ATOLL RESEARCH BULLETIN NO. 134

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ATOLL RESEARCH BULLETIN NO. 134

PLANTS COLLECTED ON ISLANDS I N THE WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN DURING A CRUISE OF THE M.F.R.V. "MANIHINE," SEPT.

-

OCT. 1967

b y M . D . Gwynne and D . Wood

I s s u e d by

THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION Washington, D . C . , U . S . A .

A u g u s t 15, 1969

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PLANTS COLLECTED ON ISLANDS IN THE WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN DUR- ING A CRUISE OF THE M.F.R.V. "MANIHINE," SEPT.-OCT. 1967

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by M. D. Gwynne - and D . Wood -

INTRODUCTION

The i s l a n d s covered by t h i s account l i e i n t h e Western I n d i a n Ocean between l a t i t u d e s SOS

-

10°S and l o n g i t u d e s 46'E

-

57'E. They a r e , i n o r d e r o f v i s i t i n g , Remire (REM i n t h e f o l l o w i n g t a b l e ) , Daros (DAR, i n c l u d i n g t h e i s l a n d s o f Ressource, Fouquet and S t . J o s e p h ) , Desroches (DES), Coetivy (COE), Farquhar (FAR, i n c l u d i n g I l e du Nord, I l e du Sud

& G o B l e t t e ) , Cosmoledo (COS, i n c l u d i n g Menai & Grand I l e ) , Astove (AST)

and Assomption (ASS). Aldabra was a l s o v i s i t e d b u t was n o t i n c l u d e d on t h e l i s t . These i s l a n d s a r e a l l "low" i s l a n d s , t h e h i g h e s t p o i n t on a l l b e i n g t h e t o p s of sand dunes. The g e o l o g i c a l s t r u c t u r e h a s been d e t a i l e d by Baker (1963) who c l a s s e s Remire, Daros, Desroches, Coetivy and Farquhar a s sand cays and Cosmoledo, Astove and Assomption a s r a i s e d r e e f - r o c k i s l a n d s .

B o t a n i c a l l y t h e i s l a n d s o f t h e Western I n d i a n Ocean have r e c e i v e d mixed coverage. The "high" i s l a n d s such a s M a u r i t i u s and t h e g r a n i t e i s l a n d s of t h e main S e y c h e l l e s group have a t t r a c t e d a t t e n t i o n because o f t h e i r commercial importance and i n t e r e s t i n g f l o r a . The r a i s e d r e e f - r o c k i s l a n d s have been r e l a t i v e l y w e l l v i s i t e d because o f t h e i r endemi.~

f l o r a and fauna. This i s p a r t i c u l a r l y t r u e of Aldabra--the l a r g e s t o f t h e "low" l s l a n d s . ^'

The f l o r a o f t h e sand cays i s comparatively l i t t l e known, t h e most r e c e n t s y s t e m a t i c account b e i n g by Hemsley (1919). Other r e f e r e n c e s t o a c c o u n t s of t h e f l o r a o f i s l a n d s covered by t h e p r e s e n t l i s t a r e t o b e found i n Blake and Atwood (1942), P e t e r s (1957) and S t o d d a r t (1967).

The f o l l o w i n g l i s t i s by no means a complete account o f t h e f l o r a o f any of t h e i s l a n d s v i s i t e d . T h i s i s p a r t i c u l a r l y s o o f Farquhar, Cosmoledo, Astove and Assomption, where a combination o f a s h o r t s t a y on t h e i s l a n d s and a low p r o p o r t i o n of t h e p l a n t s i n f l o w e r produced a c o l l e c t i o n c o m p a r a t i v e l y meager i n r e l a t i o n t o what must be t h e t o t a l f l o r a o f t h e s e i s l a n d s .

1 '

E a s t African A g r i c u l t u r e and F o r e s t r y Research O r g a n i s a t i o n , Muguga, Kenya.

/

Royal Botanic Gardkn, Edinburgh, S c o t l a n d .

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The arrangement o f t h e angiosperm f a m i l i e s i n t h e t a b l e f o l l o w s t h a t o f Hutchinson (1926 & 1934). T h i s i s t h e sequence used a t t h e E a s t A f r i c a n Herbarium, N a i r o b i , where t h e c o l l e c t i o n was i d e n t i f i e d . If a s p e c i e s was n o t r e p r e s e n t e d i n t h e East A f r i c a n Herbarium it was i d e n t i f i e d from d e s c r i p t i o n s a l o n e . Numbers i n t h e t a b l e a r e Gwynne &

Wood c o l l e c t i n g numbers. Most o f t h e s e a r e d e p o s i t e d i n t h e E a s t A f r i c a n Herbarium (EA). "S" s i g n i f i e s a s i g h t r e c o r d o n l y .

