はじめに

INTRODUCTION.
The Hawaiian Islands have never been celebrated for the beauty of their flora. Indeed, to a stranger, they almost seem destitute of indigenous flowers. But when one comes to search, on hill and plain, sea-coast and cloud-enveloped mountain, it is astonishing the number and variety that are to be found. The islands do not possess many field flowers — in the usual acceptation of the term— but they are rich in flowering trees, shrubs, and vines.

In describing the plants, the seasons are often mentioned. This may be a little confusing to those who are under the impression that the islands possess altogether a tropical climate, with simply a wet and dry season. On the contrary, they enjoy so nearly a temperate climate, that summer and winter, spring and autumn, are pretty distinctly marked. And although plant-life is not nearly so much affected by the seasons, as in colder climates, yet the sleep of winter, and the awakening of spring, are quite apparent.

The following collection of flowers was made upon the islands of Kauai and Niihau, the most northern of the Hawaiian Archipelago. It is not by any means a large collection, considering that the flowering plants of the islands are said by naturalists to exceed four hundred varieties. But this enumeration was made some years ago, and it is probable that many plants have become extinct since then.

The Hawaiian flora seems (like the native human inhabitant) to grow in an easy careless way, which, though pleasingly artistic, and well adapted to what may be termed the natural state of the islands, will not long survive the invasion of foreign plants, and changed conditions. Forest fires, animals, and agriculture, have
so changed the islands, within the last fifty or sixty years, that one can now travel for miles, in some districts, without finding a single indigenous plant ; the ground being wholly taken possession of by weeds, shrubs, and grasses, imported from various countries. It is remarkable that plants from both tropical and temperate regions seem to thrive equally well on these islands, many of them spreading as if by magic, and rapidly exterminating much of the native flora.

It is only possible to give an approximate definition of the habitat of the various plants ; as it often happens, that a lowland plant is found on the mountains, or a mountain plant is found on the coast ; but, as a general rule, the habitat given will be found fairly correct. The climate of the islands is greatly modified by the trade-winds. Consequently, plants which are natives of the warm lowlands, may sometimes find a congenial abode at a high elevation, in localities that are sheltered from these cool bracing winds. On the other hand, plants, which are only found on the high cool mountains on the western, warm side of the islands, are often found flourishing near the coast on the eastern, cool side.

In giving the Hawaiian names, great care has been taken to be strictly accurate; but it is often difficult to learn from the ordinary native of the present day, the names of even comparatively common plants, and doubly so with regard to the rarer mountain species. This is partly owing to the changing vegetation, but much more so to the changed habits of the people themselves. Formerly they took a much more intelligent interest in natural objects than they do now, and were nearly all well acquainted with the flora of the islands, and the properties of the various plants, while their former modes of life afforded them many more opportunities and inducements to pursue the study.

In olden times, and even to within the last fifty or sixty years, great numbers of the inhabitants went into the mountain districts annually, for various purposes, such as canoe-making, bird-catching, wood-cutting, gathering medicinal herbs, and many other pursuits of pleasure or profit. But of late years the old, healthful, industrious life has so changed, that it is now very seldom they make such expeditions. Consequently it is only from old people — and few even of them — that any reliable information can be obtained, regarding plants which have their habitat far from the abodes of the people of the present generation.

Another difficulty with Hawaiian names, — a difficulty common to all nations without a written language (it was only about fifty years ago that the language was reduced to writing) — is that many plants are known by different names in different districts. But they can generally be traced throughout the islands by a similarity of story and folk-lore connected with each ; and many and graceful are these myths, handed down from generation to generation, seemingly from very ancient times.

The Hawaiians, like all their race throughout the Pacific, have a most wonderful and intense love of the beauties of nature. Seldom is there found any one more appreciative of the beauty and subtile charm of flowers, than the simple Hawaiian of a generation that is fast passing away.None can know, save those who have painted flowers in the tropics, the difficulties encountered in obtaining a satisfactory representation, owing to the fragile nature of most of the flowers, and also to the heat of the climate. Many of the flowers fade immediately after they are gathered, and all decay very much sooner than those of temperate climates ; thus rendering the utmost expedition necessary — a state of things by no means conducive to the successful execution of the paintings.

However, notwithstanding the difficulties encountered, if the perusal of the present work should give as much pleasure as its production has given ; or, if it lead others to take up the same wide and delightful study, the author’s object will be fully accomplished.

Isabella Sinclair.　Makaweli, Kauai. May , 1884 ..
The Author is indebted to the courtesy and kindness of Sir Joseph D. Hooker for the botanical names of the plants. London, February , 1885.　I. S.