180 USEFUL PLANTS OF GUAM. 



The natives eat piga only in times of scarcity of food. The fleshy trunks must be 

 thoroughly roasted to destroy their acridity. (See p. 69.) 

 References: 

 Alocasia indica (Lour.) Schott, Oestr. Bot. Wochenbl. 4: 410. 1854. 

 Arum indicum Lour. Fl. Cochin. 2: 536. 1790. 

 Alocasia rnacrorrhiza. Giant taro. Acrid taro. 



Local names. — Piga (Guam); Biga (Philippines); Ape, Ta'arnu (Samoa); Kape 

 (Raro tonga, Easter Island); Ape (Tahiti); Apii, Ape (Hawaii'). 

 Similar to the preceding, but with sagittate ovate leaves, the broadly ovate obtuse 

 basal lobes or auricles distinct to the petiole, the stout nerves prominent above and 

 below, the midrib very broad and conspicuous; flowers with pale greenish yellow 

 spathes, emitting a strong, disagreeable odor; appendix at the end of spadix obtuse, 

 reticulate; berries at base of spadix red when ripe. Very acrid, but, like the preceding 

 species, a food staple in times of scarcity. The Polynesian name of this plant is in 

 the Philippines applied to the common taro (Caladium colocasia). See p. 153. 

 References: 

 Alocasia rnacrorrhiza (L. ) Schott in Schott & Endl. Melet. 18. 1832. 

 Arum macrorrhizum L. Sp. PI. 2:965. 1753. 

 Alom or alum (Guam). See Echinus sp. 

 Alsophila haenkei. See Tree ferns. 

 Alverj a (Spanish). See Pisum sativum. 



Amahadyan or amahayan ( Guam ) . See Boehmeria tenacissima. 

 Amaranth., edible. See Amaranthus oleraceus. 



Amaranthaceae. Amaranth family. 



This family is represented in Guam by the cultivated Gomphrena globosa and the 

 following species of Amaranthus: 



Amaranthus oleraceus. Edible amaranth. 



Family Amaranthaceae. 



Local names. — Halom (Philippines) ; Bledos blancos (Spanish). 

 A glabrous, succulent, weedy plant, growing in waste places, and cultivated as a pot 

 herb in India, China, and other places in the Tropics. Leaves long-petioled, ovate, 

 oblong, or rounded; flowers small, green, growing in axillary clusters and terminal 

 spikes; sepals 3, linear-oblong, stamens 2 or 3; fruit an ovoid utricle, or bladder-like 

 pericarp containing 1 seed, not bursting open. First collected in Guam by Gaudi- 

 chaud. The young and tender shoots are cooked like spinach. 

 References: 

 Amaranthus oleraceus L. Sp. PI. ed. 2. 2: 1403. 1763. 

 Amaranthus spinosus. Spiny pigweed. 



Local names. — Kuletes, Kiletes (Guam, Philippines); Quelite (Mexico); Zepi- 

 nard piquant, Epinard rouge (French Antilles). 

 A glabrous weed with rigid stipular spines at each node of the stem. Stems stout, 

 rigid, sometimes red; leaves long-petioled, ovate, rhombic, or rhombic-lanceolate; 

 flowers in axillary clusters and in long spikes, stamens 5, sepals 5, equaling the awned 

 bracts; utricle thin, wrinkled, splitting open transversely, the top opening like a lid. 

 This plant is of wide tropical distribution. When young it is often used as a pot 

 herb, but it is not cultivated. 

 References: 



Amaranthus spinosus L. Sp. PI. 2: 991. 1753. 

 Amaranthus viridis. Green pigweed. 



Local names. — Kuletes, Kiletes (Guam, Philippines); Eaea mata (Tahiti). 

 A glabrous weed resembling the preceding, but without spines on the stem. Leaves 

 witn long petioles, tip rounded or notched, base truncate or cuneate; flower clusters 



