ebenaceiae:. 



The family Ebenaceae is almost exclusively tropical and subtropical, inhabit- 

 ing especially the eastern hemisphere. They have reached their best develop- 

 ment in the East Indies and the Malayan Archipelago. In the Hawaiian Islands 

 the family is represented by the genus Maba only. The family is closely re- 

 lated to the Symplocaceae, from which it however differs in the superior ovary 

 and the unisexual flowers. 



MABA J. R. et G. Forster. 



Flowers usually 3- rarely 3-6-fid. Calyx enlarged with fruit. Male flowers: Stamens 

 3 to several, usually 9; filaments free or united to 2 to 3; anthers elongate, opening 

 laterally. Ovary 3- or 6-eelled, with 6 ovules. Style 3-fid or 3 single styles. Fruit usually 

 an ovate or globose, glabrous or pubescent 1 to 6 seeded berry. — Trees or shrubs with alter- 

 nate, simple and entire leaves. Flowers solitary or in short axillary cymes. 



The genus Maba consists of about 63 species and is distributed over the same 

 regions as the family with the exception of South Africa. In the Hawaiian 

 Islands only two species and one variety are to be found. One of the two species, 

 Maba Hilleirandii Seem., is endemic, while Maba sandwicensis occurs also in Fiji. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



Leaves pale green, smooth on both faces, calycine lobes obtuse M. sandwicensis 



Leaves dark green, wrinkled on the upper face, calycine lobes acute . . . M. Hillebiandii 



Maba sandwicensis A. DC. 

 Lama. 

 (Plates 159, 160.) 



MABA SANDWICENSIS A. DC. Prodr. VIII. (1844) 242;— A. Gray Proc. Am. Acad. V. 

 (1862) 327;— Mann Proc. Am. Acad. VH. (1867) 188;— Wawra in Flora (1873) 

 59;— Hbd. PI. Haw. Isl. (188) 274.— Gurke in Engl, et Prantl Pflzfam. IV. 1. 

 (1891) 160;— Del Cast. 111. Fl. Ins. Mar. Pacif. VH. (1892) 230.— Ebenus sandwi- 

 censis 0. Ktze. Rev. Gen. PI. II. (1891) 408. 



Leaves distichous, coriaceous, with hidden veins, pale green, elliptical, or, ovate-oblong 

 3.5 to 5 cm long, 1.5 to 2.5 cm wide, on petioles of 4 to 6 mm, shortly aouminatci, entire 

 glabrous, but silky haired when young; flowers single, rarely the male in clusters of 2 to 5, 

 the very short peduncle covered with about 6 small, ovate-obtuse, deciduous bracts; calyx 

 coriaceous, silky with oppressed hair, 4 to 5 mm, shortly 3 to 4 fld with obtuse lobesi, 

 corolla coriaceous, 5 to 6 mm, densely hairy in the upper half, 3-toothed, the lobules blunt, 

 and sinistrorsely convolute in the bud; male flowers, stamens free, 12. to 18, around the 

 hirsute rudiments of an ovary, 1/3 the length of the corolla, glabrous, anthers short, 

 oblong, as long as the filaments; female flowers without stamens, the ovary hairy; style 

 very short 3-rayed; fruit dry or somewhat fleshy; 18 mm high, pubescent when young, 

 3-celled, with 1 seed in each cell, but generally one-seeded when mature; seeds oblong witi 

 thin testa and smooth albumen; cotyledons half the length of the radicle, ooraplanate, 

 oblong, obtuse. 



The Lama is a beautiful medium sized tree reaching a height of 20 to 40 feet. 

 The leaves are thick, leathery, dull green and are arranged alternately in op- 

 posite rows, making the little branchlets resemble pinnate leaves. 



393 



