Aesthetically, the lagoon fringe is one of the most 

 picturesque spots on the atoll. Lush palms overhang a narrow 

 beach of blinding white sand and coral gravel, affording idyllic 

 views of the azure lagoon and its encircling wooded motus 

 (Pis. 7,24,39). 



Vegetation : There are 23 plant species (7 trees, 3 shrubs, 

 13 herbs), 85% of the atoll's flora. Cocos dominates South 

 Island, occupying 77% of its area. The healthy, but old, closed- 

 canopy plantations (21 m tall ) that border its coastlines give no 

 indication of the vast extent of the overgrown, dying groves 

 that occupy two-thirds of its interior ( Fig. 50; Pis. 7, 34). Here, 

 three species of herbs (Boerhavia repens, Portulaca lutea, 

 Phymatosorus scolopendha) have proliferated unnaturally to 

 form dense carpets, and the vine lpomoea macrantha climbs, 

 in tangled, strangling masses, to the tops of the highest palms. 



The natural communities that prevail on other motus are 

 only minor components on South (Fig. 50): herb mats (13% of 

 the total area), coastal scrub with Suriana ( 1 % ), and Tournefortia 

 scrub (4%). Conspicuously absent are prime scrublands and 

 forests of Tournefortia, Pisonia, and Cordia, which undoubtedly 

 once swept in a lush expanse from shore to shore, stratified and 

 zoned as on other motus. Canopy heights of the plantations are 

 uniform (21 m). and the outer fringe of indigenous scrub 

 (Tournefortia, Cordia, Suriana) and herbs (fleliotropium, 

 Portulaca) occupy a small proportion of the island's width 

 (Figs. 36,51). Note the abrupt transition of canopy heights as 

 they drop to the level of coastal scrub on both sides of the 

 plantation (Fig. 51). Pandanus, too, is less extensive than 

 formerly: Bennett (1840) called Pandanus "somewhat 

 numerous" and PI. 50 reproduces an 1883 painting of a grove, 

 denser than any existing today on South. During our survey , we 

 observed only one small Pandanus grove and a few scattered 

 trees. Bennett also noted that the island was "covered with 

 verdure," and there were "trees attaining the height of twenty 

 feet." However, it is well to recall that 9 or 10 years previous 

 to Bennett's visit a violent storm had whipped over the atoll. 

 Drawings from 1883 (Pis. 4,5) depict remnant Tournefortia 

 and Pisonia trees larger than this. 



Apart from the coastal buffer zone, little native forest 

 remains. Other sizable trees (Pisonia. Cordia), up to 17 m tall, 

 are rare, but Morinda, tolerant to both sun and shade, is still 

 quite common. Though we have not been able to trace any 

 records to Caroline, it is possible that shiploads of Cordia logs 

 were exported to San Francisco on guano ships, as was the case 

 on Flint, worked simultaneously by Arundel's company (Young, 

 ca. 1922). 



A final noteworthy aspect of South Island is that, despite 

 its history of sporadic occupation and extensive forest felling 

 for coconut plantations, only one "weed," a tiny patch of 

 Phyllanthus amarus, and no vegetable or garden ornamentals 

 (excluding Polynesian introductions) have survived. (We are 

 unsure of the status of Hibiscus tiliaceus, Thespesia populnea, 

 or Ximenia americana). The 19th century gardens, once 

 drenched in sunshine, have long been buried beneath the deep 

 shade of palm groves (compare Pis. 2 and 24). In addition, 

 periodic storms, droughts, irregular rainfall, nutrient-poor soils, 

 rats, land crabs, and the harsh salty environment must have 

 contributed to the eradication of all exotics except traditional 



native food and medicine plants, which are specifically adapted 

 for atoll environments. Studies on other atolls, even those near 

 high islands (Stoddart & Fosberg, 1972; Stoddart & Gibbs, 

 1 975 ), have demonstrated also that exotics survive, despite the 

 proximity to source areas containing garden ornamentals and 

 weed plants. We learned on our last two visits ( March and May 

 1990), however, that a small sunny clearing around the cistern 

 has attracted one clump of a weed not previously reported 

 (Kyllinga brevifolia), also the location of Phyllanthus. This 

 area is now used as an extension of the Falconers' vegetable 

 garden on Motu Ana-Ana. Kyllinga is listed as a temporary 

 species (Table 1 ). 



Birds : Only 2 species of birds bred on South in September 

 1988, a reflection of its paucity of natural habitats: brown 

 noddy (163 pairs) and white tern (381 pairs). Bristle-thighed 

 curlews are very common, gathering in small flocks on the 

 rubbly shores (Subchapter 1 .2, this volume). They also forage 

 in the open Ipomoea-Cocos forest, perching on dead coconut 

 stumps 6-10 m high, then flying down to feed in the thick herb 

 mats. 



Terrestrial Crabs : Caroline's highest population of coconut 

 crabs, having many huge individuals decades old. occupies the 

 open Cocos forests (Pis. 22,56,57 ). A crude minimum estimate 

 for South Island is 500 mature individuals (since March 1990. 

 these have become much reduced due to killing and preserving 

 in formalin for curios). We also found a fist-sized blue hermit 

 crab within a Turbo shell, possibly Coenobita brevimanus 

 (Yaldwyn & Wodzicki, 1979; E. Reese, personal 

 communication). As elsewhere on the atoll, land crabs such as 

 the reddish-purple Cardisoma sp. and scarlet hermit crabs, 

 Coenobita perlatus (in Turbo argyrostomus shells), were 

 abundant ( PI. 38). A Geograpsus sp., closer to the shore, was 

 less common. 



Rats : Polynesian rats were abundant on South, active both 

 day and night. The rats were constantly afoot in broad daylight, 

 and at night a small flashlight beam often revealed a half dozen 

 at a time. 



South Nake Islets (Fig. 52) 



This chain of seven islets extends 1,500 m south from 

 Nake on the west side. They range in size from 0.64 ha ( Kota) 

 to 7.36 ha (Pandanus). All are well wooded and support every 

 natural plant community. Proceeding south, the overall plant 

 cover thins somewhat, but not to the dryness and openness of 

 the Central Leeward Islets. The herb mats are more extensive 

 than on the windward islets, especially to seaward. Aboriginal 

 introductions (Cocos, Pandanus) are sparse. We have found 

 no historical records indicating human disturbance to these 

 islets, thus their vegetation, with the possible exception of 

 Pandanus Islet, is evidently natural. The two scrawny Cocos 

 are probably drift-derived. 



On the Solar Eclipse Party's map of Caroline (Fig. 5), only 

 the top two islets of this group are drawn. The South Nake Islets 

 constitute the only cluster of motus that show appreciable 

 differences between Arundel's chart (Fig. 4) and the 1985 

 aerial photos: most were shown as smaller, and with slightly 

 different shapes, by Arundel. The interior vegetation on these 

 motus includes mature forests of Tournefortia. Pisonia, and 



42 



