Hawaiian Botanical Society

Volume V, Number 2 April 19^6

The ikWAlIA^f BOTANICAL SOCIETY is prubiished in February, April, June, Octb-
ber, and December. It is distributed to all Society members vjith the purpose
of informing them about the botanical net-xs and progi'ess in Hawaii and the
Pacific, News contributions and articles are welcomed. The deadline for
submission of news items is the 12th of each month prior to publication.
Printed at the Experiment Station of the Havxaiian Sugar Planters* Association.
Membership dues are ^3«00 and include receipt of the Neireletter.

POLYSIFHOHIA AND RELATED GElffiRA IN THE
CENTRAL AND WESTERN TROPICAL PAG HI C OGELl
George J, HoUenberg ^

Polys iphonia is a genus of red algae \^orld-wide in distribution. It is one of the
largest in nvimber of species. In the colder waters of New England and of Southern Australia,
certain species may be 10-12 inches high. In the tropical Pacific Ocean they are mostly
minute, x-dth certain species being rarely more than a few millimeters in height. It has
been suggested that this might be an adaptation to a shortage of micronutrient minerals or
organic micronutrients as a result of great distances from large land masses.

My interest in Polvsiphonia began about 1935 when I became aware of the fact that no
one seemed to be able to identify the species along the California coast. This xras somewiiat
of a challenge and in a few years txm) papers were published dealing with the species along
the Pacific Coast of North America from southern British Columbia to Mexico. A later paper
described the species found along the Pacific Coast of Mexico and more recently the Peruvian
species x^ere treated in a publication by E, Y, Daxxson, A semester's sabbatical leave during
the fall of 1962 marked the beginning of the present study, which lias been continued -with
the support of a research grant from t?ie National Science Foundation.

Polysiphonia is a verj'" representative member of the Rhodomelaceae family. This family
is sai'ci to include more genera than all the other families of Rliodophyta combined. Like most
members of the family it is polysiphonous in structure. This term refers to the fact that
the branches are composed of segments cut off from an apical cell, each segment dividing
longitudinally forrixing four or more tube-like cells surrounding a central cell — hence
"polysiphons" or poljrsiphonous. In Polysiphonia the number of *' siphons,” knoxm as peri-
central cells, is more or less constant for a given species.

In additional ways the vegetative features of Polysiphonia and related genera are
dependably characteristic for a given species. Hence such vegetative features are very
important taxonomically, whereas reproductive structures in these genera exhibit relatively
little variability. For example, the branches may be exogenous in origin (arising before
the formation of pericentral cells in a given segment) or endogenous (arising from the cen-
tral cell after the pericentral cells have been cut off in that segment). The natxare of

1

Visiting Professor of Botany (1964-65), and Researcher in Botany (1965-66), University of
Hawaii; Professor Emeritus of Biology, RedCands University.

Hav/.'dJnn Botanic?;] Society'

Apr.il

branches, whether detenninate or indeterminate in growth, and the s^oimetry of branching,
•whethei' radial, bilateral, or dorsiventral, are likewise important taxonomic features.

Also important are the details concerning the nature and arrangement of the hhir-like struc-
tures knovjn as trichoblasts and the origin and structure of rhizoids.

Much of the confusing synonomy and exasperatingly vague and inadequate descriptions of
new species could have been avoided if more attention had been given to these details, the
taxonomic importance of which was pointed out as early as 1901 by Falkenberg and others.

At least 30 species of Polysiphonia occur in the central and western tropical Pacific
Ocean, of these all but three have been collected in the Hawaiian Islands, Four are kpown
chiefly or exclusively in sheltered water of harbors and similar locations and three com-
monly occur in ponds and in the mouth of stre.ans in water of very lov: salinity. Only one
has an outer (cortical) layer of cells obscuring the pericentral cells, a feature common
in Atlantic species.

For many years it has been kno-wn that certain species of genera of marine algae are
common to the West Indies and the Indo-Pacific region. Hence, it is interesting, but not
surprising to find that 8 of the species of Polysiphonia fotmd in the central and western
tropical Pacific area occur also in the region of Bermuda, Florida, and the West Indies.

