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

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Schlumbergia truncata (Haw.) Moran "Christmas cactus", "Easter cactus", "crab cactus"<br />

syn. Zygocactus trmcatus (Haw .) Schum.<br />

Recent introduction. Brazil. Rare. Small, smooth, day-blooming cactus, up to 30<br />

cm or higher, with numerous, flat, dark glossy-green, jointed branches, about 4 to 5 cm<br />

long and 1.5 to 2 cm wide, coarsely too<strong>the</strong>d, blunt-ended, that fork repeatedly in pairs,<br />

resembling crab's claws; flowers, many, 5 to 6 cm long and 1 to 1.5 cm wide, rose-red,<br />

ra<strong>the</strong>r narrow tubular, curved, with many narrow oblong petals and sepals bent back<br />

from long, clustered, protruding white, yellow-tipped stamens and a purple style; fruit.<br />

Ornamental pot plant and planted ornamental. 6.<br />

Unk<strong>no</strong>wn cactus "cactus"<br />

Recent introduction. Rare. Small cactus pot plant. 6.<br />

CAPPARIDACEAE (CAPPARACEAE) (Caper Family)<br />

Capparis cordifolia Lam. "oceanic caper"<br />

ekabobwiya, ekabobwija (N)<br />

syns. C. mariana Jacq.; C. spi<strong>no</strong>sa var. mariana (Jacq.) K. Schum.<br />

Indige<strong>no</strong>us. Micronesia and Polynesia. Common. Small, sometimes sprawling,<br />

spineless, woody shrub, up to about 1 m high, with ra<strong>the</strong>r s<strong>of</strong>t and light wood; leaf<br />

blades, about 3 to 5 cm long (rarely to 7 cm) and 2.5 to 5 cm wide, alternate, grayish-<br />

green, slightly fleshy, broadly ovate or orbicular, rounded at both ends or truncate or<br />

nearly subcordate at base, sometimes <strong>no</strong>tched at <strong>the</strong> apex, lateral nerves 5- to 8-paired;<br />

petiole, slender, about 8 to 14 mm long; flowers, large, attractive, fragrant, pea-flower-<br />

like, asymmetric, axillary, solitary, borne on pedicels, 3 to 5 cm long, <strong>the</strong> bud opening<br />

late in <strong>the</strong> evening and wi<strong>the</strong>ring <strong>the</strong> next morning; sepals, up to 2 cm long, 2-seriate,<br />

reflexed at an<strong>the</strong>sis, geleate; petals, 4, up to 2 cm long, attractive, white, glabrous,<br />

obovate-suborbicular, glabrous; stamens, numerous (80 to 108), 3 to 4 cm long, showy,<br />

white, but fading to pink or even purple; an<strong>the</strong>rs, 3 mm long, purple; fruit, up to 4 to 5<br />

cm long, an oblong or ellipsoid berry, with reddish ribs and elsewhere green, ripening to<br />

dull yellow; seeds, about 3 mm long, dark brown, reniform. Found on limestone cliffs<br />

and limestone rock outcrops on coastal strip. Crushed leaves used by Nauruans as a fish<br />

poison. 2, 3(58636), 4(132N), 5(101), 6, 7.

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