144 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. XII, April, 1958 
11 floris ferrens, flos omnis bracteolo unico 
subulato fere 1 mm. longo subtentus, brac- 
teae 2 rare 4-6 ovatae vel subcordatae ad 
apicem acutae vel subacuminatae 1-3 cm. 
longae 1. 3-2.1 cm. latae inferiores longiores, 
flos junior subcuboideus, flos vetustior urceo- 
latus 8-11 mm. diam., pedicellus 2 mm. lon- 
gus, calyx in alabastro valvatus 4-lobatus, lobi 
calycis hastati subrhomboidali 4-6 mm. longi 
quam corollam longiori, corolla in alabastro 
ad apicem depressa 5-8 mm. longa lobi in 
flore leviter divergentes 1.5-2. 5 mm. longi 
viridi, stamina subsessilia cum corolla adnata 
vix exserta, antherae 1.5 mm. X 0.8 mm., pistil 
1, ovarium inferius, hypanthio discoideo, 
stylus ca. 3 mm. longus in basi pubescenti ad 
apicem quadrifidem, fructus siccus lentifor- 
mis vel subglobosus calyx persistens accre- 
scens ad mediam fructus cinctus, fructus 4- 
locularis dehiscens primo loculicidalis illo 
tempore septicidalis, maturitas 4-6 mm. 
diam., semina angulosa nigra 0.2 mm. longa. 
Ab. H. littoralio corolla brevioribus urceo- 
lati viridi (non albi) et fructu lentiformi 
differt. 
Suffrutescent, decumbent, sparsely branch- 
ing plants growing on rocky cliffs near the 
sea (known only from near Kalalau, Kauai), 
with woody stems up to 30 cm. long covered 
by a corky, longitudinally grooved epidermis 
and banded by corky rings and the connate 
bases of the petioles, the stems usually hidden 
by the congested persistent opposite dead and 
living leaves, the branching pattern subscor- 
pioid and the branches somewhat parallel, 
inflorescences terminating each branch and a 
new branch growing from the axillary bud 
just below the inflorescence (or sometimes 
both buds developing into branches), these 
branches in turn terminating in inflorescences, 
etc. The stems may reach a diameter of 1-2 
cm. at the base, and are light brown to whitish 
in color. Leaves simple, entire, elliptical- 
acuminate with assymmetric curved apices, 
the length-width ratio rather variable, the 
petioles broad or alate and conspicuously 
connate, the blades 5-14 cm. long and 2-5.5 
cm. wide, the surfaces minutely white-scab- 
rous, the leaves when living rather fleshy, 
convex, dark shining green above and rather 
glaucous, but with darker veins, below; veins 
barely prominent, the 4-10 lateral nerves curv- 
ing parallel, hardly anastomosing; the vein- 
reticulae apparent but delicate. Inflorescence 
terminal but seemingly axillary because of 
subscorpioid branching, the inflorescence up 
to 17 cm. long, a thyrsoid compound tripar- 
tite cyme, with each branch a strict dichasium 
of about 11 flowers, each flower subtended by 
a bracteole 1 mm. long, subulate in form; the 
dichasial branches average 1.5 cm. in length; 
the entire cluster of flowers may reach 2-3 
cm. in width. Flowers in bud subcuboid, at 
anthesis urceolate, when mature 8-11 mm. 
in diameter; calyx glaucous green, glabrous 
except for minute white scabrae, in bud val- 
vate, subcuboid, with four hastate subrhom- 
boidal lobes whose basal corners are recurved- 
approximate, free; calyx longer than the 
corolla; the calyx-lobes in bud ca. 2 mm. 
long, in flower ca. 3 mm. long, in fruit ca. 
8-10 mm. long; corolla green, in bud valvate, 
the four lobes indexed at the top of the bud 
and forming a depression; in flower spreading 
or barely ascending, darker green within; 
corolla in bud 2-3 mm. long, in flower 5-8 
mm. long, the lobes 1.5-2. 5 mm. long, sub- 
triangular, the neck constricted, the outer 
edges of the petals somewhat recurved or 
appearing ridged. Stamens 4, subsessile, adnate 
to the constricted neck of the corolla, the tips 
barely exserted, anthers 1.5 X 0.8 mm., the 
connective-filament 0. 1-0.2 mm. long, an- 
ther-cells 4. Pistil 1, the ovary inferior, the 
hypanthium discoid, in flower not squared 
but becoming slightly so in fruit, 3-4 mm. 
wide in flower; style deeply quadrifid, the 4 
lobes cohering; basal part of the style pu- 
bescent; lobes of the style 0.4 X 0.15 mm. 
Fruits dry, flattened-lentiform to depressed- 
subglobose, the calyx-lobes persisting-accres- 
cent to about twice the size they are in flower, 
lobes fenestrate, 5-7+ nerved, spreading, 
attached at the equator of the fruit; fruit 
