History : Not collected last century, though plantation 

 records indicate that it was a major reason for the abandonments 

 of the coconut plantations: "The Pohue Vine |misidentifiedas 

 Tuumfetta(=Triumfetta)procumbens], which is the worst pest 

 on the island, was reported in 1921 to be under control" 

 (Young, ca. 1922). Today it still causes severe damage to 

 Cocos on South Island, strangling about two-thirds of the 

 plantation (54 ha). 



Present Distribution : Range extension from three to seven 

 motus, five Windward and two Southern Leeward Islets 

 (Table 3). 



Abundance : Forms part of a vegetation subunit. Dying 

 Cocos-lpomoea Forest (PI. 34, Plant Communities section). 

 An indigenous, nonparasitic vine, becoming abundant and 

 strangling in disturbed areas. Rampant growth over most of the 

 interior of South Island, where it forms dense tangles up to 

 25 m high. Less dense thickets on southern Nake drape 

 Pandanus, Tournefortia, Morinda, and Cocos to 10 m. Our 

 transects on Nake were not rerouted or abandoned, as on South. 

 Coverage scant elsewhere, generally 2-5%, except in two 

 Pisonia sites, where its coverage was 20% (Long Island. Tr. B: 

 Windward Islet, Tr. 1 ). 



Ecology : Lush in dying Cocos forests and mixed forest 

 with Pandanus, because of relatively fertile soils, moisture, 

 humidity, and partly sunny clearings. Strangles all but the 

 tallest Pisonia and Cordia. Typically sea-dispersed to atolls 

 (seeds germinate after floating up to 1 year in seawater), crawls 

 inland, progressively dropping seeds, to attain full size in 

 interior forests (Guppy, 1906; Ridley, 1930). Seeds of /. pes- 

 caprae are known to be ingested by white terns in the Marshall 

 Islands, perhaps as gizzard stones (Fosberg, 1953). Possibly 

 these same terns, abundant at Caroline, once aided the seed 

 dispersal of /. macrantha. Also characteristic of Cocos 

 plantations elsewhere in the Pacific (Fosberg. 1965: Stoddart 

 & Sachet. 1969: Lamberson. 1987). 



Substrata : Prefers humus-laden rubble but can grow in 

 coarse rubble and sand, especially in leeward areas. 



BORAGINACEAE 



* Cordia subcordata Lam. (Fig. 22: PI. 27) 



Formerly Known Distribution : Collected in 1X84. L-3213 

 and 326 1 a, 3228, 3246. and 326 1 b on South. Pandanus. Long, 

 anil Emerald, respectively; flowering trees to 4.5 m high in 

 leeward coral rubble or along lagoon. 



Present Distribution : Africa to Polynesia. K-90-3 from 

 South Island, lagoon edge. Range expansion on Caroline from 

 5 to 23 motus (Table 3). 



Phenology : Peak flowering November through April, 

 fruits collected in March and Max 



Abundance : A separate, though minor, plant community 

 (Plant Communities section). Caroline's Cordia forests, 

 typically small and mixed \\ ith other emergents. are some of 

 the last remaining gun es in the Pacific and are thus of particular 

 importance to conservation. 



* Heliotropiumanomalum H. & A. (Fig. 23: Pis. 17.33.45-47) 



Formerly Known Distribution : Recorded (as 

 H. curassavicum) in 1840, collected in 1884. L-3222 and 3288. 

 3240, 3248, 3256, 3288 on South, Danger. Long, and Emerald, 

 respectively. 



Present Distribution : Pantropical. K-90-17 from Ana- 

 Ana. In coral gravel, leeward, and windward shores. Range 

 extension on Caroline from 4 to 34 motus (Table 3). 



Abundance : Forms part of a major vegetation unit. Natural 

 Herb Mat (Plant Communities section), often associated with 

 Laportea, Lepturus, or Boerhavia. Area coverage ranges from 

 less than 1% to 50%. Widespread, predictable on wind- and 

 salt-blown, low flats where vegetation does not overhang edge 

 of motu. Also in ancient reef channels and newly evolving land 

 connecting islets. Covers major areas of islets — that is. those 

 less than 1.0 ha (e.g., Fishball. Skull, and Bo'sun Bird. Best 

 developed on Skull. Tridacna. South. Emerald, and Mannikiba 

 (50% coverage, western seaward rim). 



Ecology : Halophytic pioneer. Heights to 22 cm, averaging 

 7 em. Thrives in heat and exposure. 



Phenology : Flowers and fruits year round. 



Substrata : Primarily coral rubble and rubbly sand. Marginal 

 habitats extend down to high tide line in areas of coarse coral 

 chunks, where it is tiny and leathery. 



* Tournefortia argentea L. (Fig. 24; Pis. 8.37.47.48) 



Messerschmidia argentea (L.f.) Johnston 



Formerly Known Distribution : Collected 1884. L-3216. 

 3226, 324 1 , 3249, 3258 from South, Tridacna, Nake, Long, and 

 Emerald Isle; shrub to 3 m high, edge of lagoon and above high 

 tide, with white flowers, 



Present Distribution : Range extension from 5 to 38 motus 

 (Table 3). Widespread in the Pacific, especially on small islets. 

 Caroline's large tracts are excellent examples of relatively 

 undisturbed, pure Tournefortia scrub and forest. 



Abundance : Dominates the atoll woodlands, forming the 

 major \ egetation type ( Plant Communities section). On almost 

 every motu ranging from a spattering of exposed shrubs within 

 herb mats, through scrublands and taller forests to 14 m high. 



Ecology : Supports seven species of breeding seabirds; 

 provides feeding habitats for reef herons (Egretta sacra). 

 shorebirds, land crabs, and rats. 



Phenology : Flowers and fruits year round. 



Substrata : Pure coral clinker; mixtures of rubble, gravel, 

 sand, and humus. 



BRASSICACEAE 



* Lepidium Indentation Montin (Fig. 1 1 ) 



Formerly Known Distribution : Reported in 1S25: "a boat 

 load of pepper-grass and pursley" (Paulding. 1X31) and in 

 1835. "a Lepidium of luxuriant growth" (Bennett. 1840). 

 Collected by Dixon as /.. piscidium Forst in 1883. 



Present Distribution : Widely distributed throughout the 

 North and South Pacific. K-90-169 and 171 (collected by 



20 



