atoll research bulletin no. 392 the flora of - Smithsonian Institution ...

totalling 6 to 7 cm or wider, borne in axillary and terminal racemose clusters of about 10
flowers; fruit, a prickly capsule. Planted ornamental. 3(58697), 5, 6.
Allamanda violacea Gardn. & Field "purple allamanda"
Recent introduction, Brazil. Rare. Woody vinelike climbing shrub; leaves, similar
to A. hendersonii, but bearing short, stiff hairs; flowers, similar to A. cathartics, but red-
purple and 5 to 6.5 cm in diameter. Planted ornamental. 3, 5, 6.
Catharanthus roseus ( L.) G. Don "periwinkle", "Madagascar periwinkle"
denea (N); te buraroti (K); losa (T)
syns. Vincu. rosea. L.; Lochnera rosea (L.) Reichenb.
Pre-World War I1 introduction. Madagascar. Common. An everblooming erect
perennial herb, up to 50 cm or taller, with white milky sap; leaves, 2.5 to 8 cm long and
2 to 3 cm wide, opposite, oblong or oblong-obovate, apex rounded, tipped with a sharp
point, base acute, finely puberulent on both surfaces; midrib pale; flowers, showy white
or pink, with or without a red throat, 5-parted, corolla tube, 2.5 to 3 cm long, lobes, 1.5
to 2 cm long, calyx, about 6 mm long, with awl-shaped lobes; fruit, up to 3 cm long,
with paired, 2.5 cm long puberulent podlike cylinders containing several cylindrical
seeds. Planted ornamental. Flowers used in garlands and reportedly boiled by some
people and drunk as a cure for diabetes. 3(58758), 5(127), 6, 7.
Cerbera manghas L. "cerbera" , "sea mango"
dereiongo, dereiyongo (N) ; te reiango (K?)
syns. C. oclollam sensu auct. non Gaertn.; C. lactaria. (G. Don) Ham.; Tan-
ghinia. lacraria G. Don
Indigenous. Trop. Asia to the Pacific Is. Rare. Medium-sized tree, up to 7 m or
taller, with white sap; leaves, 15 to 30 cm long and 5 to 8 cm wide, dark green, shiny,
simple, entire, lanceolate or obovate-lanceolate, acuminate, base acute-decurrent, spirally
and closely arranged; petiole 2 to 3 cm long, narrowly winged by decurrent blade
margins; flower, 2.5 to 6 cm wide, tube about 2.5 cm long, 5-petaled, white with red
throat, fragrant, calyx with 5 narrow lobes, 1.3 cm long, borne in branching terminal
clusters about as long as the leaves; fruit, globose or ovoid, 5 to 7 cm long, smooth,
deep purple to black when ripe, single or paired; seed, a woody stone, poisonous. Found
n_w homes on the coastal strip and near church at Buada. Seems to be planted, or at
least protected in built-up areas. No reported use by Nauruans, but its poisonous fruit is
reportedly used medicinally and to poison fish in Samoa, Tonga and elsewhere in the
Pacific. 5(16), 6, 7.