The Vegetation 
On the west slopes of the island is a solid stand of Boerhavia— 
Lepturus with high density of nesting thne-gray Nbddies, Hawaiian Noddies 
and Common Roddies. Also common in this vegetation type were nesting 
fairy "ferns, Christmas Island Shearwaters and Wedgetailed Shearwaters# 
The Lepturus on the west side averages between 6cm# high. The 
Boerhavia is very thick with stems to 1.2 m. long and very green. The 
Lepturus on the east side of the island above the lagoon in pockets of 
sandy soil averages.8-1.1 m. in height with a thick tangle of stolons 
which have formed new tufts. The width of the Sesuvium mat is highly 
variable depending on the angle of the slope measured from the lagoon 
edge. On the west side the slope is gentle so that in some areas the 
Sesuvium mat is 9 m. wide. On the slope above a mixture of Sesuvi iim 
and Lepturus occurs with a width of 4®« On the slope above an almost 
solid stand of Lepturus covers the sandy soil. BluefacedHBoobies nest 
in the mat area on the SW side. Common in such areas are "pockets" 
which have been laid bard” by the nesting activities of this species. 
A ring of freshly deposited guano surrounds the nest. The bare coral 
rubble ridges at the south end support Portulac a lutea . As one walks 
up this slope from the lagoon depending again on the angle of the slope 
one passes through a Sesuvium mat with Lepturus and Boerhavia above 
and then coral rubble with Portulaca . At some spots along the south 
edge one can walk from the dry lagoon up to the Lepturus - Boerhavia 
- no mat being present. Ho Boerhavia plants were seen with lavender 
flowers, dark green, coriaceous leaves or heavily anthocyanized stems. 
Lepturus appears very robust in areas just above the lagoon where seepage 
occursJ^On the south end the Lepturus and Sida are flattened. In the 
more exposed sites the Lepturus forms shorter, more compact clumps 
which are often brown and dry in appearance. A transect from the south 
beach to the lagoon revealed the following sequence of plant species 
and associations* beachrock, Lepturus*.Portulaca. Lepturus — Portulaca — 
Sida — Boerhavia. Lepturus—Portulaca. bare, Lepturus - Portulaca. 
Lepturus - Sesuvium. Sesuvium. bare lagoon floor. On the HW side occurs 
a thick stand of Sida to 1m. high. The plants^ were deciduous during 
the dry period. Redfooted boobies and lesser srigatebirds nest on the 
Sida or on the Lepturus toward the lagoon,, edge. The Lepturus was heavily 
matted in the nesting sites. The i^eser ifrigatebirds use Boerhavia stems 
placed in a circular pattern for the nests built on the ground. An area 
of the Sesuvium mat several square meters in size was surveyed for flowers 
which variwtr from white to a light lavender. White seems most common. 
The Portulaca lutea flowers showed the following variation* flowers with 
petals 5 "to 7 in number, 3tamens from 22 to 54 in number. Only two seed¬ 
lings of the species represented were observed; Sesuvium and Sida . The 
largest accumulation of humus was found around the edges and beneath 
coral slabs. Hermit crab burrowB led under the slab. These areas^were 
more moist than the surrounding matrix of coral sand and gravel^lun the 
in end Boerhavia and Lepturus form the dominant association. Portulaca 
Is found in a narrqjr band in sand pockets amid coral talus. Beachrock 
is exposed on the H)tip. The reef on the W, H and IJe! sides is veay abrupt. 
The surge channels are worn smooth bu constant wave action. Algae were 
collected from the SW reef wherr beachrock ha 3 potholes with a mat of 
algae. Two seeps at the edge of the lagoon on the (SE,side poured water 
into the lagoon floor during a high tide beginning about 12*10 PM, Hov— 
ember 4, 1964. On the /SE /edge of the lagoon a small depression which 
appeared scooped out was found. Around this were numerous rabbit droppings. 
Rabbits were observed eating Sida and Sesuvium leaves. One seep also 
occurs at the north end of the lagoon. Se suvium f lowers with four petals 