LIST OF PLANTS

REM DAR DES COE FAR COS AST ASS

PTERIDOPHYTES Psilotum nudum

(L.) Beauv.

Acrostichum aureum L.

Asplenium n i d u s L . Nephrolepis

b i s e r r a t a (Sw.)

S c h o t t 890

Phymatodes s c o l o - p e n d r i a (Bum.) Ching

P t e r i s t r i p a r t i t a Swart z

ANGIOSPERMS LAURACEAE

Cassytha f i l i f o r - m i s L .

-

⁸⁹⁹ ⁹⁴³ ^S ^S ^S ^S

948

HERNANDIACEAE Hernandia

s o n o r a L . S 922 1041 1165 S

954

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3

REM DAR DES COE FAR COS AST ASS TURNERACEAE

Turnera ulmi-

folia L. 897 927 - 950

CAPPARIDACEAE Capparis carti-

laeinea Decne Cleome strigosa (Boj

. )

Oliv.

Cleome viscosa L. 859 Gynandropsis gynan-

dra (L.) Briq.

- MORINGACEAE Moringa oleifera

Lam.

CRASSULACEAE Bryophyllum pin-

natum (Lam.)

- Kurz . ¹⁰¹⁴

A1 ZOACEAE

Sesuvium portulacas- trum (L.) L.

-

PORTULACACEAE Portulaca

oleracea L. 90 1 AMARANTHACEAE

Achyranthes

aspera L. 902 1060 Alternanthera

sessilis R. Br.

Amaranthus dubius

Mart. 860

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REM DAR DES COE FAR COS AST ASS ZYGOPHYLLACEAE

T r i b u l u s c i s -

-

t o i d e s L . LYTHRACEAE Pemphis a c i d u l a

F o r s t . 955

980 1058 NYCTAGINACEAE

Boerhavia coc- c i n e a M i l l .

-

Boerhavia d i f -

f u s a L. 877

-

886

M i r a b i l i s j a l a p a L .

P i s o n i a g r a n d i s R . B r .

PASS1 FLORACEAE P a s s i f l o r a

f o e t i d a L . P a s s i f l o r a

s u b e r o s a L . 876

CUCURBITACEAE Cucumis melo L . C u c u r b i t a L . Mukia maderaspa-

t a n a (L.) Roem.

-

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REM DAR DES COE FAR COS AST ASS LECYTHIDACEAE

B a r r i n g t o n i a a s i a t i c a ( L . ) Kur z

COMBRETACEAE

T e r m i n a l i a

catap-

L . 907

RHIZOPHORACEAE Bruguiera gymnor-

r h i z a (L.) Lam.

-

Rhizophora mucro- n a t a Lam.

-

GUTTI FERAE

Calophyllum

-

i n o -

phyllum L. 866

TI LIACEAE

Grewia s a l i c i f o l i a Schinz ( v e l . s p . a f f . )

T r i u m f e t t a procum- bens F o r s t .

-

MALVACEAE

Abutilon m a u r i t i - anum (Jacq.)

-

Medic. 870

Gossypium h i r s u t w n L . S i d a p a r v i f o l i a

-

DC

.

⁸⁵⁵ ⁹⁷² ¹⁰³⁵ ¹¹⁶⁶ ¹²¹⁰ ^S ¹³¹³

S i d a r h o m b i f o l i a L . 1027 T h e s p e s i a populnea

(L.) C o r r . 868

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'Ihespesia

popul-

neoides (Roxb.) K o s t e l .

ERYTHROXYLACEAE Erythroxylon a c r a n -

thum Hems 1.

-

EUPHORBIACEAE

Acalypha i n d i c a L. 874

Euphorbia cyatho-

phora

Murr

.

Euphorbia h i r t a L . 856 1023 Euphorbia

pros-

t r a t a A i t . 861

-

Euphorbia s p . P e d i l a n t h u s t i t h y -

maloides (L.)

P o i t . 905

P h v l l a n t h u s maderaspaten- s i s L .

-

⁸⁸¹ ⁹⁷⁵ ¹⁰⁴⁰ ¹⁰⁹⁰ ¹²¹² ¹³²⁵

989 1050 1158

P h y l l a n t h u s

amarus Schum.

6

Thonn

.

887

Ricinus communis L .

