Flora of Eniwetok — S t. John 
325 
0. 3-0.7 m. long, 3 -parted, then pinnately lobed 
into strap-shaped segments, horizontal; scape 
1-2 m. tall, pale, hollow; flowers in a bracted 
umbel; perianth 15 mm. long, greenish; berry 
20-25 mm. in diameter, globose, finally yellow- 
ish. The tubers were grated and washed by the 
natives to obtain the edible starch. The plant 
is scarce, probably due to dryness. 
Engebi: observed 1949, 5V. John . Rujoru: 13 
August 1949, 5'/. John 23,802; 4 June 1946, 
Taylor 46-1,342. Biijiri: 14 August 1949, St. 
John 23,819. Japtan: 27 May 1946, Taylor 46- 
1,287; 15 May 1946, Posher g 24,333; observed 
1949, St. John. Parry: observed 1944, Bryan. 
Igurin: 9 August 1949, St. John 23,733; 6 Sep- 
tember 1957, Lane 37-128; 9 August 1959, St. 
John 26,313. 
DICOTYLEDONES 
MORACEAE 
34. Ar to carpus incisus (Thunb.) L. f. Me.” 
Trees 7-25 m. X 0.3-1. 5 m., widely branching, 
with milky sap; leaves alternate; petioles 3-8 
cm. long; blades 30-70 cm. long, broadly ellip- 
tic, thick, firm, mostly deeply pinnately lobed; 
staminate flowers in fingerlike spikes 15-30 cm. 
long; pistillate flowers in stalked green round 
heads, producing the greenish aggregate fruits 
15-30 cm. long, rounded, with or without seeds 
in the whitish, edible pulp. Of aboriginal culti- 
vation. 
Japtan: only 1 tree, 8 m. tall, 7 August 1949, 
St. John 23J714; this had vanished by August 
1958, fide St. John. 
URTICACEAE 
35. Pleurya ruderalis (Forst. f.) Gaud."Nen- 
kutkut.” Roots fibrous; plant glabrous, 10-35 
cm. tall; stems fleshy, often becoming reddish; 
petioles 5-40 mm. long; blades 10—55 mm. 
long, broadly deltoid ovate, coarsely crenate; 
peduncles axillary, shorter than the leaves; cymes 
broad, many flowered; sepals 1.5 mm. long; 
achenes 1-1.3 mm. long, broad ovoid, com- 
pressed, the sides rugose. 
Aitsu: 10 March 1954, Palumbo 1,110. En- 
gebi: 18 May 1946, Fosberg 24,399. Biijiri: 14 
August 1949 , 57. John 23,817. Japtan: 15 May 
1946, Fosberg 24,321; 27 May 1946, Taylor 
46-1,297 ; 12 September 1957, Lane 37-144. 
Igurin: 9 August 1958, St. John 26,313 . Rigili: 
1 August 1956, Rainey. 
OLACACEAE 
36. Ximenia americana L. "Kalikelik.” Shrub 
to 4 m. tall, sparsely thorny; herbage glabrous; 
petioles 3-7 mm. long; blades 13-63 mm. long, 
elliptic, entire; cymes 3-1 5 -flowered, 1-2 cm. 
long, axillary; petals 6-10 mm. long; drupes 
25-30 mm. long, ellipsoid, yellow, the flesh 
sour, edible. 
Rujoru: 2 June 1946, Taylor 46-1,331 ; 13 
August I 949 , St. John 23,801. Japtan: 15 May 
194 6, Fosberg 24,319. 
AMARANTHACEAE 
37. Achyranthes aspera L. "Kaleklek.” Short- 
lived herb, 40-100 cm. tall; stem simple or 
sparsely branched, appressed hirsute; leaves op- 
posite; petioles 1-3 cm. long; blades 4-12 cm. 
long, broadly elliptic; spikes terminal 10-25 cm. 
long, dense; perianth of 3 bracts, the body 2.5 
mm. long, the apical spine 2.5 mm. or more 
long; utricle 2.5 mm. long. Introduced weed. 
Aomon: one patch near center, 16 May 1946, 
Fosberg 24,348. 
38. Achyranthes velutina FI. & A. A. canes- 
cens sensu Taylor FI. Bikini; non R. Br. Plant 
herbaceous or at base somewhat woody, 1-3 m. 
tall, conspicuously hairy; petioles 4-15 mm. 
long; blades 8-12 cm. long, ovate to lanceolate, 
acute, cuneate, subappressed villous; spikes 10- 
25 cm. long, the axis densely white lanate; outer 
bracts 4-5 mm. long, the base ovate, scarious, 
the midrib a subulate projecting awn; sepals 
5.5— 6.5 mm. long, lanceolate; flowers ascending; 
fruits reflexed. 
Giriniien; 20 August 1958, Lane 37-108. 
39. Amaranthus dubius Mart. Herb 20-80 
cm. tall, sparsely minutely puberulous, leaves 
alternate; petioles 3-65 mm. long; blades 3-12 
cm. long, ovate, obtuse or acute; inflorescence 
a terminal panicle of spikes, plus numerous axil- 
lary spikes; sepals 1.5-2 mm. long, lanceolate, 
stiff acuminate; seeds 0.8-1 mm. in diameter, 
fat discoid, black, shining. Introduced weed. 
Eniwetok: 6 August 1949, St. John 23,702. 
