Malvaceae. 



hispid; the subulate stipules small and pnberulous; flowers solitary on pedicels of 1.5 to 4 

 em, bracteoles linear, spathulate, free, 2 cm long one-nerved; calyx saccate unevenly 

 tri-lobed, the lobes triangular acute; hirsute outside, puberuloiis inside, 2.5 cm long, 

 flowers nearly the same size as in E. Giffardianns, petals greenish yellow outside, yellowish 

 inside, many and strongly ribbed, the nerves branching at the apex, densely hirsute es- 

 pecially on the very prominent nerves, 4 to 5 cm long, contorted, with Diunt or acute apex; 

 staminal column long exserted, antheriferous to the five lobed apex, the lobes acuni^nate, 

 less than 2 mm; stamens numerous, filaments 6 mm long, anthers dark red; style branches 

 erect, 3 mm; capsule ovoid 3.5 cm x 4 em greenish-black, woody, tuberculate, stellate- 

 hispid, seeds same as in the previous species. 



Of this interesting tree only one is in existence and when last visited (1912) 

 by Mr. Gerrit P. Wilder, who also collected the first open flowers from which the 

 description is drawn, the tree was found to be in a dying condition ; the branches 

 were completely covered with a species of TJsnea, probably australis. The tree 

 occurs on the ancient lava fields of Auahi, on the land of Kahikinui, southern 

 slope of Mt. Haleakala, on the lee side, where rain is very infrequent. Mr. 

 Wilder visited the tree twice, and only on the last trip was enabled to find one 

 •open flower and a few more or less developed buds. Seeds of this species were 

 planted by Mr. Wilder, who succeeded in raising one single plant. As the tree 

 is situated on a cattle ranch, it will be only a very short time until it will have 

 disappeared from its natural habitat. It was first discovered by the writer in 

 November, 1910. The type is 8663. in the Herbarium of the Board of Agri- 

 .ture and Forestry, now in the safe-keeping of the College of Hawaii Herbarium. 



Hibiscadelphus Htialalaiensis Rock. 



Hau kuahiwi. 



(Plates 118, 119.) 



.HIBISCADELPHUS HUALALAIENSIS Eock in Bull. Hawaii Bd. Agric. & For. I. (1911) 

 14. pi. 6. 



Tree 5 to 7 m high, with an erect trunk 0.3 m in diameter, bark white, branches 

 terete, with young leaves densely hirsute, leaves somewhat reniform, or bluntly and 

 .shallow trilobed, on long petioles (10 to 16 cm) with scattered stellate hair above, to- 

 mentose underneath, the main nerves branching several times; flowers usually single on 

 tomentose pedicels of 1.5 to 2 cm; bracteoles minute dentiform about 1 mm, calyx irregu- 

 larly 3 to 6 lobed, the lobes acuminate of unequal size, some only 2 mm, others 15 mm, 

 flowers half the size as in the two other species, 2.5 to 3 cm curved, petals green, some- 

 what reddish inside, contorted, many ribbed hirsute near the bluntly acuminate lobes 

 .and on the nerves, silky at the base, the margins even oiliate; corolla only slightly open- 

 ing, apex of the petals recurved; staminal column exserted one-third its length, bearing 

 .numerous filaments, with semicircularly curved anthers; style branches erect, ciliate, with 

 clavate hirsute stigmas; ovary conical densely silky tomentose five celled, with 3 ovate 

 .ovules in each cell of which the upper is ascending the lower horizontal; capsule small 

 .ovate, 2 cm long, 1.5 cm wide covered with yellowish stellate hair; seeds reniform, covered 

 with a yellowish white wool. 



This exceedingly interesting and distinct species was found by the writer in 

 the year 1909 on the lava fields of Mt. Hualalai, in North Kona, Hawaii, and in 

 the forest of Waihou of the same district, where about a dozen trees are still in 

 existence. The writer revisited the above locality in March, 1912, and found 

 the trees in flower, while on his previous visit, June 18, 1909, only a few worm- 

 .eaten capsules could be found. The trees are badly attacked by several species 



301 



