BOTANIZING WITH THE OKINAWANS — WALKER 381 



hills and valleys of the eastern side of this island (pi. 9, center and 

 lower) . The grass, though mixed, seemed predominantly cogon grass 

 (Imperata cylindrica var. major), though it was not then (early Sep- 

 tember) in bloom. It was reported that Okinawa before the war 

 bore the same aspect. Thus it seems that Miscanthus is a first invader 

 of disturbed areas and that the churned-up battlefields gave it a 

 start in Okinawa. We know the vegetation will change little by 

 little. But will fields of Imperata cylindrica and other more gentle- 

 appearing grasses replace this rank growth in the course of suc- 

 cession and Okinawa take on the beauty of Ishigaki ? Only time will 

 tell. It may, however, be said, with no element of doubt, that the 

 Ryukyus are full of interesting plant problems and ever will be. 



THE FUTURE 



The 1951 SIRI botanical program was primarily concerned with 

 determining the species of plants which occur in the Ryukyus. The 

 task is not yet complete, but we are now in a better position to deal 

 with the perhaps more glaringly urgent problems of economic botany 

 in these islands. Likewise the ecological study of the various plant 

 formations, especially of the economically productive forests and graz- 

 able grasslands, can now be undertaken with more promise of scientific 

 accuracy and completeness, because we know better the plants of 

 which these formations are composed. Programs for plant intro- 

 duction (7) and for establishing plant quarantine laws should mate- 

 rially benefit from the Flora of Okinawa and from the steadily increas- 

 ing reference collection of plant specimens that will support a fu- 

 ture revision of this work. It is hoped that from the Flora of Okinawa 

 by the three Okinawans there may come not only works by westerners, 

 such as the "Important Trees of the Ryukyu Islands" now in press 

 (13), but also many more publications by Okinawans (8, 9) and 

 Japanese, on other vital subjects, such as the grasses, the weeds, the 

 shrubs, the ferns, and many others. 



SELECTED REFERENCES 



(1) Anonymous. 



1944. Civil affairs handbook, Ryukyu (Loochoo) Islands . . . Office of 

 the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Department, pp. i-xiv, 

 figs. 1-52. 



Comprehensive diverse information compiled In preparation for 

 the invasion ; includes a bibliography. 



(2) Bubcham, Lee T. 



1948. Observations on the grass flora of certain Pacific Islands. Contr. 

 U. S. Nat. Herb., vol. 30, pt. 2, pp. 405-447, pis. 1-7, figs. 1-4. 



Includes notes on Okinawa recorded during the author's stay with 

 the army of occupation. 



