DESCRIPTIVE CATALOGUE. 211 



with a hard, bony stone, which is trigonous or three-lobed, terminating at each end 

 in a sharp point. The stone or nut is called "pili," or almond, in the Philippines. 



This tree has been sparingly introduced into Guam. In his Islas Marianas ( Manila, 

 1887) Don Francisco Olive y Garcia gives a catalogue of the trees growing on the 

 island and mentions a single specimen of brea. This, however, is important, since it 

 shows that the climate and soil of Guam are suitable for its propagation. 

 References: 



Canarium indicum Stickman, Herb. Amb. 1754; Amoen. Acad. 4:143. 1759. 

 Canarium commune L. Mant. 1 : 127. 1767. 

 Canavali ensiforme. Sword bean. Sabre bean. 



Family Fabaceae. 



Local names. — Akankan (Guam); Palang-palang (Philippines); Horsebean 

 (Jamaica); Jack bean (Brit. W. Indies). 

 A twining creeper; leaves pinnately trifoliolate, leaflets cordate-ovate, ovate-oblong, 

 or ovate, rather acute; flowers in axillary racemes, the peduncles and racemes each 

 7.5 to 15 cm. long; corolla purplish or white, papilionaceous, more than twice as long 

 as the calyx; calyx deep, the limb 2-lipped, the upper lip projecting, entire or 

 emarginate, the lower shortly 3-toothed; pod 15 to 25 cm. long, linear-oblong, 

 flatfish, with a distinct rib on each valve near the upper suture, 8 to 12 seeded; 

 seeds white, ovoid-oblong, subcompressed. 



Common in thickets and hedges everywhere in the Tropics. In Guam the racemes 

 of purple flowers are conspicuous by the roadsides. The vernacular name Akankan 

 signifies "molar teeth," from the appearance of the seeds. In some countries it is 

 cultivated for the sake of its long esculent pods, the white-flowered and white-seeded 

 varieties being considered the best for this purpose. It is a perennial. Though the 

 pods are coarse in appearance, when sliced and boiled they are tender and scarcely 

 inferior to French beans. « The mature beans roasted and ground have been used in 

 Texas as a substitute for coffee. They are indigestible unless deprived of their outer 

 skin. Experiments have proved these beans to be unsuitable for stock food. & 

 References: 



Canavali ensiforme (L.) DC. Prod. 2: 404. 1825, as Canavalia ensiformis. 

 Dolichos ensiformis L. Sp. PI. 2: 725. 1753. 

 Canavali obtusifolium. Seaside bean. 



Local names. — Akankan-tasi (Guam); Palang-palang (Philippines); Mata de 

 la Playa (Porto Rico); Mata de Costa (Cuba). 

 A glabrous perennial creeper; leaves pinnately trifoliolate, leaflets thicker than those 

 of the preceding species, obovate, obtuse, or sometimes emarginate; racemes few- 

 flowered, usually overtopping the leaves; flowers in axillary racemes, corolla pur- 

 plish; pod oblong, few-seeded, 10 to 12.5 cm. long; seeds usually chestnut-colored, 

 opaque, ovoid, subcompressed. 



A strand plant widely distributed on tropical shores. In Guam, as in most places, 

 it is associated with the goat's-foot convolvulus (Ipomoea pes-caprae) . It is useful as 

 a binder of loose sand. 

 References: 



Canavali obtusifolium (Lam.) DC. Prod. 2:404. 1825, as Canavalia ensiformis. 

 Dolichos obtusifolius Lam. Encyc. 2: 295. 1786. 

 Canavalia. See Canavali. 

 Cancion (Guam). 



A young coconut having a sweetish, edible rind. 

 Candlenut. See Aleurites moluccana. 



« Firminger, Man. Gardening for Bengal, ed. 4, p. 156. 



t> Lloyd and Moore. Feeding for beef. Mississippi Bull. , No. 39, p. 166, Aug., 1896. 



