Studies in Fitchia — Carlquist and Grant 
285 
callous at the apex; 40-110 mm long, 25-58 
mm wide, the average size (N=10) of the 
largest leaf on flowering shoots 84 X 45 mm, 
the second largest 75 X 42 mm, and the small- 
est of the fully developed leaves 59 X 30 mm; 
the base cuneate (usually) to barely rounded; 
the apex acute, occasionally slightly acuminate; 
the margin crenulate to toothed or subentire, 
with 2-4 indentations (up to 1 mm deep) per 
cm; with 5-10 (average 7.5) pairs of major 
lateral veins, mostly curving slightly toward the 
tip of the leaf. Peduncles terminal, 25-50 mm 
long, the average (N=10) 39 mm long, al- 
ways reflexed and usually arcuate at anthesis. 
Heads solitary, with about 75 flowers. Involucres 
15-25 mm long, 20-40 mm wide; the bracts in 
3-4 series, greenish-yellow, coriaceous, charta- 
ceous-margined, the outermost short ovate or 
reniform (2-5 mm long, 6-15 mm wide), the 
middle ones semi-circular (8-12 mm long, 9-13 
mm wide), and the inner cuneate (12-20 mm 
long, 4-8 mm wide ) . Receptacular bracts lanceo- 
late, 12-17 mm long, 2-4 mm wide. Corollas 
at anthesis 15-22 mm long, the tube 7-10 mm 
long, and the teeth 5-7 mm long, the shorter 
teeth about half the length of the limb, or 
eventually equalling it; lobes with hairs about 
0.75-1 mm long. Anther sacs 4.5-5 mm long, 
the stamen tips cuneate-lanceolate, 1-1.5 mm 
long. Ovary at anthesis 8-10 mm long, 3-4 mm 
wide; styles 22-30 mm long, the stigmatic 
branches 0.8 mm long, barely separating at an- 
thesis. Mature achenes 10-20 mm long, 4-6 
mm wide; the awns 10-13 mm long, generally 
rounded in transection, subpersistent. 
DISTRIBUTION: Society Islands, endemic to 
Tahaa. 
SPECIMEN EXAMINED: Tahaa, district of 
Ruutia, slopes of Mt. Ohiri, in rain-forest of 
Crossostylis, Alstonia, and Morinda, altitude 
465 m, Jan. 25, 1931. M. L. Grant 5161 (bish, 
type; RSA, ISTC, isotypes). 
This subspecies was observed in three other 
nearby localities, all within an altitudinal range 
of 15 m, and about 70 m below the top of 
Ohiri, the highest point on the island. Other 
associated woody plants were Xylosma, Meryta, 
Metrosideros, Wikstroemia, F agar a, Astronia, 
and Hernandia. 
3. Fitchia nutans Hook f., London Jour. Bot. 
4:640, t.23-24. 1845. 
Since so few specimens of this species are 
available in the United States, and the several 
Kew and Paris sheets are without detailed habi- 
tat data, the citation of an additional collection 
may be of interest: Tahiti iti, district of Teahu- 
poo, on Mt. Ronui, in Metrosideros- Weinman- 
nia forest, altitude 890 m, July 2, 1930, M. L. 
Grant 3925 (BISH, istc). The following de- 
scription is from this collection alone. 
Treeshaped glabrous shrub, 2.5 m tall, with 
a basal diameter of 5 cm; bark 2 mm thick, 
brown, with longitudinal ridges about 1 mm 
deep; the wood very sweet-smelling. One-year 
twigs 2-3 mm in diameter; two-year twigs 3.5- 
4.5 mm thick; internodes 7-10 mm long. Peti- 
oles 30-60 mm long; stipular sheaths 2-3 mm 
high. Blades ovate, yellowish-green, 60-130 mm 
long, 45-80 mm wide, the average of 12 leaves 
being 96 X 61 mm; truncate or cordate at 
the base, occasionally barely rounded, often 
somewhat oblique; the apex slightly acuminate; 
the margin irregularly and shallowly crenulate 
to entire; with 8-10 major lateral veins. Pedun- 
cles two in each of the four inflorescences pres- 
ent, 60-65 mm long, reflexed. Heads shattered 
with age, the involucral bracts and corollas hav- 
ing dropped. Receptacular bracts 13-14 mm 
long, 3-5 mm wide. Ripe achenes 9-10 mm 
long, 2-2.5 mm wide, with persistent awns 7-8 
mm long. 
This collection fits the general description 
of the species (Carlquist, 1957: 63), except 
as follows, with Carlquist’s measurements and 
notes in parentheses: plant smaller (4. 5-7. 5 m 
tall), blades often crenulate (entire), maximum 
leaf size greater (115 X 70 mm), base often 
truncate to cordate (acute to obtuse), heads 
paired (solitary), receptacular bracts shorter 
(20-22 mm long), achenes much shorter (lb- 
17 mm long at anthesis) and narrower (3-4 
mm). These differences, however, do not seem 
significant enough to warrant separation, and 
the material matches Hooker’s plate closely. 
Although the type of the species was sup- 
posedly from "Elizabeth Island,’’ all the evi- 
dence (Carlquist, 1957: 63) suggests that it is 
confined to Tahiti. The present specimen comes 
