APRIL 1 TO JUNE 30, 1914. 91 



38117 to 38135 — Contd. (Quoted notes by Commander Stearns.) 



38126. Gynopogon bracteolosa (Rich.) Schumann. Gau. 



(Alyxia bracteolosa Rich.) 

 "Gau. A shrub used in making ' ula.' " 



38127. Heenandia peltata Meissner. Hernandiacese. 



"Pua. The wood is very soft and light and takes fire readily from a 

 flint and steel. It has been used in Guam for making canoes, but they 

 soon become water-logged and useless if unpainted and left exposed to 

 the weather. The bark, seeds, and young leaves are slightly purgative, 

 and the juice of the leaves is a depilatory, destroying hair without pain. 

 Distributed in tropical Asia, Africa, and Australia, and eastward in the 

 Pacific as far as Tahiti. The Samoan name signifies 'iris' (of the eye) 

 and is given because of the fruit, which is inclosed in an inflated, globu- 

 lar involucel, having a circular orifice." (Safford, Useful Plants of 

 Guam. ) 



38128. Santalum sp. Santalacese. Asi. 

 "Asi. A kind of sandalwood. Wood used for building purposes." 



38129. Macaranga tanarius (Stickman) Muell. Arg. Euphorbiacse. 

 "Pata. A very large tree of the forest ; the wood, however, is of no 



value, decaying rapidly." 



38130 and 38131. Vitex trifolia L. Verbenaceae. 



38130. " Gaunulega. A small-sized shrub; the leaves when pounded 

 fine and mixed with water form, it is said, a valuable medicine 

 for tropical fever, using three times a day." 



Distribution. — Scattered throughout India and eastward and 

 northward to Japan, the Philippines, and northern Australia. 



38131. " Said to be a valuable remedy for fever." 



38132. Citrus hystrix DC. Rutaceae. Moli. 

 " Moli. Nonedible. In several islands of the Pacific the fruit is used 



as soap in washing clothes and the hair." 



38133. Tacca pinnatifida Forster. Taccaceae. 

 " Masoa." 



38134. Dioscorea sp. Dioscoreaceae. Yam. 

 " Yams are troublesome to raise. They are very nutritious, however, 



and may be prepared in many ways. In many of the islands they are 

 combined with coconut milk and made into dumplings." 



38135. Inocarpus edulis Forster. Fabacese. Tahiti-chestnut. 

 " Samoan chestnut. One of the most striking features of the forest. 



It bears a kidney-shaped fruit which is eaten cooked, when not quite 

 ripe, and tastes much like a chestnut. The wood is of light color, 

 straight, of fine texture, and very tough. It is used for burning lime 

 in open kilns, the wood having the remarkable quality of burning readily 

 when green. In some of the Pacific islands the nuts are preserved in 

 pits, like breadfruit, where they ferment. In Samoa it forms a staple 

 food for several months of the year. The wood is perishable and of 

 little economic value; the bark is astringent." 



