutely vertical cliffs. Seen from a 



'Survey of the Hawaiian land flora. Box. Gaz. 64:98-114. 1917; Oahu rain 

 forest. Amer. Forestry 23:276-2-8. 191 7; Economic woods of Hawaii. Forestry 

 Quarterly 14:696-716. 1916. 



137] [Botanical Gazette, vol. 70 





