The Vegetation 
About half of the land area Of Hecker Island is covered with vegetation 
composed of the following species associations: Seshania - Chenopodium, 
Portulaca - Chenopodium - Panicum and pure stands of Seshania and Sesuvium . 
On the south side steep cliffs fall almost sheer into the sea and the 
vegetation is therefore limited to above 100 foot altitudes. On the north 
side the vegetation is found intermittently at the 50 foot level and above 
except in those places where the cliff is too steep to provide even soil 
pockets. Some of the Steep north slopes are clothed with a solid stand 
of Chenopodium . Most of the Seshania is found near the upper areas of the 
four hills in sheltered sites or if in the open the plants are prostrate. 
The only Sesuvium found on the island occurred on the crumbly volcanic 
rock on the south side of the saddle between Annexation and Flagpole Hills. 
It was not abundant as reported by Christopher sen and Caum in!193l. The 
white form of Portulaca lutea was found on the island by Dr. J. Beardsley. 
