38 
VAUGHAN MacCAUGHEY 
23. rheifolia Schind.; Peru. 
24. brephogea Linden; Colombia and Ecuador. 
25. manicata Linden; Colombia. 
26. herteroi; Phil.; Chile, high mountains. 
27. chilensis Lam.; Chile, high mountains. 
28. hrasiliensis Schind.; Brazil. 
29. Schind.; Chile. 
30. commutata Blume; Chile. 
31. insignis (Oerst.) DC; Costa Rica. 
32. wendlandii Reinke; Costa Rica. 
33. insularis Phil.; Juan Fernandez. 
It is extremely significant to note that G. petaloidea is one of a 
number of endemic Hawaiian plants that have very close affinities 
with the Andean flora. It has been suggested that at one time in 
the history of the Pacific there existed a land-bridge or its equivalent 
connecting the now-remote Hawaiian archipelago with the South 
American continent. Considerable evidence could be brought forth 
to substantiate this view.^ 
Some of the typical habitats of this remarkable herb are : Wai-ale-ale 
Swamps, Kauai (4,000-5,000 ft.) ; Ka-ala and Kona-hua-nui summit 
ridges on Oahu (2,500-4,000 ft.); Pele-kunu Pali, Molokai (3,000 ft.) 
East and West Maui mountains (3,000-5,000 ft.) ; and the Ko-hala 
Range of Hawaii (4,000-5,000 ft.). It is thus evident that the 
Hawaiian Gunnera occupies a distinct ecological zone — 2,500-5,000 
ft. — ^which in general is characterized by steep declivities and torrential 
precipitation. It is never known to occur above or below the limits 
of this zone, although its drupes could be easily carried by birds, and 
it has abundant opportunity to descend mechanically to the lower 
levels. A striking peculiarity for a plant of such magnitude is its 
strong "preference" for very steep slopes, upon which it maintains an 
apparently precarious footing. These slopes have the advantage of 
maximum illumination, but are constantly subjected to landslides. 
In many of the regions enumerated above, Gunnera forms a tapestry 
on inaccessible and nearly vertical cliffs. Field studies of Gunnera 
give the impression that it has attained a relatively static condition, 
with reference to range, and is neither markedly spreading nor losing 
ground. 
^ The ecology of Gunnera indicates that it has been a member of the Hawaiian 
flora for a very long period of time; it belongs to the primitive flora. 
