Native Hawaiian Cotton — Stephens 
389 
A relic population occurs at the southern 
limit of the Koolau Range, west of Makapuu 
Point. Earlier records suggest that this popula- 
tion may once have extended farther west, at 
least to Koko Head and possibly as far as Dia- 
mond Head. All the area west of Koko Head is 
being absorbed rapidly in housing develop- 
ments. The relic population is found along the 
roadside and extending inland to the west of the 
Mauka Kai golf course. Here the former cover 
of Prosopis has been cleared in recent years and 
the present habitat is obviously not a natural 
one. A small population is also found as a 
component of Prosopis scrub inside Diamond 
Head Crater. 
Two other interesting features of the habitat 
are worth noting at this time, since they apply 
to the other islands also. Without exception the 
wild cotton was not found growing in friable 
soil, but always rooted deeply among outcrops 
of volcanic boulders, presumably the results of 
ancient lava flows. It was always found in as- 
sociation with Sid a, but was far more restricted 
than the latter in range and habitat. Three 
different habitats on Oahu are illustrated in 
Figure 2. 
2. Molokai 
According to Degener ( 1937:fam.221 ) , fo- 
ment osum is commonly found in the dry south- 
west end of the island, but is rare elsewhere 
except in the Kawela area, east of Kaunakakai. 
Unusually heavy rains prevented a visit to the 
main region, which is only accessible by traces 
crossing the pineapple plantations west of Mau- 
naloa. The most recent collection from this area 
appears to be Degener no. 9589 (Bishop Mu- 
seum) which was collected at Kamakaipo in 
1928. 
Two populations, both of limited size, were 
found along the coastal region between Kauna- 
kakai and Kawela. One of these occurred on a 
moderate slope about 50 ft above the highway, 
2 miles east of Kaunakakai under a thin stand 
of Prosopis. It was absent among the taller 
stands bordering the highway and did not extend 
to an elevation of more than 100 ft inland. The 
other population consisted of thinly scattered 
plants rooted among large volcanic boulders lin- 
ing the sides of Onini Gulch in the Kamiloloa- 
Alii Pond district. The population extended 
from approximately 150-250 ft elevation. At 
lower levels, plants were not found among the 
dense stands of Prosopis , nor at higher levels 
where Prosopis was replaced by Leucaena. No 
other populations were found in a search ex- 
tending as far east as Kamalo. 
3 . Lanai 
The range of tomentosum appears to be 
greater on Lanai than on any of the other islands. 
At sea level on the south coast around Manele 
Bay and near the east coast in the Keomuku 
district there are areas where it forms an almost 
solid understory in tall Prosopis scrub. At higher 
elevations the populations thin out, and in the 
neighborhood of 1000 ft scattered plants occur 
in quite exposed positions, rooted on old lava 
flows among low and sparse vegetation. In such 
open habitats tomentosum occurs as a sprawling 
or semiprocumbent shrub and the characteristic 
tomentose surface of stems and leaves becomes 
intensified. Time did not permit collection on 
the north coast of the island, which is not readily 
accessible. A collection from this area ( Awalua ) 
was made in 1961 by Kondo (nos. lb and lc 
in the Bishop Museum). It seems likely that it 
is a common plant all around the periphery of 
the island in those areas which have not been 
brought in to pineapple cultivation. 
4. Maui 
No collections have been recorded from the 
eastern, and geologically much younger, region 
of this saddle-shaped island. The herbarium in 
the Bishop Museum has two collections, both 
made by Degener (nos. 3650, 17624), in or 
near Pohakea Gulch, which is situated above 
Fig. 2. Typical habitats of G. tomentosum on Oahu. Photographs by C. M. Rick. 
(a) Under Prosopis cover, near Barber’s Point 
(b) Volcanic boulders in dry gulch, near Kahe Point 
(c) Exposed beach, near Maile Point 
