Beccari and Rock — Pritchardia. 19 



forest, there occur apparently two species and three varieties of one. There is 

 no question that South Kona is the home of Pritchardia affinis, also a newly 

 described species, hitherto confused with Pritchardia Gaiidichandii. Tall speci- 

 mens seventy-five feet in height occur at Kaohe and Opihale and also at Kealia. 

 (See PL III, A.) The original forest surrounding this species has practically 

 disappeared with the exception of a few tree ferns and a few Metrosideros trees. 

 The palms were saved from the ax on account of their usefulness, the 

 natives employing the young leaves in the making of hats, and the young seeds 

 though not particularly palatable are eagerly sought by them. Several varieties 

 of Pritcliardia afhnis are found on Hawaii, var. rhopalocarpa at Kealakekua (see 

 PL IV, B), var. Jialophila at Kalapana, and var. gracilis at Kiholo in North Kona. 



The Uses of Pritchardia. 

 By Joseph F. Rock. 



The Hawaiians have evidently always employed the leaves of the species 

 of Pritchardia occurring in Hawaii. But probably only since the arrival of the 

 white man in these islands have they learned the braiding of the young leaves 

 into hats. The natives have two names for Hawaiian Pritchardias, Loulu lelo 

 and Laulii hizva, and consequently only two species are recognized by them. 

 Hillebrand states that Loulu Ida is the palm found on the northern coast of 

 Molokai and this would indicate that it is Pritchardia Gaudichaudii, while Loulu 

 hizva is in all probability Pritchardia Hillehrandi. The young leaves of this latter 

 palm are especially preferred by the Hawaiians for the making of hats, as they 

 are of a bluish white and have no scale-like lepidia of any sort on their under- 

 surfaces, but are covered with a glaucous waxy-powdery substance. It is the 

 most commonly cultivated species, although Pritchardia affinis is also very often 

 met with near Hawaiian dwellings. 



The seeds of all the species are used by the natives for food, but only in 

 an immature state, the kernel having somewhat the taste of coconut. The seeds 

 are known to the Hawaiians as Hazvane and also Wahane. The latter name 

 recurs at the Marquesas Islands as the name of Pritchardia pacifica, which is said 

 to occur there. Owing to the seeds being much sought by natives and children, 

 while still immature, it is often very difficult to find ripe fruits, and even in the 

 mountains mature seeds are very scarce owing to rats and mongooses which eat 

 the fruits as soon as they have fallen. The trees are also often mutilated by the 

 natives and deprived of their leaves with the exception of one or two at the 

 apex of the trunk. There is no doubt that some of the species are on the verge 

 of extinction, as for example Pritchardia montis-kca and others. Of many of 

 the species not a single young plant could be found beneath them. If seeds do 

 escape the ravages of rats, the young plants resulting are dug up and eagerly 

 devoured by wild pigs. Insects have been found to attack the young fruits of 



