Sapindaceae. 



panicles tomentose with a fulvous pubescence, either several in the axils of the uppermost 

 leaves and then 5 to 10 cm long, or single, terminal and 10 to 12 cm long, 

 with the lowest bracts foliaceous, the branches alternate and patent, the pedi- 

 cels 2 mm, minutely bracteolate about the middle; sepals unequal, orbicular, 

 3 mm; tomentose, slightly connate at the base; petals 5, little longer, equal, 

 pubescent and ciliate; stamens 8, inserted on the thick margin of a pentagonal glabrous 

 disc 2 mm; ovary glabrous, 3 to 2 lobed; stigma subsessile, lobes broad, rounded; cocci 

 either 2, connate, or oftener a single one with the rudiments of 1 or 2 'abortive ones 

 at the base; the single coccus obovoid, 30 to 20 mm; pericarp leathery, shining; endocarp 

 pergameneous, pale, villous in the immature state; seed obovoid, 20 to 12 mm; testa black, 

 osseous, rugose, with a broad truncate, rather carunculate base; embryo curved, cotyledons 

 accumbent to the short tapering radicle. Hillebrand's var. ;8 differs from the species in 

 its leaves, which are narrowing at the base, and are shorter petioled; the flowering panicle 

 is also denser and not open as in the species. 



This tree, which reaches a height of 20 to 30 feet, is endemic to the Hawaiian 

 Islands, and is found on Oahu and Kauai. It develops a rather short trunk of 

 about eight inches in diameter, and is vested in a whitish bark which is covered 

 with lenticels. While all other known species of Sapindus have pinnate leaves, 

 the Aulu or Lonomea is a remarkable exception, in having single, oblong, entire 

 leaves, which never show any indication of division. 



The small, yellow flowers are arranged in long, terminal panicles, which 

 are covered with a rusty-brown down. 



It is distinctly a tree of the lower forest zone, and inhabits the leeward sides 

 of the Islands of Oahu and Kauai. On the former island it is found in the 

 valleys of Makaha and Makaleha of the Kaala range, while a variety of it grows 

 in the valley of Niu. On the latter island it is scattered on the lower levels at 

 an elevation of 1000 feet back of Makaweli and Waimea, together with the 

 Aleurites moluccana (Kukui), Ochrosia sandwicensis, Straussia, etc. 



The wood of the Aulu is whitish and of no value. On Kauai the seeds were 

 used as a cathartic by the natives. A dose consisted of 7 to 8 seeds. 



The variety occurs in Nui Valley, on Oahu, but all the trees found in Nui by 

 the writer were attacked very badly by a moth (Rhyiocoppha sp.?), which gave 

 the trees an ungainly appearance; in fact, most of them were devoid of leaves. 



ALECTRYON Gartn. 



{Mahoe Hillebr.) 



Flowers regular, calyx short, cup-shaped, 4 to 5 toothed, valvate or somewhat imbri- 

 cate. Petals 4 to 5, with 2 scales, or wanting. Discus complete. Stamens 8 to 10. 

 Ovary 2 to 3 celled, and usually of 2 to 3 cocci, style with a short 2 to 3 lobed stigma, 

 rarely undivided; cell one ovulcd. Fruit of 2 or 3 or, through abortion, of one coccus. Cocci 

 large globose or ovate, often of the size of a pea, occasionally keeled, coriaceous or 

 cortico-crustaceous, opening in an irregular fissure. Seeds nearly globose or compressed, 

 with shining brown, smooth testa, arilate. Trees with abruptly pinnate leaves consisting 

 of 1 to 5 pairs of leaflets, entire, or serrate, papillose on the underside in a few species. 

 Flowers small, in thyrses or less branched panicles. 



The genus Alectryon consists of 16 species, which are all arborescent and are 



distributed over the Malayan, Papuan and Pacific islands, represented by the 



species of Nephelium in the two latter groups. 



The type of the genus is the Titaki of New Zealand, A. excelsus, which, like 



our Hawaiian species, the Mahoe tree, has edible fruits. 



275 



