92 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, VoL XIII, January 1959 
Vernacular Names 
The people of the Namonuito and Hall 
islands are culturally and linguistically close to 
the Trukese. The plant names recorded here 
are frequently identical with, or at least simi- 
lar to, the Trukese names; but variations in 
pronunciation, especially in certain charac- 
teristic consonant changes, will be frequently 
noted. The spelling used here is only an ap- 
proach to the actual pronunciation, but 
should be understandable if the following 
rules are followed: the vowels are pronounced 
as in Spanish, except that a is the short sound, 
as in the English "fat”; 6, with the umlaut, is 
equivalent to the German sound of o or oe; 
the r is rolled; j, ch, and sh are more or less 
equivalent and interchangeable sounds, de- 
pending on locale and other factors; k and g 
are similarly often interchangeable; and the 
consonants 1, n, and r, are very flexible, and 
interchange or supersede each other from 
area to area. A few differences in the spoken 
language between Namonuito, Nomwin, and 
Murilo occur, mostly in pronunciation, and 
even between different islets of Namonuito 
Atoll (which may be out of sight of each 
other, over the horizon). For example, the 
edible pandanus variety called "kenlau” in 
Ulul is "kinlau,” "killau,” "kirau,” or "gen- 
lau” in other islets; and on Truk it may be 
called "killau,” "sillau,” or even "sinnau.” 
It must be cautioned that the names given are 
very local. For further information on the 
Trukese language, consult Samuel H. Elbert’s 
Trukese-Engllsh Dictionary published by the 
U. S. Naval Military Government. 
Check-list 
The catalog of the flora is brief and includes 
no descriptions or full synonymies. However, 
a key is supplied to aid in the identification of 
species. Most of the plants are well known 
and widely distributed, but a few present 
problems of nomenclature or identification 
which are indicated. 
The families are arranged according to 
Engler and Prantl merely for convenience. 
The original source of the species description 
or combination is given for each plant. 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 
The author is indebted to many persons for 
the opportunity to visit these isolated islands 
and for the taxonomic information and usage 
here recorded; especially to Dr. Harold St. 
John, of the University of Hawaii, whose 
National Science Foundation research project 
on Eandanus provided the means for the ex- 
pedition, and whose papers, manuscripts, and 
unstinting assistance in many problems have 
been of inestimable value. I am indebted also 
to Miss Marie C. Neal, of the Bernice P. 
Bishop Museum, for certain determinations, 
and to various published sources. I would like 
to express thanks to the High Commissioner 
of the Trust Territory, Mr. D. H. Nucker, to 
the district personnel, and to Captain W. 
Jennings, of the M/V "Baker” of the Truk 
district. 
KEY TO THE SPECIES 
Though most of these plants are familiar to botanists, I have included this key for the use 
of anyone who may visit these islands. The key is of course highly artificial, and should not 
be used in other areas; it is not technical, and certain oversimplifications and omissions of 
more fundamental characters will be overlooked, I hope, in the interest of simplicity. 
Group I. Ferns 
Flowerless plants bearing spores usually as a brown powder in sporangia grouped in sori as 
round dots, long lines, or solid masses, on the backs of the fronds or pinnae 
Fronds simple, up to several feet long, forming a large rosette; sori in long oblique 
lines . Asplenium 
Fronds lobed or divided 