S

S CAESALPINIACEAE

C a e s a l p i n i a bonduc ( L . ) Roxb. 864 C a s s i a occiden-

t a l i s L . 863

-

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REM

Tamarindus i n d i c a L . MIMOSACEAE

Adenanthera pavonina L . Leucaena leucoce-

phala

(Lam.)

de W i t 888

PAPILIONACEAE Canavalia c a t h a r -

tics Thouars

-

G l i r i c i d i a sepiwn ( J a c q . ) S t e u d . Sesbania s e r i c e a

( W i l l d . ) Link CASUARINACEAE

Casuarina e q u i s e t i - f o l i a L . 891

-

MORACEAE Ficus s p .

-

UKTICACEAE

P i p t u r u s a r g e n t e u s Wedd.

Laportea a e s t u a n s

(L.) Chew 906

CELASTRACEAE Maytenus senega-

l e n s i s (Lam.) Exe 11

SALVADORACEAE

7

DAR DES COE FAR COS AST ASS

1087

Azima t e t r a c a n t h a Lam.

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8

S a l v a d o r a

angus-

t i f o l i a T u r r i l l

Colubrina a s i a t i c a (L.) Brongn.

S c u t i a myrtina

(Burm. f . ) Kurz 1244 1294

SIiMAROUBACEAE

S u r i a n a maritima L . 937 1037 1128 1187 S 9 79

SAPOTACEAE Sideroxylon

inerme L . APOCYNACEAE

Vinca r o s e a L .

--

⁸⁵⁷ ⁹⁵¹

1028 ASCLEPIADACEAE

P l e u r o s t e l m a cernuum (Decne.) Bullock

Sarcostemn~a viini- n a l e R . B r .

-

Secamone f r y e r i Iiems 1.

RUBIACEAE G u e t t a r d a

s p e c i o s a L . 869 930 1037 944B

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Morinda

c i t r i f o l i a L . Oldenlandia

congesta B a l f . f . COMPOSITAE

9

Bidens p i l o s a L. 880 956 1005 G a i l l a r d i a s p .

Launaea i n t y b a c e a ( J a c q . ⁾ Beauv.

Launaea sarmentosa (Willd.) 0 . Ktze

Vernonia c i n e r e a (L.) Less.

Vernonia a l d a b r e n - s i s Hemsl.

-

PLUMBAGINACEAE Plumbago a p h y l l a

B o i s s . LOBELIACEAE

Isotoma l o n g i f l o r a (L.) P r e s l

GOODENIACEAE Scaevola t a c c a d a

( G a e r t n . ) Roxb. 865 977 S 1141 S S

BORAGINACEAE Cordia s u b c o r d a t a

Lam. 867 921

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10

T o u r n e f o r t i a

a r g e n t e a L . f . 903 SOLANACEAE

Datura mete1 L.

-

⁸⁸²

Solanum nigrum L . 875 CONVOLVULACEAE

Evolvulus

a l s i n o i d e s (L.) L . Ipomoea p e s - c a p r a e

(L.) R . B r . 894 Ipoinoea t u b a

-

( S c h l e c h t .) Don

SCROPHULARIACEAE S t r i g a a s i a t i c a

( L . ) 0 . Ktze

ACANTHACEAE A s y s t a s i a

b o j e r i a n a Nees

Hypoestes

? a l d a b r e n s i s Bak

.

VERBENACEAE Avicennia marina

(Forsk .) Vierh.

Phyla n o d i f l o r a

(L.) Greene 878 1003 S 1092 S

Pren~na o b t u s i f o l i a R . B r .

S t a c h y t a r p h e t a

j a m a i c e n s i s L . 862 S S 1157

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REM HYDROCWARITACEAE Thalassia hemprichii

(Ehrenb

.)

Aschers .

ZANNICHELLIACEAE Cymodocea ciliata

Aschers .

854 898

Cymodocea sp.

Halodule uninervis (Forsk .

⁾

^Aschers .

Syringodium isoetifolium

(Aschers

.)

Dandy

Commelina ?diffusa Burm. f.

896

LILIACEAE

Asparagus sp .

Lomatophyllum borbonicum Willd ARACEAE

Alocasia macror- rhiza (L.) Schott -

Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott

C r i n m angustum Roxb .

AGAVACEAE Agave sp.

-

D M DES COE FAR COS AST ASS

Furcraea sp.

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REM DAR DES COE FAR COS AST ASS PALMAE

Cocos n u c i f e r a L . S S S S S S S S

PANDANACEAE Pandanus u t i l i s

Bory ORCHIDACEAE

V a n i l l a p l a n i f o l i a

Andr. 945

CYPERACEAE Cyperus

?rotundus L . F i m b r i s t y l i s dicho-

toma ( L . ) Vahl

-

F i m b r y s t y l i s

cymosa R . B r . 873 924 1032 1127 1181

958 1135 1213

K y l l i n g a c a r t i l a - g i n e a K . Schum.

-

K y l l i n g a e r e c t a Schum.

