Pittosporaeeae. 



of Puuwaawaa, in North Kona, on the slopes of Mt. Hualalai, Hawaii, on June 17, 

 1909. Since that time the writer visited again this district and collected addi- 

 tional material; most of the trees were then in flower. The writer made also 

 extensive exploration of the forest surroundine Mauna Loa, especially the drier 

 districts in South Kona, which resemble Puuwaawaa greatly as far as vegetation 

 is concerned. In that latter locality the writer found this species very common, 

 and it is certainly astounding that it has been kept from our knowledge for so 

 long. The plants from this latter locality, however, differ somewhat from those 

 from Puuwaawaa, in size of capsules, which are smaller, and in the size of 

 leaves, which are much larger. The tree itself is much smaller and more nearly 

 a shrub, while the trees at Puuwaawaa have often a diameter of a foot or so. 



Near Kilauea Volcano at an elevation of 4000 feet is a small Kipuka or piece 

 of land of great age which is surrounded by rough (aa) lava flows. The area 

 of this Kipuka is 56 acres; on it are to be found not less than 42 species of trees. 

 The vegetation is such that one would immediately look for Pittosporum, but in 

 vain. The writer persisted, however, to locate a Pittosporum representative in 

 the vicinity, and after a search of several days found a small triangular lot of 

 about an acre in extent, which must have been once upon a time a part of the 

 above Kipuka; it was surrounded by enormously thick aa flows, which were cov- 

 ered with stunted Ohia lehua growth, whilst in that small pocket of land grew 

 Pittosporum Hosmeri var. longifolia, together with Pelea and Xanthoxylum. 



The trees from Kilauea are identical with those from Kapua, S. Kona, and 

 also with specimens from the upper slopes of Hualalai, from the forests above 

 Huehue at an elevation of 5000 feet, while the typical Pittosporum Eosmeri is 

 peculiar to Puuwaawaa. 



The variety is here described as follows: 



Var. longifolia var. nov. 



(Plates 58, 59, 60.) 



Leaves lanceolate-oblong to obovate oblong, rounded or acuminate at the. apex, 15 to 

 40 cm long, 5 to 9 cm wide, on petioles of 2 to 5 cm, glabrous above, densely covered under- 

 neath with' an ochraceous to rufous tomentum; flowers as in the species; capsules smaller 

 subsessile, 10 on a common peduncle forming a cluster of often -12 cm in diameter, cap- 

 sules globose, quadrangular to oblong, 2-3-4 valved, the valves woody, 4 to 5 cm long or 

 5 cm each way, glabrous, smooth, seeds as in the species. Capsule orange yellow when 

 mature. 



The tree is quite common at Kapua, S. Kona, Hawaii, on the lava flows, but 

 does not reach such a height and size as at Puuwaawaa. The trees of the latter 

 locality are loaded with fruit during June and July, while those of Kapua bear 

 mature fruit during the month of February. However, the fruiting season of 

 these, like nearly all the other Hawaiian trees, can not be relied upon. Occurs 

 also at Kilauea, and Hualalai, Hawaii. 



This species with its variety resembles somewhat P. term,inalioides of the same 

 regions, but has only the roughened seeds in common with it. 



The fruits of P. Hosmeri and variety are a source of food for the native crow, 



163 



