atoll research bulletin no. 392 the flora of - Smithsonian Institution ...
atoll research bulletin no. 392 the flora of - Smithsonian Institution ...
atoll research bulletin no. 392 the flora of - Smithsonian Institution ...
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Plumeria obtusa L. "white frangipani", "plumeria"<br />
demeria (N); te meria (K); melia, pua Solomona, melia Solomona (T)<br />
Recent introduction. Trop. America. Common. Small to medium-sized, s<strong>of</strong>t-<br />
wooded, broad-crowned, k<strong>no</strong>bby, branching evergreen tree, up to 5 m or taller, with<br />
thick fragile branch tips and white milky sap; easily planted from cuttings; leaves, 20 to<br />
35 cm long and 6 to 10 cm wide, dark green, glossy, alternate, obovate rounded, blunt,<br />
smooth (glabrous), tapered at <strong>the</strong> base, pinnately nerved, midrib prominent, lateral nerves<br />
loop-connected near margin, clustered near <strong>the</strong> ends <strong>of</strong> branches; petioles, 4 to 9 cm,<br />
stout; flowers, 4 to 6 cm in diameter, all white with a central yellow eye, fragrant, but<br />
less so than P. rubra., 5-parted, narrowly tubular, petal lobes obovate, longer than tube,<br />
borne in terminal cymose clusters; fruit, 15 to 24 cm long, dark green later black, single<br />
or twinned, cylindrical, fusiform, with many flat winged overlapping seeds. Flowers used<br />
in garlands and dried in sun and used to scent coconut oil (eir). 3(58775), 5(111), 6, 7.<br />
Plumeria rubra L. "frangipani", "plumeria", "temple tree", "graveyard tree"<br />
demeria, arabaneit (N); te meria (K); melia, pua Fiti, melia Nauru (T)<br />
syns. P. a.cuminata. Ait.f. and P. a.cutifolia Poir.<br />
Pre-World War I1 introduction. Trop. America. Common. Small to medium-sized,<br />
s<strong>of</strong>t-wooded, broad-crowned branching deciduous tree, up to 5 m or taller, with thick<br />
fragile branch tips and white milky sap; easily planted from cuttings; leaves, 20 to 35 cm<br />
long and 6 to 10 cin wide, pale green to grey-green, alternate, elliptic-oblong, acute or<br />
acuminate, smooth (glabrous), tapered at <strong>the</strong> base, pinnately nerved, midrib prominent,<br />
lateral nerves loop-connected near margin, clustered near <strong>the</strong> ends <strong>of</strong> branches; petioles,<br />
4 to 9 cm, stout; flowers, 3 to 5 cin in diameter, waxy-white to yellow, pink, deep red<br />
or multicolored variations, very fragrant, 5-parted, narrowly tubular, petal lobes obovate,<br />
longer than tube, borne in terminal cyi<strong>no</strong>se clusters; fruit, 15 to 20 cm long, dark green<br />
later black, single or twinned, cylindrical, fusiform, with many flat winged overlapping<br />
seeds. Planted ornamental. The name demeria seems to be applied to all color forms and<br />
to both species <strong>of</strong> Plumeria, with <strong>the</strong> older name arabaneit being reserved for <strong>the</strong> bright<br />
yellow to yellow-white cultivars, which are longer established in Nauru. Leaves used<br />
medicinally and mixed with coconut oil for curing fever; flowers used in garlands and<br />
dried in <strong>the</strong> sun and used to scent coconut oil (eir). 2, 3(58654), 5(50), 6, 7.<br />
Tabernaemontana divaricata (L.) R. Br. "false gardenia", "paper gardenia",<br />
"crepe jasmine", "scentless gardenia"<br />
syns. Nqiim- divaricatu_m L. ; N._ coronzrium Jacq. ; Tabernaemontana coronaria<br />
(Jacq.) Willd.; Ervatamia divaricata (L.) ~urkilc E. coronaria (J&~.)<br />
Stapf; Tabernaemontana alternvolia L. ; Nyctan<strong>the</strong>s acuminata Burm. f.