Rubiaeeae. 



Hillebrand records it from "West Maui, Molokai and Lanai ; it is known to the 

 writer only from the latter island. The size of calyx and corolla varies con- 

 siderably in this species; the larger flowers being an indication of dimorphism. 



Bobea timonioides Hbd. 

 Ahakea. 



BOBEA TIMONIOIDES Hbd. PI. Haw. Isl. (1888) 174;_K. Schum, in Engl, et Prantl 

 Pflzfam. IV. 4. (1891) 96.— Obbea timonioides Hook. f. Icon, plant. (1870) tab. 

 1070 et Gen. Plant. II. (1873) 102;— Del Cast. 111. Fl. Ins. Mar. Pae. VI. (1890) 

 193.— Chomelia? sp. Wawra in Flora (1874) 330. 



A small tree with the ultimate branches slender and straggling, pubescent and ciliate 

 on the deep cicatrices of the fallen stipules; leaves pale, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, some- 

 times falcate, on petioles of 8 to 12 mm, acuminate, chartaceous, glabrous or slightly 

 puberulous on the nerves underneath; stipules triangular, acute pubescent; cymes many, 

 tomentose, 3 to 7-flowered, the common peduncle 8 to 12 mm, the lateral flowers on 

 pedicels of 2 to 4 mm; bractlets minute; calyx and corolla densely tomentose, the former 

 turbinate, with the free limb cup-shaped, and 4-toothed; tube of corolla 6 to 8 mm-, the 

 obovate lobes 1/3 shorter; anthers sessile, above the middle of the tube, elongate, included 

 or the tips exserted; disc conical, hairy; style thick, pubescent, about % the length 

 of the corolla, deeply bifid into 2 pointed branches; ovary 2-celled, the single seed sus- 

 pended from a short and broad funis. 



Hillebrand records this tree from South Kona, Hawaii, and Kawaihaeiuka of 

 the same island. This tree is not known to the writer, but is undoubtedly very 

 close to B. sandwiceiisis from which it seems only to differ in the toothed calyx 

 and one seeded fruits. These last three species may form in reality only a very 

 variable species. 



STRAUSSIA A. Gray. 



Flowers hermaphrodite. Calyx cup-shaped, persistent, 4 to 5 toothed or truncate. 

 Corolla short funnel-shaped with glabrous tube, sparingly pubescent at the throat. Stamens 

 inserted at the throat, half exserted; anthers basifixed, with thickened connective. Ovary 

 2-celled; style short with two branches. Fruit convex. — Trees with coriaceous, obovate, 

 obtuse, or acute leaves, and interpetiolar broad rather obtuse stipules. Flowers small, 

 white, in peduncled, terminal cormybose cymes. 



The genus Straussia consists of 7 species, all of which are peculiar to the Ha- 

 waiian Islands. Heller's two new species, St. psychotrioides and St. puhiflora, 

 described in the Minnesota Botanical Studies Bull. IX. (1897) 90i & 905, are 

 not very distinct species and will undoubtedly be referred to St. Kaduana. 



The genus is not found at higher elevation than 4500 feet, but descends some- 

 what lower than 1000 feet. To the five species originally known the writer has 

 added two new ones ; a third new one was described by H. Leveille. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



Leaves on short petioles of 2 to 12 mm. 



Leaves obovate-oblong, obtuse, panicle long drooping St. Kaduana 



Leaves cuneate, subsessile, prominently nerved, panicles 25 cm long. St. longissima 



Leaves obovate-suborbicular pubescent, panicle short pubescent St. oncocarpa 



Leaves ovate acute or suborbicular glabrous, small, subsessile St. Fauriei 



445 



