108 
PACIFIC SCIENCE, Vol. II, April, 1948 
long. Within this low, wet garden, or 
"lepuel,” each family controlled a plot and 
each year fertilized it with leaves and trash. 
The "lepuel” was thickly planted to "Mui- 
ang.” The natives reported that the crop 
matured in 3 years, but could be harvested 
any time after 1 year. If allowed to grow to 
maturity, the corm attained large size, as 
much as 2 m. in length and 6 dm. in diam¬ 
eter and a weight so heavy that two men 
were needed to carry it. Five varieties were 
cultivated, and were known by the follow¬ 
ing vernacular names: 
(1) "Muiang An Ngatik” 
(2) "Muian Sdontol” 
(3 ) "Nane Pakeleman” 
(4) "Simidin” 
(5) "Seriseng” 
The name of No. (1) refers to Ngatik 
Island, a coral island 200 miles westward of 
Pingelap. 
AMARYLLIDACEAE 
16. Crinum asiaticum L.—Cultivated. 
"Kiep.” Observed, not collected. Seen only 
as a cultivated plant in the village. 
Yl.Zephyranthes rosea (Spreng.) Lindl.— 
Cultivated. 
"Kiep.” An ornamental, by the houses; ob¬ 
served, not collected. 
TACCACEAE 
18. Tacca Leontopetaloides (L.) Ktze.—Rev. 
Gen. PI. 704, 1891. 
Leontice Leontopetaloides L., Sp. PL 313, 
1753. 
T. pinnatijida Forst., Char. Gen. 70, t. 35, 
1776. 
"Mugamuk,” 21,480. Cultivated and spon¬ 
taneous. Commonly planted, also persisting 
and spreading in the woods, abundant. Stem 
fibers used in plaiting hats. The tubers are 
an important source of starchy food. They 
are grated, the pulp washed in three changes 
of sea water, washed in fresh water, then 
discarded. The starch which accumulates as 
a sediment is dried and preserved for use as 
food. 
DIOSCOREACEAE 
19. Dioscorea 1 korrorensis R. Knuth 
"Kep,” 21,481. Cultivated in village, the 
stems climbing on a tree. Tuber edible, said 
to attain a maximum size of 1 m. in length, 
and 3 dm. in diameter. The plant was ster¬ 
ile, but the vegetative parts match well those 
of D. korrorensis. 
MUSACEAE 
20. Musa paradisiac a L-—Cultivated in village 
and in the wet "lepuel.” 
"Wis.” Numerous plants were seen and they 
were vigorous and productive. They repre¬ 
sented both the subsp. normalis Ktze. and 
the subsp. sapientum (L.) Ktze., and in¬ 
cluded the following named varieties: 
(1) "Latin” 
(2) "Amerika” 
(3) "Usigaras” 
(4) "Iyeman” 
(5) "Lakatan” 
(6) "Taiwan” 
(7) "Kutkut” 
(8) "Panilo” 
(9) "Manila” 
(10) "Wuseak” 
Obviously Nos. (2), (3), and (9) bear 
names indicating foreign origin, and per¬ 
haps No. (1) does also. No. (5) is the ver¬ 
nacular name on Jaluit Atoll for Pandanus 
Lakatwa Kanehira. No. (2) is reported by 
Lt. Comdr. S. H. Elbert in his Trukese dic¬ 
tionary to be the "Lady Finger” variety. 
PIPERACEAE 
21. Peperomia ponapensis C. DC. 
"Warm,” 21,475. On coral stone wall in 
moist forest, near lagoon beach. Medicinal, 
