Hawaiian Flora — Stone 
551 
though technically correct, is superfluous, as 
priority is by rank. 
MALVACEAE 
A Synonym for the Hawaiian Hibiscus clayii 
In Sister Roe’s study of the Hawaiian species 
of Hibiscus (Pacific Sci. 15:3-32, 1961) a new 
species from Kauai is described and named Hi- 
biscus newhousei for its discoverer, W. Jan 
Newhouse. It was first located in the foothills 
of the Moloaa Forest Reserve at near 500 ft 
altitude, and has been collected by I. E. Lane 
(no. 58-44, 10 November 1958) and by the 
writer ( Stone 3420, 3421, 15 April I960), in 
company with Tadayuki Kato. I find, however, 
that this species is synonymous with Hibiscus 
clayii Deg. and Deg. (Flora Hawaiiensis fam. 
221, 20 March 1959), which was described 
from cultivated plants grown from cuttings long 
since taken from Haiku, Kauai, by Albert 
Duvel. 
Hibiscus clayii Deg. and Deg. 
Hibiscus newhousei Roe, syn. nov. 
Kauai: Moloaa, mountains ssw of Moloaa, 
Moloaa stream and waterfall, alt. about 700 ft, 
15 April I960, Stone 3420 (flowering), 3421 
(fruiting) (bish). 
A small grove of perhaps six plants was 
found, on vertical rocky banks just above a 
small waterfall. The trees approached 25 ft in 
height; some were in flower, and one bore sev- 
eral mature fruits, each in the form of a five- 
pointed star, the segments follicular, and bear- 
ing normal seeds. The flowers were dark-red in 
color. Associated species included Cordyline 
fruticosa, Aleurites moluccana, Pleomele aurea, 
and Eleocharis sp. 
Two Other Recent Collections of Hibiscus 
Hibiscus saintjohnianus Roe 
Kauai: Na Pali Coast, trail to Kalalau Valley, 
rim of Hanakoa Valley at about 800 ft alt., 14 
August 1961, Stone, Stern and Carlquist 3748 
(bright orange flowers), 3749 (darker reddish- 
orange flowers) (bish). 
Hibiscus sp. (perhaps H. arnottianus, forma) 
Oahu: Waianae Mountains, Palikea trail, alt. 
1,500 ft, dry gully, 5 May I960, Stone 3471 
(bish). This collection, taken from a largish 
tree about 30 ft high, has baffled certain deter- 
mination because it lacked flowering branches. 
However, it may be a form of H. arnottianus, 
probably f. parviflora Skottsberg. The leaves 
had light-magenta-colored midribs and veins, 
purplish and sparingly puberulent petioles (the 
pubescence stellate), and small subulate reddish 
soon caducous stipules. The importance of this 
collection is in showing the species in such a 
dry locality among almost nothing but weeds. 
EUPHORBIACEAE 
Tivo New Taxa in Aleurites 
The kuktii or candlenut tree, Aleurites mo- 
luccana, is a familiar plant in the Hawaiian 
landscape, its pale foliage distinct even at long 
distances and indicating the groves and isolated 
trees so common at moderate elevations on the 
Hawaiian mountains and in valleys. It is gen- 
erally agreed that the plant is one of the 
aboriginal introductions of the Hawaiians, since 
it figured largely in the Polynesian culture 
throughout the high islands of Polynesia, and 
indeed is a valuable tree for the people of many 
other Pacific islands. It is known to be planted 
in groves around many Hawaiian village and 
temple sites, along trails, and around present- 
day houses as well. Although surely widespread 
in Hawaii through natural means, it is also dis- 
tributed deliberately (or has been in the past), 
and perhaps also accidentally, since the seeds 
may be carried easily and perhaps dropped. In 
other words, it is a plant that is marginally a 
cultivated plant. Because it was of some im- 
portance (for torches, made from the oily seeds; 
for medicinal purposes, the seeds being some- 
what purgative in small doses and violently so 
in larger ones; and for food, either raw or pref- 
erably cooked), the early Hawaiians no doubt 
took an interest in the trees just as they did 
in their selections of taro varieties (Colocasia ) , 
ti varieties (Cordyline) , bananas, and other 
plants. This would lead to an observance and 
to a deliberate selection of unusual forms among 
the ktikui trees, as it did with other plants of 
cultural interest. This selection would tend to 
perpetuate forms which might otherwise dis- 
appear (as for instance at the demise of a par- 
ticular tree with a remarkable recombination 
