DISTRIBUTION OP PLANTS. 



ing to within a few feet of the summit ; Arciyroxipldum , a species not 

 before met with ; Vaccininm, glaucous, commencing at 8500 feet and 

 extending to the summit, but rare ; gen. Epacrid., bis sharp-pointed of 

 Mauna Kea, abundant ; {Nov. gen. near) Pliylhstegia, bis lower down 

 the mountain, small-leaved ; Riimex; Luzula, bis; Agrosiis, bis awned 

 sp. of Mauna Kea, growing near the summit; Aira, bis Mauna Kea, 

 commencing at 8000 feet and extending to the summit ; Triselum, bis 

 summit of Mauna Kea, extending to within a few feet of the sunmiit; 

 LycopocUum like L. clavatum, bis, growing at 8000 feet ; Polypodinm 

 with lanceolate frond, bis, growing at 8000 feet; Pteris near P. aqui- 

 liua, bis, extending nearly to the summit; AspJenium, Trichomanes- 

 like, bis, extending nearly to the summit; Asplenium ru/a-mumr., bis, 

 extending nearly to the summit; Bryiim?, bis lower down, extending 

 nearly to the summit; Stida-Iilce with a yellow margin, bis, growing 

 at 8000 feet; Pannelia, bis Mauna Kea, growing near the summit; 

 and Lecidea geographical?, bis, also growing near the summit. 



On the 27th, Mr. Brackenridge and myself proceeded Northward ; 

 keeping the level of the cave, until we reached the wide open volcanic 

 cleft. We then followed the margin or crest downwards ; meeting 

 unexpectedly with some spongy soil ; and descending rapidly to the 

 limit of tlie forest, " 6719" feet above the sea. The ornamental red- 

 liowered geii. Geranioid here fairly became a tree, fifteen feet high, 

 with the trunk eight inches in diameter : and we again had occasion to 

 remark, the absence of vines, whether woody or herbaceous, throughout 

 the Hawaiian Mountain-region. By means of cattle-paths, we pene- 

 trated a short distance downwards into the forest : which consisted of low 

 trees, with a tangled undergrowth of shrubs, ferns, and other plants. 



Returning to the volcanic cleft, we descended into it; down a very 

 steep declivity, rendered less difficult by a thick covering of low shrubs 

 and other plants, almost as even as though artificially trimmed oft' at 

 the height of about a foot. The bottom of the cleft seemed occupied 

 from side to side by lava-streams, being probably more than two miles 

 wide; but the fog prevented us from seeing the opposite wall. We 

 were now below the Mountain-region, and at the elevation of about 

 5700 feet; where the lava-surface was entirely overgrown with rank 

 ftnis, Riihus groves, the green-leaved Argywxiphiam, and a variety of 

 other plants, among which were even a few small trees. Higher up 

 the lava-streams, on which we kept ascending, the vegetable growth 

 became rare ; especially on reaching the flattened platform-like sum- 