Of equal interest, but again not surprising, in view of the work of Dawson on marine
algae of the Pacific coast of Mexico, is the observation that 6 species are common to the
central and western tropical Pacific area and to the Pacific Coast of Mexico.

Four of the species found in Havraii are very widely distributed in tropical waters from
the West Indies across the Pacific to tlie Indian Ocean, At least one of these, P. hovrei ,
is probably related to such factors as ocean currents and temperature barriers.

Since the genus Polysiphonia is world-wide in distribution, since certain species have
a very >ade distribution, and since the species mostly have structurally precise features,
further studies concerning distribution of the species should prove very valuable.

During the progress of this study 11 seemingly new species of Herposiphonia were found
to occur in the area of study. Only about 20 species of this genus have been previously
described.

Five or six new genera will be added to the family of Rhodomelaceae as a result of
this study. One of these is a minute parasitic genus of interest because it represents an
unusual case in which a red alga is parasitic on a broi-m alga, whereas most parasitic red
alga parasitize members of their* own family.

119 111 11111111 121111911 SOCIETY

1 SI^CUSSION OF concept
D, Mueller-Dombois ^

If the members of our Society were asked individually to briefly formulate their ideas
and expectations which they would connect \ri.th their Society membership, the answers -vjould
probably vary considerably. Our common interests are the plants, but we value these from
many different viewpoints, A strong element in our Society is the appreciation of plants for
their aesthetic and ornamental values. This is a most worth-while end in itself^ but be-
yond this, it also reflects a philosophy of life. People that appreciate plants as orna-
mentals will also readily appreciate plants in their often unomamental natural state.

And the concept can readily be expanded to a broader interest in all our natural resources
as something that should be treated im.th the utmost care and responsibility.

* President, Hawaiian Botanical Society,

Assistant Professor of Botany, University of Hawaii

Hawaiian Botanical Society

~Ap^TT9'S^

There are also members in our Society, -whose interests are primarily in the economic
use of plants, and af^ain, others., whose interests are mainly scientific. The latter, in
particular, can utilize many different approaches. There is, for example, the organism-
specialized botanist -who may be primarily interested in micro-plants such as bacteria, fungi j
or algae. There are also botanists -who are primarily concerned with molecular structure
and cellular functions. To them, the plant type is important only as experimental material
and the plant as a -whole organism is as yet considered too complex a material for many
functional problems.

Such a brief discourse into scientific botany may help to destroy the popular image
of the botanist as the one vjho collects, names, and knows plants. It -trould be an even
greater misconception, however, to think that modem botany has done away -with the latter
aspect. The necessity of knovdng plants is here to stay, in fact, modern botany aims at
knowing the plants even better.

In summarizing some of the diversification of botanical -viewpoints among our member-
ship, I wish to emphasize the role of our Society in permitting idea-exchange on all as-
pects of botany under a unifying concept.

One of the unifying concepts was already pointed outj that of considering our natural
resources as values which deserve our utmost care and responsibility. This, as such, is a
vague concept, and it only represents an attitude of thought. However, it can be formulated,
as I see it, in t-wo ways? (1) on the aesthetic level, and (2) on the scientific level,

1. The subject of conservation on an aesthetic level is readily appreciated by most
Socie'by members and was recently manifested again in our participation in the Mayor’s
Beautification Council.

