C.R. Long 
1964 
The Vegetation of Midway Island, Eastern Island 
The predominant vegetation of Eastern Island is composed of the 
following species and species associations: 
1. ) Casuarina equisitifolia L. 
2. ) Scaevola sericea (Vahl.) - Messerschmidtia argentea 
(L.f.) Johnston 
5.) Pluchea odorata (L.) Cass. 
4. ) Lobularia maritima (L.) Desv. 
5. ) Fimbristylis cymosa R.Br. 
Less prominent but occupying areas so fully as to constitute a temporal 
dominance are: 
6. ) Verbesina encelioides A. Gray 
7. ) Gnaphalium sandwichensium Gaud. 
Area I*- 
(bounded by the nw end of the nw-se runway and by the ne end of the| 
ne-sw runway including north point of island.) Small clumps of 
Scaevola along nw and ne shore. The remainder of the area is 
sparcely vegetated with Lobularia , Gnaphalium , and Cynodon (near 
edge of runway). Large colony of nesting sooty terns (with eggs). 
Area II - (bounded by ne end of ne-sw runway mid part of nw-se runway and 
end of ew runway.) Along the shore is found Messerschmidtia - 
Scaevola extending several score of yards into the interior 
of the island. The association is not continuous but broken by 
several open areas extending from the shore into an area covered 
by low herbs. Along the edge of the nw-se runway a large patch 
of Eimbristylis (south portion) and several small patches of 
same in nw portion where observed. Present also were Eleusine , 
Gnaphalium , and Lobularia . The sooty terns colony occupied an 
area synonymous with that of the larger Fimbristylis stand and 
was "overflowing” into other bare areas to the north. Several 
dozen nesting albatrosses were also seen in the area. At the 
east end of the ew runway is a solid Messerschmidtia stand. 
Area III- 
(bounded by north end of ew runway, on the west by nw-se runway.) 
Messerschmidtia along shore and on se end Scaevola . Isolated 
clumps of Casuarina along runway. In open area between Messer ¬ 
schmidtia and the runway are solid stands of Verbesina . Also 
present are Ipomoea, Gnaphalium, and Lobularia. 
* Refer to vegetation map of midway Island, Eastern Island constructed by 
C.R. Long from observations and field notes taken between May 22-26, 1964. 
