DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 211 



with a hard, bony stone, which is trigonous or three-lobed, terminating at each end 

 in a sharp point. The stone or nut is called "pili," or almond, in the Philippines. 



This tree has been sparingly introduced into Guam. In his Islas Marianas ( Manila, 

 1887) Don Francisco Olive y Garcia gives a catalogue of the trees growing on the 

 island and mentions a single specimen of brea. This, however, is important, since it 

 shows that the climate and soil of Guam are suitable for its propagation. 

 REFERENCES: 



Canarium indicum Stickman, Herb. Amb. 1754; Amoen. Acad. 4:143. 1759. 

 Canarium commune L. Mant. 1 : 127. 1767. 



Canavali ensiforme. SWORD BEAN. SABRE BEAN. 



Family Fabaceae. 

 LOCAL NAMES. Akankan (Guam); Palang-palang (Philippines); Horsebean 



(Jamaica); Jack bean (Brit. W. Indies). 



A twining creeper; leaves pinnately trifoliolate, leaflets cordate-ovate, ovate-oblong, 

 or ovate, rather acute; flowers in axillary racemes, the peduncles and racemes each 

 7.5 to 15cm. long; corolla purplish or white, papilionaceous, more than twice as long 

 as the calyx; calyx deep, the limb 2-lipped, the upper lip projecting, entire or 

 emarginate, the lower shortly 3-toothed; pod 15 to 25 cm. long, linear-oblong, 

 flattish, with a distinct rib on each valve near the upper suture, 8 to 12 seeded; 

 seeds white, ovoid-oblong, subcompressed. 



Common in thickets and hedges everywhere in the Tropics. In Guam the racemes 

 of purple flowers are conspicuous by the roadsides. The vernacular name Akankan 

 signifies " molar teeth," from the appearance of the seeds. In some countries it is 

 cultivated for the sake of its long esculent pods, the white-flowered and white-seeded 

 varieties being considered the best for this purpose. It is a perennial. Though the 

 pods are coarse in appearance, when sliced and boiled they are tender and scarcely 

 inferior to French beans. a The mature beans roasted and ground have been used in 

 Texas as a substitute for coffee. They are indigestible unless deprived of their outer 

 skin. Experiments have proved these beans to be unsuitable for stock food. & 

 REFERENCES: 



Canavali ensiforme (L.) DC. Prod. 2: 404. 1825, as Canavalia ensiformls. 

 Dolichos ensiformis L. Sp. PI. 2: 725. 1753. 



Canavali obtusifolium. SEASIDE BEAN. 



LOCAL NAMES. Akankan-tasi (Guam); Palang-palang (Philippines); Mata de 



la Playa (Porto Rico); Mata de Costa (Cuba). 



A glabrous perennial creeper; leaves pinnately trifoliolate, leaflets thicker than those 

 of the preceding species, obovate, obtuse, or sometimes emarginate; racemes few- 

 flowered, usually overtopping the leaves; flowers in axillary racemes, corolla pur- 

 plish; pod oblong, few-seeded, 10 to 12.5 cm. long; seeds usually chestnut-colored, 

 opaque, ovoid, subcompressed. 



A strand plant widely distributed on tropical shores. In Guam, as in most places, 

 it is associated with the goat's-foot convolvulus (Ipomoea pes-caprae). It is useful as 

 a binder of loose sand. 

 REFERENCES: 



Canavali obtusifolium (Lam.) DC. Prod. 2:404. 1825, as Canavalia ensiformis. 

 Dolichos oblusifolius Lam. Encyc. 2: 295. 1786. 

 Canavalia. See Canavali. 

 Cancion (Guam). 



A young coconut having a sweetish, edible rind. 

 Candlenut. See Aleurites moluccana. 



Firminger, Man. Gardening for Bengal, ed. 4, p. 156. 



& Lloyd and Moore. Feeding for beef. Mississippi Bull. , No, 39, p. 166, Aug. , 1896. 