2. I -vri-sh to take this opportunity of adding a scientific -viewpoint of conservation.
Conservation of nat-ural resources is not simply preservation and non-use. Conservation is
resource-use based on sound biological principles, Ho-t^Tever, these principles are usually
not satisfactorily known before our natural resources are put to use. As a rule, the bota-
nical resource in the form of the natural plant cover is the first -bo disappear upon use,
and commonly little argument other than its aesthetic value (1^dlich is sometimes questionable)
is put forth to stop total discard. A realistic aj^proach to our dilemma of ha-ving to e-ven-
tually destroy most parts of our natural en-vironment is to preserve limited tracts of natural
or unmanaged plant covers irith their en-vironments (’’ecosystems”) in all macroclimatic zones.
Such representative, natural ecosystems would serve twro important functions j

a, C-urrent field research shows increasing e-vidence that such ecosystems represent
practically inexhaustible resources of knowledge. This is so because our previous knowrledge
of the natural plant cover and its specific en-vironments has only been very superficial, or
one-sided. Therefore, wie should not discard our assets of hidden knowledge, before they are
fully exploited,

b. Representative, natural vegetation - land, segments serve as ’’controls" or
"yardsticks" for evaluating any modification induced by management, whether good or bad.

In this sense, their function is the same as that of "blanks" used in many biological ex-
periments. Concurrently with management of the broader utilized area, improved methods can
be derived from a better understanding of the biological principles active under natural
conditions.

Hnw;niMn B.'ot.anic.al .S.Qcle,tY ! — APT.il, ,A9.6j6

LI ^ notes

HAV.?AIIAN SUGAR PLA.MTER3» ASSOGLiTION EXPERIMEI\IT STATION (LGN): Dr. Andrew Maretzki joined

the staff of the Physiology and Biochemistry Department as Associate Biochemist, He comes
to Hawaii from the Puerto Rico I'hiclear Center and the School of Medicine in San Juan,

After attending elementary and nigh schools in Germany and Engl.and, he attended the Univer-
sity of Ha>^aii and the University of Cincinnati, receiving his BS from the latter in 1952,

He received his master’s in 1953 and his doctorate in I960 from Pennsylvania State University,

One of Maretzki’ s first projects will be the study of yield decline, a perplexing
problem of declining yields with continuous propagation in the same location,

PINEAPPLE RESEARCH INSTITUTE OP' HAWAII (JBS)s George Yamane, formerly Research Super-
intendent for the Dole-Lanai Pineapple Plantation, joined the staff as Horticulturist,

He is also serving as Acting Head of the Physiology and Soils Department, Yamane received
his BS in 1958 and his MS in I960 from the University of Hawaii,

PLANT QUARANTINE DIVISION, ARS, USDA (ETT) : Frank Larsen, originally from Idaho, will

transfer to Travis Air Force Base, California, in the very near future. He has been at the

port of Honolulu for four years. Joining the Honolulu port after completion of the basic
training course at the Plant Quarantine Training Center in New York are Edmund Uyeda and
Arnold Perkins, Uyeda is from Hawaii, wMle Perkins is a retired Air Force officer,

Earl T, Ozaki vra.s promoted from PQ Inspector to Port Pathologist, He was formerly
Port Pathologist of the port of New York before his transfer to Honolulu, Jules Fine,
formerly Honolulu Port Pathologist, is now the Domestic-Maritime Supervisor,

UNIVERSITY OF FIAWAII;

Department of Botany (AKC) : ”W” Jan Nei-jhouse was appointed Acting Assistant Professor

for the spring semester,” He is currently teaching Phycology (Bot 480) and Chlorophyta (Bot 681),
He attended Boston University, Dai'tmouth College (BS, 1949), University of New Hampshire
(IIS, 1952), and the University of Hawaii, He has participated in research projects in the
Tuamotus, Kapinganarangi, and Johnston Island, Newhouse was with the Dole Corporation as
an Analyst and Technologist,

Department of Horticulture (RTW)j Visitors have included Dr, William Furtick, Professor
of Agronomy, Oregon State University, and President of the Weed Society of America; and
Dr, Harry C, Haines, North Carolina, a specialist in forest management, who was returning
from a mission to Indonesia for USOH. ~

Masanobu Tara of Hiroshima University in Japan is a recent addition to the station staff.

