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

Pisonia grandis R. Br.
yangis, yangys, yangits (N); te buka (K); puka, puka vai (T)
syns. P. alba Span.
" pisonia"
Indigenous. Indopacific. Uncommon. Medium to large, soft-wooded tree with a
stocky trunk and brittle, often wind-broken, branches; leaves, up to 20 cm or longer and
10 cm wide, opposite, elliptic or ovate, obtuse to acutish, base acute, thin, pale green,
glabrous, pubescent along the midrib beneath, with numerous lateral veins; petiole, up to
5 cm or longer; inflorescences, small, in terminal cymose clusters; perianth 4- to 6-
lobed, fragrant; stamens 5 to 13, unequal; style present; fruit, about 1 cm long, an
anthocarp, fusiform or short-cylindric, with rows of short spines, glandular, very sticky.
Tree in unmined plateau forest bordering escarpment above Anibare Bay and on unmined
residual rocky limestone outcrops. Very brittle wood used in past as an inferior fuel;
most important roosting habitat for noddy birds which are an important ceremonial food.
6, 7.
OLEACEAE (Olive Family)
Jasminum multiflorum (Bur1n.f.) Andr. "jasmine", "star jasmine"
rimone (N)
syns. Nyctanthes multiflora Burm.f.; J. pubescens Willd.
Recent introduction. India. Rare. Pubescent spreading, sometimes climbing shrub,
1 to 2 m high, with copiously pilose or tomentose branchlets; leaves, 2 to 6 cm long and
1.5 to 4 cm wide, opposite, ovate, acute, rounded or truncate to subcordate or cordate at
base, pubescent on both surfaces or sometimes glabrate above; petiole, short; inflorescen-
ces, short, compact terminal clusters; calyx, 4- to 8-lobed, lobes, 8 to 18 mm long,
subulate, densely pubescent with spreading yellowish hairs 8 to 18 mm long; corolla,
about 2.5 cm across, tube 19 to 28 mm long, 4- to 9- lobed, lobes, 12 to 20 mm long,
acute, white, tube greenish, fragrant to odorless; fruit, a berry, 2-lobed, 2-locular and 2-
seeded. Planted ornamental. 5, 6.
Jasminum sambac (L.) Ait. "jasmine", "Arabian jasmine", "pikake" (Hawaii)
rimone (N); te bitati (K); pitasi (T); sampagita (P)
syn. Nyctanthes sambac L.
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Pre-World War I1 introduction. India. Common. Pubescent, or somewhat downy,
scrambling or sometimes climbing (scandent) shrub, up to 1 m or higher, with angular
branchlets; leaves, 2 to 10 cm long and 1.5 to 6 cm wide, opposite, elliptic to ovate,
acute or obtuse, base rounded or cuneate, nearly glabrous, with evident pinnate nerves,