V 
.4 
* Botanical Information contained in the notes and reports of the Hawaiian Department 
of Fish and Game. 
Period of observation Observations 
May 27 June 4, 1958. Laysan Island is no longer the wind-swept, devegetated desert 
that in was in the days immediately predeeding the catastrophic 
Schlemmer period. Those species of plants which were not 
completely lost are now replenishing themselves, and an equilibrium is slowly being 
reached. There are still large areas devoid of any plant species and where the wind 
has carried away the sand to reveal casts of pre-existing root‘systems, indicating some 
sort of vegetative cover during earlier times. 
Walking from the lagoon shore to the ocean's edge, one first encounters mats of 
succulent Portulaca, stained purple from the small blossoms which are in profusion at 
that season of the year, and in some places a strip of Sedge. Next one traverses a 
broad band of Beach Morning Glory growing in a lush tangle 12 to 1 6 inches deep. This 
thins out as the sand slopes up from the water table, eventually being replaced by 
clumps of Bunch Grass interspersed with Boerhaavia. At the outer edge of the vegetated 
zone is a broken ring of Scaevola which seems less reluctant to face the salt-spray 
of the encircling ocean. There are local variations in this pattern, but the 
dominant theme, and the pattern upon which the ecologies of the various bird species 
are overlaid, is the above. 
(From an unpublished report by Warner, 1958) 
Mar. 7 - 8 , 1961 There appeared to have been a severe storm during the past 
winter season from the condition of the lagoon and the 
vegetation around the lagoon. Large waves had washed com¬ 
pletely over the low portions of the southeast end of the island, carrying numerous 
glass fishing floats into the lagoon and central part of the island. The stomm appeared 
to have been mostly from the southwest as the vegetation at the north end of the lagoon 
was in some places covered with sand and large shrubs were knocked down or beaten back 
as far as twenty yards from the northeast edge of the la goon. 
The coconut trees which were planted by Richard Warner — 
in 1958 have become established at two places. There is one grove of trees (seven) 
near the southeast end of the lagoon and another grove of some 13 trees in the"” 
northwest part of the island, which have reached a height of about 13 feet. The growth 
of these trees should not hamper any of the nesting birds and may provide additional 
nesting sites for the Fairy Terns, (from unpub.rept. by Woodside and Kramer) 
Sept. 1961 (Lamoureux would have data) 
June 1962 Vegetation is up to four feet in height with the dominant 
species being an Eragrostis and a Scaevola . Vegetation is 
much more lush and higher than normal on Laysan this year 
according to biologist Kramer. Wo doubt this is due to above normal precipitation. 
The nearest weather station at Tern Island recorded more rain the past six months 
than is normal for the entire year. Several newly introduced plants appear to be 
making headway on the island, including potatoes and onions which were apparently ^ ■ 
thrown out as garbage in the form of peelings by military personnel or other campers. 
—The potatoes and onions were pulled where found. Tobacco , introduced many years 
ago, is extending itself as well as an introduced shrub which is about three feet 
high. (From unpublished Report by Marshall, 1962) 
Vegetation 
As with Wihoa, it would appear that rains have been continuous throughout the 
winter and spring months. Based on vegetative growth and species distribution it would 
appear that the past year has been a good one for Laysan. In September of 1961 , Wood- 
side reported finding Wama in fair abundance on the windblown slopes on the north and 