He is a Research Assistant in Horticulture, and id-ll be >rorking mth Dr, H, Kamemoto,

HAMAKUA DISTRICT DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL, INC, (PQTomich) : Efforts of the Council to preserve

the area's last remaining "natural woods tract has resulted in the establishment of Kalopa
Forest State Park, The park will consist of 615 acres, of which 100 acres are native forest
with large 'ohi' a-lehua trees. Development of the area as a state park begins at the end
of March, with a site survey and layout of the first increment for development. Plans call
for improvement of access roads and trails, selective clearing and planting, and construction
of visitor accomodations — picnic areas, camp sites, cottages and dormitories.

The efforts of the Council for preservation of this local area began three years ago
with a community drive when the area ;^as being considered for future sugar cane growing. It
Tras concluded -^Tith a final inspection of the site and discussions with the Council to out-
line preliminary plans earlier last month.

Hawaii .-in Botanical Socir^ty

Anri] n6A

® 2 £ ^ £Z

HILLEBRAND, W. 1888. Flora of the Hawaiian Islands. (1966 reprint). New York:
Stetchert-Hafner ($20.00).

MILLER, CAREY D., KATIffiRINE BAZORE, & MARY BARTOW. 1965. Fruits of Hawaii. 4th ed.
Honolulu: University of Hawaii Press, ($4*50) ,

NEAL, MARIE C, 1965. In Gardens of Hawaii. Rev, ed. Honol-ulu: B. P. Bishop Mus,

Spec. Pub. 50. ($15.00)

£££IIII ££!££

New Members; Norman K. Carlson, Kealakekua, Hawaii (Jan.); Dr. Noel P. Kefford, Department
of Botany, University of Hawaii, and Paul R. Schutz (Feb.).

Membership Committee; Dr, Robert Warner, (Chairman), Department of Horticulture, University
of Hawaii; Dr, George W, Gillett, Department of Botany, University of Hawaii; and Miss
Beatrice Krauss, Pineapple Research Institute.

Society Speakers; (January) "Observations Concerning the Distribution of Polys iphonia and
!felated Genera," Dr, George Hollenberg, Professor Emeritus of Biology, Universit:/- of Red-
lands (Calif.) and Visiting Researcher, Dept, of Botany, University of Hawaii; (February)
"Gitrais Ecology in Japan," Dr, Robert M, Warner, Department of Horticulture, University
of Hawaii; (March) "Grasses — An Agronomist *s View," Dr. Peter Rotar, Department of
Agronomy and Soil Science, University of Hawaii.

A recent newspaper article in the Honolulu Star-BiiUetin -vTas taken almost entirely from
Russell LeBarron’s article on Eucalyptus (The Use of Eucalypts in Hawaii, Hawn. Bot. Soc.
Ne^^/sltr, IV(3)!l4~l6, June 1965).

DATE ; Monday, April 4, 1966, 7s 30 p.m,

PLACE ; Agee Hall, Experiment Station of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association (HSPA)
1527 Keeaumolcu Street, Honolulu

SPEilKERs Dr, Melvin L. Bristol, Visiting Assistant Professor of Botany, University of Hawaii
SUBJECT; "Native Andean Food Plants" (Illustrated)

Dr. Bristol came to the University of Hawaii in January 1966 after an extensive career at
Harvard University which covered his undergraduate as well as graduate work, and culminated
in a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Economic Botany. His interests in the New World tropics
began with a year as an exchange student in Brazil before he went to Haiurard. He has also
had field experience in the Himalayas and East Pakistan, Cuba, Colombia, Chile, and Bolivia.
His latest work in Colombia extended over some 15 months when he >jas studying food plants
and all aspects of the ethnobotany of the Sibundoy Indians. (GEB)

H-ovaiiMn Botanic-d Society

FIELD TRIP

April 1966

In addition to the traditional suimner field trip on Oahu, for -vdiich plans are under
way, there mil be an opportunity to arrange for a field trip to Hawaii Volcanoes National
Park this summer. The purpose of this trip would be to introduce you to the ecological
aspects of the vegetation in the Park, The trip would include a visit to the timber line
on Mauna Loa (at 8,000 feet), where silversword can be seen in its natural habitat; a visit
to the sub-alpine parkland, kipukas, rain forest, seasonal forest, desert, coastal lowland,
vegetation from arid to humid area; and an overview of primary plant succession on lava flows

It is thought that this arrangement will be worthwhile if 10-30 people show an interest
in participating. The time schedule and approximate cost would be as follows:

Leaving Honolulu, Aloha Airlines, 6:00 a.m., Saturday, July 2nd;

Leaving Hilo, Aloha Airlines, 8:00 p.m,, Monday, July 4th;

Cost of round trip $30/person.

