242 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. Ill, July, 1949 
Leaves not thick, usually palmate; 
venation not strongly raised be- 
low. Flowers sessile; calices thin 
9 
9(8). Many very short, erect or sub-erect, 
uncinate hairs on veins other 
than principal veins and primary 
branches. Apical portion of 
achene depressed-conic. Leaves 
drying paler below but not mark- 
edly pallid 
. . .N. melastomae folia var. uncinata 
No uncinate hairs present on lower 
leaf surface. Apical portion of 
achene hemispherical. Leaves dry- 
ing markedly palid below ..... 
. . . .N. melastomae folia var. pallida 
10 (5). Flowers of both sexes with slender 
pedicels, 0.5-2 mm. long. Leaf 
base very often obtuse or sub- 
obtuse, sometimes cuneate. Very 
few hairs on lower leaf surface 
and these restricted for most part 
to venation. Staminate calyx with 
all or almost all hairs erect to sub- 
erect, uncinate 
. .N. melastomaefolia var. parvi folia 
Flowers of both sexes usually sessile, 
staminate flowers sometimes with 
short pedicels. Leaf base rotund, 
usually sub-cordate. Lower leaf 
surface with many erect, irregu- 
larly curving and bending or al- 
most straight hairs covering en- 
tire surface. Staminate flowers 
pilosulose, hairs many, erect to 
sub-erect, ascending 
..... .N. kauaiensis var. kauaiensis 
11 ( 4 ) . Lower leaf surface pubescent. Calyx 
of staminate flowers with most 
hairs straight 12 
Lower leaf surface glabrous or very 
sparsely pilosulose, few ascend- 
ing, appressed hairs on venation. 
Calyx of staminate flowers with 
all or most hairs short, erect, un- 
cinate 
. . N. melastomaefolia var. parvifolia 
12(11). Lower leaf surface pilosulose, hairs 
evenly distributed, ascending, ap- 
pressed or sub-erect. Achene 2.5- 
3.5 mm. long, averaging 3 mm. 
long; apical portion conic, with- 
out definite, complete constric- 
tion from raised basal portion. 
Calyx surrounding mature ach- 
ene, about 6 mm. long when dry 
. . N. melastomaefolia var. pubescens 
Lower leaf surface puberulent, hairs 
erect or sub-erect. Achene 2-3 
mm. long, usually 2 mm. long; 
apical portion depressed-conic, 
separated from depressed-convex 
basal portion by deep, obtuse or 
acute constriction. Calyx sur- 
rounding mature achene 4 mm. 
long or less .N. ovata 
13 ( 1 ) . Lower leaf surface glabrous or with 
very few hairs on principal veins. 
Calyx sparsely pilosulose, hairs 
few, ascending, appressed. Lower 
leaf surface drying markedly pal- 
lid . . N. melastomaefolia var. pallida 
Lower leaf surface puberulent or 
pilosulose with very many erect 
or sub-erect, irregularly curving 
and bending hairs. Calyx densely 
pilosulose, hairs appressed or sub- 
erect. Lower leaf surface not dry- 
ing markedly pallid 14 
14(13). Outer margin of achene involute, 
constriction separating apical and 
basal portion usually obtuse. 
Puberulent on lower leaf surface 
. .N. ovata 
Outer margin of basal portion of 
achene plane, constriction sepa- 
rating apical portion usually 
deep and acute. Lower leaf sur- 
face with dense covering of gray- 
ish, irregularly curving and bend- 
ing hairs N. sericea 
KEY IV 
For Identification of Staminate Plants 
1. Lower leaf surface sericeous ...... 2 
Lower leaf surface glabrous or pilo- 
sulose 3 
2(1). Leaf margin entire; pubescence on 
lower leaf surface strictly or 
mostly appressed, centripetally 
oriented in primary intervals, 
producing a geometrically un- 
even silvery sheen ........... 
........ .N. angulata var. angulata 
Leaf margin dentate, partly dentate, 
or rarely entire; pubescence on 
lower leaf surface sub-erect, hairs 
