352 USEFUL PLANTS OF GUAM. 



Phyllanthus nivosus. Rosy-leaved phyllanthus. 



A shrub used extensively in the tropics as an ornamental hedge-plant, in its culti- 

 vated form (variety roseopictus) having variegated green, white, and pink leaves. 

 Leaves arranged in 2 lateral rows on small branchlets which have the appearance of 

 pinnately compound leaves; flowers small, greenish, apetalous, discoid, hanging by 

 their pedicels from the leaf-axils. 



A number of plants obtained from Mr. David Haughs, of the Honolulu Botanical 

 Gardens, were introduced into Guam by the writer. They grew well and were left 

 in a flourishing condition. In Honolulu beautiful hedges are made of this Phyllan- 

 thus. They are easily kept in a good compact condition by clipping, and the light 

 pinkish foliage offers a pleasing contrast with darker-leaved shrubs. 

 References: 

 Phyllanthus nivosus Bull. Cat. 9. 1873; W. G. Smith, Flor. Mag. N. S. t. 120. 

 1874. 



Phyllanthus urinaria. Phyllanthus. 



A diffusely branched erect or decumbent herb (sometimes perennial), glabrous or 

 nearly so, the stem and branches angled. Leaves variable in size, 4 to 16 mm. long, 

 sessile, distichously imbricate (in 2 rows), lanceolate, oblong or linear-oblong, tip 

 rounded or apiculate, stipules peltate; flowers very minute, male smaller than female, 

 axillary, subsessile; sepals ciliolate; filaments very short, free; ovary densely granu- 

 late; styles short, free, 2-fid; fruit echinate; seeds transversely furrowed. 



Collected in Guam by Gaudichaud. Its medicinal properties are the same as those 

 of P. niruri. 



References : 



Phyllanthus urinaria L. Sp. PI. 2: '982. 1753. 



Phyllaurea variegata. Variegated croton. 



Family Euphorbiaceae. 



Local names. — San Francisco, Buena Vista (Guam, Philippines); Saguilaki 

 (Philippines). 

 An ornamental plant with bright-colored leaves varying greatly in form and color- 

 ing. Flowers monoecious, usually in racemes of one sex, rarely a female at the base 

 of a male raceme; males small, clustered, females solitary; males with small petals 

 and many stamens; females without petals, calyx 5-lobed, ovary 3-celled. 



Much planted by the natives in a line near their houses, so as to receive the drip- 

 pings from the eaves. The commonest form is one having variegated green and 

 yellow leaves. Other forms occur with red and orange coloring. 

 References: 

 Phyllaurea variegata (L. ). 

 Croton variegatum L. Sp. PL 2: 1199. 1753. 

 Phyllaurea codiaeum Lour. Fl. Cochinch. 2: 575. 1790. 

 Codiaeum variegatum Blume, Bijdr. 606. 1825. 



Phyniatodes phymatodes. Oak-leaved fern. Plate lxiil 



Family Polypodiaceae. 

 Local names. — Kahlau (Guam); Lau mangamanga (Samoa). 



A climbing fern, with pinnatifid or deeply lobed fronds resembling great oak leaves. 

 Rhizome wide-creeping, woody, the scales dark brown, fibrillose; stipes firm, erect, 

 glossy; fronds varying from simple oblong-lanceolate to pinnately lobed, often cut 

 down to a broadly-winged rachis into numerous entire acuminate lanceolate-oblong 

 lobes; texture coriaceous; both sides naked; no distinct main veins; areolae fine, 

 with copious free veinlets; sori large, more or less immersed, 1 or 2-serial or scattered. 



Common in the forests of Guam and growing on stone walls and the tiled roofs of 