Transportation: 9-passenger station wagons from Hertz, $12/day plus 12^i/mile

(about $3-5/person); and two nights at Volcano House, $12-15/night.

Total cost per person, $45-50 plus meals.

If you are interested and plan to participate, please clip off the lower portion of
this page (at the dotted line), sign, and send it with a $5e00 deposit check to D, Mueller-
Dombois, Department of Botany, University of Hawaii, 2450 Campus Road, Honolulu 96822.

The deposit is necessary for ensuring the early flight reservations, car rental, and
lodging. The money will be refunded in case of insufficient participation.

I intend to participate in the Big Island field trip and enclose herewith
$5*00 as a deposit.

Date

Signed

HAWAIIAN botanical SOCIETY
"Zfo Bepartment’o? BoT^any7 IHriversil^y of Haiiraii
2550 Campus Road, Honolulu, Hawaii 96822

OFFICERS

PRESIDENT Dieter Muellcr-Dombois

(Dept, Botany, Univ, Hawaii)

VICE-PRESIDENT Gladys E. Baker

(Dept. Botany, Univ. Hawaii)

SECRETARY Richard W. Hartmann

(Dept, Horticulture, Univ, Hawaii)

TREASURER .William M. Bush

(Castle & Cooke, Inc., Box 2990, 96802)

DIRECTORS,,.,, James L. Brewbaker

(Dept. Horticulture, Univ. Hawaii)

John Warner

(Dept. Genetics, HSPA Expt. Sta.)

THE HAWAIIAN BOTANICAL SOCIETY was founded
in 1924 to ’'advance the science of Botany
in all its applications, encourage research
in Botany in all its phases," and "promote
the welfare of its members and to develop
the spirit of good fellowship and coopera-
tion among them." "Any person interested
in the plant life of the Hawaiian Islands
is eligible for membership in this Society."

EDITORIAL STAFF

EDITOR Alvin K. Chock

(PQD-ARS-USDA; UH Botany; Bishop Museum)

ASSOCIATE EDITCR C. R. Long

(POBSP, Smithsonian Inst,, c/o UH Botany)

ASSISTANT EDITOR (Nexijs) Shinya Namiki

(Plant (^arantine Division-ARS-USDA)
PRODUCTION MANAGER Mrs. Edith Hazelwood

(HSPA Expt. Sta.)

NEWS REPRESENTATIVES?

Bishop Museum Harold St, John

Haw'n. Bot. Gard. Found. Constance Hartt

HSPA Expt. Sta. Louis G. Nickell

Honolulu Botanic Gard Paul Weissich

Orchid Groi’jers & Societies Oscar Kirsch

Plant Quar. Div. -ARS-USDA Ed\^ra.rd Tsugita

Pineapple Res. Inst .....Jimmie Bob Smith

University of Ha^-jaii Noel P, Kef ford

(Botany), Shosuke Goto (Col, Trop. Agric,),
Robeiii M. Warner ^ Donald P, Watson
(Horticulture), Minoru Aragaki (Plant
Pathology), Edison Putman (Plant Phys,),
George W, Gillett (H, L. Lyon Arboretuiri) ,

HAl'JAIIAN BOTANICAL SOCIETY
c/o Department of Botany-
University of Ha-waii
2550 Campus Road
Honolulu, Ha>ra.ii 96822

DR. F. RAYMOND FOSBERG
PACIFIC vegetation PROJECT
% NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL
2101 CONSTITUTION AVE. . N.W.
WASHINGTON 25. D. C.

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