K y l l i n g a melano-

sperma Nees 892

K y l l i n g a

poly-

p h y l l a Kunth 879

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REM Mariscus dubius

( R o t t b .) llutch. 885

Mariscus l i g u l a r i s ( L . ) Hutch. 895

GRAMINEAE

Cenchrus e c h i n a t u s L . Cenchrus m i t i s

Anders

.

872

C h l o r i s s p . Cynodon s p . Dactyloctenium

aegyptium ( L . )

Beauv. 884

D i g i t a r i a h o r i z o n - t a l i s W i l l d .

D i g i t a r i a timoren- s i s (Kunth)

- Balansa

E l e u s i n e i n d i c a ( L . ) Gaertn.

DAR

1 3

DES COE FAR COS AST ASS

Enteropogon s p . 1044

E r a g r o s t i s c i l i a r i s

( L . ) R . B r . 96 7

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liEM DAR DES COE FAR COS A S T ASS E r a g r o s t i s t e n e l l a

- I Koein. &

E r a g r o s t i s t e n e l l a ( L . )

--

Roem. & S c h u l t . v a r . i n s u l a r i s

liubb

.

⁸⁵⁸ 925A 1 0 4 3 1132 S S

L e p t u r u s s p . Panicum maximum

J a c q

.

Paspalum d i s -

-

t i c h u m L . P e n n i s e t u n ~ p o l y -

s t a c h i u m (L.) S c h u l t

.

S a c c h a r u n o f f i c i -

naruin I,. 908

-

S c l e r o d a c t y l o n niacrostachyum

(Benth ^.) Camus S p o r o b o l us

v i r g i n i c u s ( L . ) Kunth

S t e n o t a p h r u n ~ diinidiatuin ( I , . ) Bronyn.

S t e n o t a p h r u n niicranthunr

( D e s v . ) 1-Iubb. 871 9 7 3 9 85 1061

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The a u t h o r s would l i k e t o thank t h e D i r e c t o r , East A f r i c a n Marine F i s h e r i e s Research O r g a n i s a t i o n , Z a n z i b a r , f o r i n v i t i n g them t o j o i n Research C r u i s e NO. 270 of t h e M.F.R.V. "Manihine" and t h e D i r e c t o r , East A f r i c a n A g r i c u l t u r e and F o r e s t r y Research O r g a n i s a t i o n , Muguga, f o r p e r m i s s i o n t o accompany t h e c r u i s e . Considerable h e l p i n i d e n t i f y - i n g t h e c o l l e c t i o n was r e c e i v e d from Miss C . 1-1. S . Kabuye and

Dr. P . J . Greenway of t h e East A f r i c a n Herbarium and t h e marine angio- spernls c o l l e c t e d were i d e n t i f i e d by Mrs.

W.

E . I s a a c o f U n i v e r s i t y C o l l e g e , N a i r o b i . Dr. F. R . Fosberg of t h e Smithsonian I n s t i t u t i o n reviewed t h e i d e n t i f i c a t i o n s of p a r t of t h e c o l l e c t i o n and h i s h e l p i s g r a t e f u l l y acknowledged.

C o l l e c t i n g on t h e i s l a n d s was made p o s s i b l e by t h e kindness of t h e i s l a n d p r o p r i e t o r s and t h e i r nlanagers.

REFERENCES

Baker, B .

N.

1963. Geology and Mineral Resources of t h e S e y c h e l l e s Archipelago. Geological Survey of Kenya, Memoir No. 3.

Blake, S . P . & Atwood, A l i c e C . 1942. Geographical Guide t o t h e F l o r a s of t h e World, P a r t I . United S t a t e s Department of A g r i c u l t u r e , Miscellaneous P u b l i c a t i o n s No. 401.

I-len~sley, W . B . 1919. F l o r a of Aldabra, w i t h n o t e s on t h e f l o r a of neighbouri.ng i s l a n d s . B u l l . Misc. I n f . Kew 1919: 108-153.

Hutchinson, J . 1926, 1934. F a m i l i e s of Flowering P l a n t s , Vols. 1 & 2.

Oxford Univ. P r e s s .

P e t e r s , A . J . 1957. B i b l i o g r a p h y of p u b l i s h e d work b e a r i n g on t h e n a t u r a l h i s t o r y of t h e S e y c h e l l e s and neighbouring a r c h i p e l a g o e s . J o u r n . Soc. B i b l i o g . Nat. l i i s t . 3: 238-262.

S t o d d a r t , D . R . 1967. B i b l i o g r a p h y of Aldabra. A t o l l Research B u l l e t i n 118: 127-141.

ATOLL RESEARCH BULLETIN NO. 134