176 USEFUL PLANTS OF GUAM. 



Agave vivipara. Maguey. 



Family Ainaryllidaceae. 



Local names. — Lirio de Palo (Guam); Maguay, Maguey (Philippines); Teo- 

 rnetl (Mexico). 

 An Agave of Mexican origin, now spread in the Philippines and India, bearing 

 bulbs which sprout before falling to the ground. It has been introduced into Guam, 

 where it is called by the natives the "tree lily." The leaves resemble those of Agave 

 americana, but have few spines on the margin. The flower scape grows to the height 

 of 4.5 meters. From the leaves the natives get a fiber with which they wrap their 

 cigars. In the Philippines it is sometimes used for making violin strings, « and in 

 India it is used for cordage and twine. 

 References: 

 Agave vivipara L. Sp. PI. 1: 323. 1753. 



Agboy (Philippines). See Mussaenda frondosa. 



Ageratum conyzoides. Goatweed. 



Family Asteraceae. 

 A low, weedy, pubescent composite with terminal corymbs of blue or white 

 flowers forming small discoid heads. Leaves ovate, on hispid petioles, obtuse, cre- 

 nate, truncate or cordate at the base. 



It is of American origin, but is now widely spread throughout the Pacific and has 

 found its way to many tropical countries. It yields a vegetable proximate principle 

 known as "coumarin," which is also found in the allied genus Eupatorium. 

 References: 

 Ageratum conyzoides L. Sp. PL 2: 839. 1753. 

 Aggag, Aggak, or Akgak (Guam). See Pandanaceae and Pandanus tectorius. 

 Agho (Philippines). See Leucaena glauca. 

 Agoho (Philippines). See Casuarina equisetifolia. 



Agsom or Apson (Guam). 



Vernacular name, signifying "sour," applied to Oxalis corniculata, and (improperly) 

 to Meibomia trijlora. This confusion of two plants under one name may be compared 

 with that in case of the name shamrock among the Irish, which is sometimes applied 

 to an Oxalis, sometimes to a Trifolium. The resemblance in both cases is chiefly in 

 the trifoliolate leaves. 



Aguanak (Guam). 



The name of a tree not identified, mentioned by Governor Olive y Garcia in a 

 report to the Captain-General of the Philippines as yielding strong wood used in the 

 construction of houses. 



Aguardiente (Spanish). See Cocos nucifera. 



Ahgao or Ajgao (Guam). See Premna gaudicliaudii. 



Ahgap (Guam). Same as Ahgao. 



Ahonholi (Guam). See Sesamum orientale. 



Ahos (Guam). See Allium sativum. 



Aizoaceae. Carpet-weed family. 



The only representative of this family in Guam is the seaside purslane, Sesuvium 

 portulacaslrum. 



Aji (Spanish). See Capsicum annuum and C. frutescens. 

 a Kew Bulletin, 1893, p. 80. 



