398 USEFUL PLANTS OF GUAM. 
crushed, The species is of wide distribution, occurring in tropical Asia, the East 
Indies, the islands of eastern Africa, and Polynesia. Of the variety wnifoliata, which 
grows on the seacoast of Japan, the small, round, fragrant seeds are gathered and 
used medicinally. 
REFERENCES: 
Vitex trifolia L. Sp. Pl. 2: 6388. 1753. 
Vitis. GRAPE. 
Family Vitaceae. 
LocaL NAMES.— Parra (Spanish). . 
Grapes are cultivated by a few of the natives, but they are of inferior quality and 
thus far have not proved successful. 
Vittaria elongata. Rippon FERN. 
Family Polypodiaceae. 
An epiphytal fern with grass-like fronds, having its sori in a continuous line in a 
furrow along the margin. 
REFERENCES: 
Vittaria elongata Sw. Syn. Fil. 106. 1806. 
Vittaria ensiformis Llanos. Same as Vittaria elongata. 
Volkameria inermis L. Same as Clerodendron inerme. 
Waltheria americana. Matico, 
Family Sterculiaceae. 
LocaL NAMEs.—Hialoa (Hawaii); Malva blanea (Cuba); Malvabisco, Basora 
prieta (Porto Rico); Matico, Hierba del Soldado (Trop. America). 
A perennial weed with a woody base, 30 to 60 em. high, densely tomentose or 
softly hairy in every part. Leaves ovate-oblong, 1.5 cm. by 2 to 3.em., on petioles 
12 mm. long, obtuse, dentate, feather-veined; down stellate mixed with simple hairs; 
stipules narrow, deciduous; flowers small, sessile in close clusters along axillary 
peduncles 4cem, long; bracts linear; calyx 5-lobed, downy, lobes acute; petals little 
longer, unguiculate or clawed, orange-colored; stamens 5, opposite the petals, united 
at the base, with 2 parallel anther cells; ovary downy, sessile, of a single carpel with 
2 erect ovules, style excentrical, with fringed stigma; capsule opening at the back 
into 2 valves; seeds usually solitary. 
A common weed of wide distribution in the Tropics and occuring on many Pacific 
islands. 
REFERENCES: 
Waltheria americana LL. Sp. Pl. 2: 673. 1753. 
Waltheria indica L. Sp. Pl. 2: 673. 1758. 
Waltheria elliptica Cay. Diss, 6: 316. t. 177. f. 2. 1788. 
Waltheria elliptica Cav. Same as Waliheria americana. 
Waltheria indica L. Same as Waltheria americana. 
Walwalisdn (Philippines). See Sida carpinifolia. 
Water fern. See Ceratopteris thalictroides. 
Water hyssop. See Bacopa monniera, 
Watermelon. See Gardens. 
Water-root. See Nervilia arragoana. 
Wax-gourd. See Benincase cerifera. 
Weather plant. See Abrus abrus. 
Wedelia biflora. Same as Neminodontia hiflora. 
Wedelia canescens. Same as Stemmodontia canescens. 
Wedelia chamissonis Less. Same as Stemmodontia canescens. 
