32 
Photographs taken by Dr* Galtsoff in 1930 show that the eastern section was 
very nearly solid E. variabilis,' with *some areas of Lepturns and Boerhavia * A 
photograph of the buildings of the pearl fisheries venture shows a Casuarina 
A 
about five feet tall, many plants of Sonchus , and an unidentifiable composite 
'PIcl'Vc 3 El 
which'is apparently no longer present* One view of the western section^ shows 
/ 
a flora of scattered Boerhavia and very sparse Lepturus * Galtsoff ( op * cit* ) 
identified two species of algae from the lagoon, Halimeda and Codium * Ihe 
latter is frequently used as food by sea turtles. He also*mentions 
the planting" of Casuarina and Cocos sp * in 1923, but further states that they 
* 
were all dead or dying by 193°• 
Jones (unpub. manu., 1956) reported that the predominant noncalcareous . 
algae noted at Pearl and Hermes in the summer of" 1956 were Sargassum sp . > 
which grew in clumps in eight to fifteen feet of water within the lagoon. Hie 
* 
genus was not found on the reefs or rocks intertidally. A related genus, 
Turbinaria sp *, was found on the reef flats. He notes.that "the occurrence 
\ 
of these two members of the Sargassace&e at Pearl and Hermes is somewhat 
surprising inasmuch as this family is generally considered to be absent on 
Occasional specimens of Halimeda were seen, and large patches 
atolls 
n 
of blue-green algae on the sands areas within the lagoon were identified as 
* 
probably lyngbya sp», 
Woodside and Kramer (o£. cit .) reported finding the introduction of Setaria 
verticiliata on Southeast Island in, March 1961. Ironwood ( Casuarina ) trees 
were planted on Southeast Island by the U. S. Eavy sometime in 19^3 • As thus 
planting was in violation .of refuge regulations all trees which wqre not 
already dead were destroyed in i$6^-. Setaria was reintroduced with the iron- 
woods in 1963. 
A significant change has occurred in the flora or Southeast Island since 
it was first described in 19^3 and- 1930. 2* variabilis has been reduced from 
I 
fv 
~ .. —- " 
