DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 263 



wild, forming dense matted thickets, under which the deer often make paths impas- 

 sable to man. Like the Bengal wild yam described by Roxburgh ( mou-aloo) , its roots 

 are white, and are dug up in the woods during the cool season, for it is not cultivated; 

 and as the wild yam of Bengal resembles in habit the cultivated species, LHoscorea 

 fasciculala Roxb., so does the gado, or nika cimarron of Guam resemble the culti- 

 vated nika. In December the leaves turn yellow, then brown, and then fall off, at 

 which time the tubers are ready for digging. These weigh about 2 pounds, and are 

 in shape like a sweet potato, but have little fibers growing from them. They are 

 more solid and sweeter than cultivated yams. 



As considerable work is necessary to dig the wild yam, the Guam people do not 

 eat it when there is enough of other food. The Caroline Islanders, however, who 

 until recently have been living on the island of Guam, and who are in no sense an 

 agricultural people, resorted to the forest habitually for it, and often brought it to 

 the houses of the Chamorros to exchange for other things. After the severe hurri- 

 canes, which sweep the island from time to time, the natives are obliged to resort 

 to the woods for food, and are fortunate to find a good reserve of gado, fadang nuts 

 (Ci/cas circinalis), Caladium, and Alocasia. Yams form an important food staple in 

 November, after the breadfruit has gone and before the sweet potatoes are ready 

 for digging. 



REFERENCES: 



Dioscorea spinosa Roxb.; Wall. Cat. n. 5103. 1828 (ex Index Kew.), without 

 description. 



This name appears to be untenable for the above species, but in the present state 

 of our knowledge of the genus it is impossible to give the correct name. 

 Dioscoreaceae. YAM FAMILY. 



This family is represented only by the genus Dioscorea (which see). 

 Diplazium nitidum. Same as Asplenium nitidum. See Ferns. 

 Dischidia bengalensis. Same as Dischidia puberula. 

 Dischidia puberula. 



Family Asclepiadaceae. 



A herbaceous plant climbing over the trees of the forest. Leaves ovate, acute, 

 short-petioled, opposite, thick, fleshy, glaucous; flowers very small, growing in 

 axillary umbels; calyx 5-parted; corolla urceolate, 5-parted, the divisions obtuse, 

 pilose; stamens 5, connate, anthers with a membranous tip, pollen masses 1 in each 

 cell, compressed, pendulous coronal processes adnate to stamens, erect, bifid above; 

 flowers on a short peduncle in twos or threes; divisions of staminal crown subreni- 

 form at apex. 



This species was described from specimens collected in Guam by Gaudichaud in 

 1819. 



REFERENCES: 



Dischidia puberula Decne. in DC. Prod. 8: 631. 1844. 

 Distreptus spicatus. Same as Elephantopus spicatus. 

 Dodder laurel. See Cassytha filiformis. 



Dodonaea viscosa. SWITCH-SORREL. 



Family Sapindaceae. 

 LOCAL NAMES. Lampuaye (Guam); Alipata (Philippines); Lala-vao, Torigo-vao 



(Samoa); Apiri (Tahiti); Aalii (Hawaii); Ake (Rarotunga). 



A shrub or small tree, with numerous erect, twiggy branches, the bark longitudi- 

 nally cracked and striate, young parts scurfy-puberulous. Leaves simple, nearly ses- 

 sile, 5 to 9 cm. long, linear-lanceolate, very tapering at base, subacute or obtuse, 

 entire, the margin often slightly revolute, glabrous, more or less viscid, with a shining 

 resinous exudation; flowers small, polygamous or dioecious, on long, slender pedicels, 



