Mvrsinaceae-Sapotaceae. 



handsome species on account of its beautiful delicate foliage. Lower down, in 

 the great bog's of Lehua makanoe and Kauluwehi (4500 feet) it is a shrub 8 

 feet in height. 



Collected by the writer on September 24, 1909, fruiting (no. 4958), on the 

 summit of Waialeale, Kauai, and flowering and fruiting October 20, 1911, (no. 

 8887), Mt. Waialeale, Kauai. 



sapotaceae:. 



The family Sapotaceae, which consists of about 445 species distributed in 

 more than 31 genera, occurs in the tropics of the whole world, but is absent in 

 Europe and extra-tropical Asia. In the Hawaiian Islands two genera are rep- 

 resented: Chrysophyllum with a single species, and Sideroxylon with four dis- 

 tinct species and several varieties, all of which are peculiar to these Islands. The 

 Sapotaceae are characterized mainly by their milky sap, and regular cyclic con- 

 struction of their flowers. All Sapotaceae are woody plants with entire leaves, 

 save in a single exception. 



KEY TO THE GENEEA. 



Corolla 8 to 10 lobed, without staminodia, fruit small, black, olive shaped. 



Chrysophyllum 



Corolla 5 lobed, with staminodia, fruit large, globose or ovate Sideroxylon 



CHRYSOPHYLLUM L. 



Calyx with 5, rarely 6 to 7 imbricate lobes. Corolla with campatiulate or short cylin- 

 drical tube of 5, rarely 6 to 7, occasionally, as in the Hawaiian species, 8 to 10 imbricate 

 segments. Stamens as many as segments in the corolla, filaments filiform; anthers short, 

 ovoid, opening outside or laterally, occasionally abortive. Ovary 5 to 10 celled, pubescent. 

 Style short, with small capitate stigma. Berry rarely more than one-celled, and with 

 several compressed seeds; usually with one ovate or olive shaped seed, testa opaque, shin- 

 ing. Cotyledons thin, foliaceous. — Milky trees with alternate ovate or lanceolate leaves, 

 without stipules. Flowers usually small, whitish or yellowish, shortly stipitate in axil- 

 lary fascicles. 



The genus Chrysophyllum, with its 70 species, is mainly tropical and is most 

 numerous in species in tropical America. 



In Hawaii the genus is represented by a single species, Ch. Polynesicum Hbd., 

 which is peculiar to these Islands, and inhabits the dry regions on the leeward 

 sides, but is by no means common. 



Chrysophyllum Polynesicum Hbd. 

 KeaM. 



CHRYSOPHYLLUM POLYNESICUM Hbd. El. Haw. Isl. (1888) 277;— Engler in Engl, 

 et Prantl Pflzfam. IV. 1. (1890) 149.— Isonandra polynesica Benth. et Hook. Gen. 

 PI. II. (1876) 658;— Del. Cast. 111. Fl. Ins. Mar. Pacif. VII. (1892) 229. 



Branches stiff, cinereous; young leaves and inflorescence rusty-tomentose, leaves scat- 

 tering, oblong or obovate 5 to 10 cm long, 5.5 to 5 cm wide, on petioles of 12 to 25 mm, 

 rounded or emarginate at the apex, thick coriaceous, glabrate with age; flowers axillary on 

 prominent nodes, 3 to 6 in a cluster, on pedicels of 4 to 6 mm, which are bracteate at the 



380 



