152 USEFUL PLANTS OF GUAM. 



or feathers of birds. These peculiarities undoubtedly account for the 

 wide dissemination of many of the weeds. Many of the marsh birds 

 and shore birds visiting Guam are migratory, and it is very probable 

 that they have brought with them seeds or fruits from other regions. 

 It is pleasant to note the absence of the troublesome sensitive plant 

 {Mimosa pudica) and the Lantana camara f rom the flora of Guam. 

 Other shrubby plants of wide distribution occur in Guam, however, 

 especially the guava, the two common species of indigo, Leucaena 

 glauca, and several American species of Cassia. Nearly all the com- 

 posites on the island are introduced weeds, belonging to the genera Ver- 

 nonia, Elephantopus, Adenostemma, Ageratum, Eclipta, Glossogyne, 

 and Synedrella. 



ANIMAL PESTS. 



The most serious injury to growing crops is caused by the deer, 

 which overrun the island. They often destro}^ whole fields of corn, 

 garden patches, and tender young coconut plants, approaching 

 villages by night and eating watermelons, squashes, and other succu- 

 lent fruits on the vines. Rats occur in great numbers and attack 

 many vegetable products, especially corn and cacao, and flying foxes 

 cause considerable damage to certain fruits. Weevils get into the 

 gathered corn and rice, which must be kept in earthen jars well closed 

 as a protection against them; termites destroy living trees as well 

 as dead wood; and tobacco patches are infested with the larva} of a 

 sphinx moth. Few garden patches are inclosed by hedges or fences, 

 so that serious injury is often caused by hogs and cattle running at 

 large. Horses and cows are especialty fond of the foliage of the 

 breadfruit, and will injure young trees if unprotected. Among the 

 staple food plants there are fewer diseases and insect pests than in most 

 tropical countries. 



PLANT NAMES. 



Classes of names. — The common names of Guam plants may be 

 classified under three heads: First, vernacular names applied to plants 

 which grew in the island before the discoveiy, such as "fai" (rice), 

 "pugua" (betel nut); second, East Indian and American names of plants 

 which have been introduced since the discovery, such as "mangga" 

 (mango), "kamote" (sweet potato); and a third class including names 

 applied by the natives to plants brought to the island either from other 

 parts of the Pacific or from more remote regions, as "baston de San 

 Jose" (St. Joseph's staff), applied to Taetsia terminalis, the "ti," 

 or "ki," of Polynesia, and "cadena de amor'"' (chain of love), applied 

 to the Mexican Antigonon l&ptopus on account of its racemes of rose- 

 colored heart-like flowers. 



Origin of plants indicated by their vernacular names. — It is 

 easy to trace the names of most of the plants introduced since the 



