AFRO-INDIAN REGIONS. 



397 



removed inland to the commencement of the line of forest. — Cunoni- 

 aceae, Aurantiacese, Melastomacese, Araceas, and the genus Ficus, have 

 disappeared ; and in place of a variety of large trees, the Hawaiian 

 forest is composed of only two kinds, an Acacia and Metrosicleros. 

 Normal epidendric Orchidacege have also disappeared : and notwith- 

 standing the favorable climate and circumstances, the whole Tribe of 

 OrcliidacecB are rare ; CompositcB on the other hand have become abun- 

 dant ; another instance of these two leading Tribes of plants present- 

 ing themselves in inverse proportions. — Malvacece too, have become 

 somewhat more abundant. — But perhaps the most striking change is 

 in the Ferns; predominating over other tribes even more than in 

 Southern Polynesia, but in a different set of genera and species, of 

 different aspect ; Aspleniums especially being abundant, and Adiantmns 

 extremely rare. — There is also, even in the warm District, an increased 

 number of Northern Tribes, Rosacece, Lahlatce, Vaccimums, Violas, Ca- 

 njophyUacem, and Planfagos ; with a greater variety of Mosses and 

 Licliens ; attributable, doubtless, to the proximity of lofty mountains. 



The following Tribes of Plants, more or less frequent throughout 

 Southern Polynesia, have disappeared : 



Dilleniaceae, 



Anonaceae, 



Olacacete, 



Aurantiaceoe, 



Guttiferae, 



Malpighiacefe, 



Meliacese, 



Combretaceae, 



Rhizophoraceae, 



Melastomaceae, 



Passiflorace£e, 



Cunoniaceae, 



Jasminaceae, 



Acanthacese, 



the genus Clerodendrum, 



Myristicaceae, 



(the tribe Acalypheae), 



the genus Elatostema, 



the genus Ficus, 



the tribe Casuarinese, 



Balanophoraceae, 



true epidendric Orchidaceae, 



Scitaminaceae, 



Araceae, and 



the genus Flagellaria : 



and the three following Tribes, Tiliacece, Cucarbitacece, and the wdiole 

 Family of Orrlddacea;, have become rare. 



The above are exceptions only to a remarkable conformity with the 

 Southern groups in the proportional frequency of the Families of 

 plants. The prevailing Families were nine, occurring in the follow- 

 ing order of frequency : 



1. Fllices, or ferns. 



2. GlumacecE. Including, besides the grasses, the CyperacecE, which 

 have become frequent and various. 



3. Mijrlaceai. Confined almost entirely to species of Metvosideros. 



100 



