PLANTS FIRST KNOWN FROM GUAM. 63 
Very little is known of the algae, and still less of the fungi, lichens, 
mosses, and hepatics of the island. 
As in every part of the tropical world, there is much uncertainty 
about the various forms of cultivated yams, aroids, bananas, plantains, 
and breadfruit, and complete botanical specimens of these should be 
obtained, together with photographs of the growing plants, their 
flowers, fruits, and roots, and notes of the odor of the flowers and 
flavor of the fruit or roots. Similar work should be done on the screw 
pines of the island in order that careful comparisons may be made 
with the species and well-defined varieties from other parts of the 
world. Notes of particular methods of propagation, cultivation, and 
preparation for use are also valuable. The bamboos are not definitely 
known, and the entire genus Ficus, which includes the banyans, 
remains to be worked up. Special efforts should be made to get photo- 
graphs of flowering bamboos and aroids. 
GUAM TYPES. 
To the botanical collector the most desirable species are those which 
were first described from type specimens collected on this island. 
Some of these original types are in very poor condition or are incom- 
plete, lacking fruit or flowers or leaves from various parts of the 
plant ora representation of one of the sexes, and the identity of others 
is not well established, owing to the lack of a sufficient number to form 
a series for comparison with closely allied species from other locali- 
ties. The handsome caper growing on the rocky shores of the island 
(Capparis mariana Jacq.) is supposed to be a variety of Capparis 
spinosa; Claveylon marvanum Mill. Arg. is very closely allied to 
Claowylon taitense of Tahiti; [pomoea mariannensis, a plant which has 
never been figured, should be compared with the American /pomoea 
triloba, the epiphytal fleshy-leaved Dischidca puberula should be com- 
pared with Dischidia benghalensis, for which it was first mistaken by 
Gaudichaud; the fragrant Gynopogon torresianus of Guam should be 
compared with the allied species from other Pacific islands; a series 
of specimens of Melastoma marianum should be secured for compari- 
son with the closely allied Melastoma denticulatum and M. matabath- 
ricum of Polynesia and the Kast Indies. The Guam Pipers and 
Peperomias need further study, and the Guam types of species of 
Ochrosia, Cormigonus, Phyllanthus, Glochidion, Euphorbia, and the 
hispid-leaved, yellow-flowered Stemmodontia canescens should also be 
secured. 
YAMS, BANANAS, AND BREADFRUIT. 
Many distinct kinds of yams (Dioscorea), bananas (Musa), and 
breadfruit (Artocarpus) are recognized wherever these plants are cul- 
@See Schumann, Flora deutschen ost-asiatischen Schutzgebietes, p. 201, 1888. 
