266 USEFUL PLANTS OF GUAM. 



crowded on a central receptacle; anther cells globose, attached by a connective; 

 pistillode minute or wanting; female flowers with 2 to 4-celled ovary; styles free or 

 growing together below; ovules 1 in each cell; fruit a capsule. Leaves lobed Uke 

 those of a Vitis or of an Acer. 



The wood of this tree is soft and is used in Guam for making shoe lasts. The 

 vernacular name is applied in the Philippines to another species of JMallotus. 

 The present species is possibly E. tiliaefolius (Mallotus iiliaefolin^ (ham.) Muell. Arg. ), 

 which extends from southern Asia to the Fiji Islands. In Guam it is used medicinally. 

 Eclipta alba. DrEWEED. 



Family Astleraceae. 

 Local names. — Tinta-tinta (Philippines). 



A branching annual composite with inconspicuous white flowers, usually pros- 

 trate or creeping, sometimes ascending or erect, 1 foot long or more, sprinkled with 

 closely appressed short, stiff hairs; leaves shortly petiolate, from nearly ovate to 

 oblong-lanceolate or almost linear, 2.5 to 5 cm. long, coarsely toothed or nearly 

 entire; peduncles in the upper axils solitary or two together, very variable in 

 length, bearing a single flower head about 6 mm. in diameter; involucre of about 2 

 rows of ovate, obtuse, herbaceous bracts; scales of chaffy receptacle narrowly linear; 

 ray florets female, small, shortly ligulate, narrow, white; disk florets hermaphro- 

 dite, usually fertile, tubular, 4-toothed; achenes of the disk with thick, almost corky 

 margins, the pappus either quite abortive or reduced to a border of 4 minute obtuse 

 teeth, conspicuous chiefly at the time of flowering. 



This plant is widely spread in the Tropics. In India a bluish-black dye is 

 obtained from the juice of its leaves, and in some places it is used for tattooing. In 

 Ceylon it is employed as an alterative medicine by the natives. It was first col- 

 lected in Guam by Chamisso ( 1S17) and afterwards by Lesson, the botanist accom- 

 panying Dumont D' Urville in the Astrolabe. It is found growing in wet places. 

 References: 



Eclipta alba (L.) Hassk. PI. Jav. Ear. 528. 1848. 

 Verbesina alba L. Sp. PI. 2: 902. 1753. 

 Eclipta erecta L. Mant. 2: 286. 1771. 

 Eclipta erecta. See Eclipta alba. 

 £clipta prostrata. Same as Eclipta cdba. 

 £ddoes. See Caladium colocasia. 

 £dible senna. See Cassia sophera. 

 Eg'gplant. See Solanum melongena. 

 Egyptian privet. See Lawsonia inermis. 

 Ehretia buxifolia. Same as Ehrelia microphyUa. 



Ehretia microphyUa. Bastard currant. 



Family Boraginaceae. 

 Local names. — Cha cimarron, Alafigitiigit (Philippines). 



A bush 90 to 120 cm. high, branches very numerous, slender, divaricate, the bark 

 reddish brown, cracked; leaves small, 6 to 25 mm. long, very numerous, sessile, fas- 

 ciculate on suppressed branch lets, obovate-cuneate, acute at base, truncate with a 

 few obtuse crenatures at apex, otherwise entire, slightly rough above with short 

 bristly hairs (with a white spot round each when dry), shining and polished, paler 

 beneath with conspicuous venation; flowere solitary or two together, on very short 

 pubescent pedicels, axillary; calyx hairy, 5-parted, segments oblong-spatbulate, 

 acute, leafy; corolla campanulate-rotate, 6 to 9 mm. in diameter, lobes 5, ovate, 

 subacute, spreading or recurved; stamens 5, erect, exserted, inserted on corolla tube; 

 ovary 2-felled with 2 ovules in each cell; styles 2, longer than stamens, undivided; 

 drupe small, 6 mm. long, globose, apiculate, shining, scarlet, pyrene 4-celled. Flowers 

 white. Collected in Guam by Luis Nee, 1792. 



