Myrtaceae. 



Kea, on the island of Hawaii, and it is there that the trees reach their biggest 

 size. 



On Hawaii the Oltia lehua is usually associated with the tree ferns, the 

 Hapu and Hapu Hi (which see). In such forests, the seeds of the Ohia trees 

 fall on the moist woolly trunks of the tree ferns; there they germinate. At 

 first the young tree finds enough nourishment in the humus, dead leaves, etc., 

 which collect in the axils of dead fern leaves all along the tall fern trunks, 

 but finally it sends its roots down along the fern trunks into the ground. As 

 the tree grows larger and taller, the fern becomes enclosed between the stilt-like 

 roots of the Ohia tree, until finally the fern dies and decays, leaving the stilt roots 

 standing some 15-20 feet above the ground, after which the real trunk of the tree 

 commences. Such stilt-like Ohia trees are very common in the Hawaiian forest, 

 but mainly on Hawaii. The accompanying illustration shows an Ohia tree with 

 stilt-roots between which remnants of a decayed tree-fern trunk are still visible. 



The wood of the Ohia lehua is of a dark reddish color, durable, hard and equal 

 in strength to the Oak. It was employed by the natives for the carving of their 

 idols, spears, mallets, etc., but is used now for paving-blocks, flooring, and 

 interior house finishings. Mills have been erected on Hawaii at Pahoa where 

 lumber is turned out at a profit. Beypral railroads, especially the Santa Fe rail- 

 road of the mainland, have ordered large shipments of Ohia ties. 



The flowers of the Ohia lehua are of a bright red, pale yellow to orange yel- 

 low and pink-salmon, while some are even white. They are the source of food 

 for some of the native birds, as tlie liwi and Olnkele, both of wliich possess a 

 bright red plumage, matching the scarlet Lehua blossom while flitting from 

 flower to flower for their honey. 



The name Lehua is an interesting one. Lehua in everyday language means 

 "hair." It was undoubtedly applied to the tree in question on account of the 

 numerous long red stamens resembling fine hair, which makes the Ohia lehua 

 flower attractive. 



The tree in its various forms is not peculiar to Hawaii, but is well distributed 

 over Polynesia and New Zealand, where the tree is known as Rata and Pohutu- 

 hawa. It has the most numerous varieties, however, in the Hawaiian Islands. 

 A number of species have been described from other islands of the Pacific, 

 which later turned out to be identical witl^ the Ohia lehua. 



Metrosideros tremuloides (Heller) Rock. 

 Lehua ahihi. 

 (Plate 133.) 



3METROSIDEEOS TREIMULOIDES (Heller) Eock comb. nov. — Nania tremuloides Heller 



in Minnes. Bot. Stud. Bull. IX. (1897) 866. — Metrosideros polymorpha Gaud. var. i; 



Hbd. Flora Haw. Isl. (1888) 127. 



A small tree, with slender trunk and smooth grayish bark, glabrous throughout, even 



the inflorescence; branches slender, loosely spreading; leaves narrowly lanceolate, acute 



or acuminate at both ends, bright green, shining above, paler underneath, coriaceous, on 



333 



