3 
4 
In comparing past accounts of the vegetation^ it appears that the 
composition has remained fairly constant over the years. Probably,, 
differences can be attributed to the amount of rainfall previous to 
the visit. The vegetation cover was sparse in August^ 1968; at no 
place were there dense stands of any species. Plants were restricted 
primarily to the top of the island,, with some intermittently distributed 
on the natural terraces lower on the side. There were five species of 
vascular plants* 
Panicurn torridum . As would be expected, the amount and distribution 
of this annual grass have varied more than those of the other four 
phanerogams. Christophersen and Caum (2) report that it was fairly 
■v 
common on the north side of the main island in 1923^ but one year later 
only two clumps were seen. In 1962 (10) small tufts were found everywhere 
on the island r s crest, while in 1968 the grass was found in moderate 
numbers only^ and these primarily on Bowl Hill. The short growing 
period, the rapid wearing of dead tufts by the sea birds and the 
ease by which the wind can disperse the densely vestured spikelets can 
explain the varied distribution patterns. 
Chenopodium oahuense . Since 1923^ at least^ it has been the most 
common plant on Necker. Christophersen and Caum list it as being 
"abundant on the sloping sides^, but rare on the flat top. M In 1968 
Chenopodium formed an almost pure stand in the saddle between Flagpole 
and Summit Hills; it was abundant on the portion east of this region, 
but somewhat less common on the tops of the hills than on the sloping 
sides and the saddle between them. It occurred in small amounts on 
the top of Flagpole Hill and was rare on both Annexation Hill and 
Northwest Cape. 
