Flora of Pingelap—S t. John 
107 
No. (1) resembles the varietal names 
"Ajbirik” of Ailuk Atoll, "Ajibuiruk” of 
Majuro Atoll, and "Agiwirok” of Jaluit 
Atoll in the Marshall Islands. No. (10) re¬ 
sembles "Eruan” of Ailuk Atoll, Utirik Atoll, 
Me jit Island, Majuro Atoll, Namu Atoll, 
Jaluit Atoll, and Likiep Atoll, and "Erwan” 
of Wotje Atoll, and Jaluit Atoll. No. (13) 
resembles "Loarmai” of Ebon Atoll. No. 
(14) resembles "Tibitin” of Majuro Atoll, 
and "Tabatin” or "Tabawdin” of Ebon Atoll. 
HYDROCHARITACEAE 
6. Thalassia Hemprichii (Ehrenb.) Aschers. 
"Walat,” 21,458- Small plants in sand, sub¬ 
merged in shallow sea water off outer beach. 
The young plants were sterile, but by exami¬ 
nation of the foliar anatomy, identification 
was reasonably certain. 
GRAMINEAE 
7. Eragrostis amabilis (L.) Wight & Arn. 
"Rosakai.” Not collected, but observed. 
8. Lepturus repens R. Br. 
"Rosakai” (the name of any grass or grass¬ 
like plant). Observed, but not collected. 
9. Saccharum officinarum L.—Cultivated. 
"Seu.” Observed, but not collected. Small 
clumps were grown by the huts or houses in 
the village, and occasional plants were seen 
in the extensive wet field or "lepuel” for 
Cyrtosperma culture. The vernacular names 
of the five cultivated varieties were: 
(1) "Kala” 
(2) "Sowesasa” 
(3) "Palau” 
(4) "Teimos” 
(5) "Ieseng” 
lO.Thuarea involuta (Forst. f.) R. & S. 
"Mokarak,” 21,465. Repent on sands near 
beach. 
CYPERACEAE 
11. Cyperus javanicus Houtt. 
"Sapasap,” 21,471. Edge of fresh swamp. 
Used to perfume coconut oil. 
12. Fimbristylis cymosa R. Br. 
"Rosakai,” 21,491. In woods by lagoon 
beach. 
PALMAE 
13. Cocos nucifera L.—Cultivated and spon¬ 
taneous. 
"Ni.” Observed, but not collected, abundant. 
Various growth stages of the nut are named, 
as: 
"Pen,” the drinking nut, or two-thirds 
grown 
"Aring,” the ripe nut 
"Par,” the sprouted nut 
ARACEAE 
14. Colo cast a esculenta (L.) Schott var. anti¬ 
quorum (Schott) Hubb. & Rehd.—Cul¬ 
tivated. 
"Sawa.” Observed, but not collected. A few 
plants were seen, but they were grown in 
the Cyrtosperma "lepuel” almost as speci¬ 
mens. It is a crop of very minor importance. 
The seven following varieties were distin¬ 
guished by name: 
(1) "Bokor” 
(2) "Tawang” [PTaiwan] 
(3) "Mesawsol” 
(4) "Koso” 
(5) "Sawa Pingelap” 
(6) "Sauk” 
(7) "Pemeru” 
15. Cyrtosperma Chamissonis (Schott) Merr. 
—Cultivated. 
"Muiang.” Observed, but not collected. The 
most important food crop. Near the center 
of the island was a large swamp that possi¬ 
bly had been enlarged by digging. It seemed 
to be 300 feet wide and more than 600 feet 
