Rutaceae. 



at first as an exclamation of disappointment, insofar as the capsules of this species 

 resemble very much those of the Mokihana, but are without the fragrant odor of 

 the latter. "When the natives gathered the capsules for Ids or wreaths, they quite 

 often mistook the capsules of the species in ({uestion for Mokihana seeds and on 

 finding them without odor, exclaimed "Kukaimoa," by which the tree is now 

 known. 



Pelea volcanica Gray. 



Alani. 



PELEA VOLCANICA Gray Bot. U. S. E. E. (1854) 346, pi. 38;— H. Mann in Proc. Bost. 

 Soc. Nat. Hist. X. (1866) 315, et Proc. Am. Acad. VII. (1867) l.j9, et PI. Haw. 

 Isl. in Proc. Ess. Inst. (1867) 167;— Hbd. PI. Haw. Isl. (1888) 67;— Engler in 

 Engl, et Prantl Pflzfam. III. 4. (1895) 113 fig. 64. K-N.— Evodia volcanica Drake, 

 Del Cast. 111. PI. Ins. Mar. Pac. VI. (1890) 134. 



Leaves opposite, oval, or ovate oblong, coriaceous, obtuse at both ends, occasionally 

 retuse at the apex, glabrous above, glabrate underneath or slightly pubescent, especially 

 on the prominent midrib, not shining, somewhat pellucid, the secondary veins nearly 

 parallel, united by an arcuate intramarginal nerve, not distant from the edge of the leaf, 

 8 to 16 cm long, 5 to 9 cm wide, on petioles of 3 to 5 cm which are stout and apparently 

 lignescent; inflorescence paniculate, axillary; female flowers: sepals ovate triangular, 

 niuoronulate, pubescent, 3 mm, petals ovate lanceolate, twice as long, glabrous, ovary 

 pubescent; stamens short 1 mm, (as long as the petals in the male flowers) anthers 

 sagittate (or oblong in the male flowers) ; style 4 mm long pubescent, especially in its 

 lower half, stigma with 4 blunt lobes of 1 mm in length; capsule large 3.75 cm in dia- 

 meter, but often with one, two, or three cocci abortive, cocci glabrous, somewhat 

 lignescent. united in the axis, but recurved; the papery endocarp glabrous; seeds ovoid 

 black shining. 



According to Asa Gray, this tree reaches a height of 40 feet with a trunk of 

 11/^ feet in diameter. It occurs on the slopes of Mauna Kea near the bullock 

 plains in the forests bordering the latter. The writer's material (no. 3325) came 

 from the northern slopes of Mauna Kea from the forests of Paauhau No. 2 at 

 an elevation of 3000 feet; he also collected it in the Kohala mountains (no. 

 8399) ; flowering and fruiting June, 1910. 



It is a striking species on account of its very large capsules, but is also very 

 variable, as are nearly all Hawaiian Pelea. Complete material is needed to ar- 

 range satisfactorily and determine this rather difficult genus. The writer cannot 

 help but deplore the awful chaos into which our Hawaiian Pelea have been 

 thrown through the very inefficient and hasty work of H. Leveille, which owing 

 to the poor descriptions, which might fit any species in the genus, will have to 

 be ignored. 



In the dense rain forest of Hamakuapoko, Maui, the writer collected a specimen 

 of a tree which is unquestionably P volcanica Gray, fruiting September, 1910 (no. 

 8566). 



Ilillebrand in his flora enumerates two varieties. The first is var. ^ grandifolia, 

 with very large leaves which are chartaeeous, and a tomentose inflorescence; the 

 capsules are 25 mm across and parted more than half way. It occurs in the 

 woods near Hilo, Hawaii, but is not known to the writer. 



The second variety, y ovalifolia, is a tall tree with oblong or ovate oblong emar- 



221 



