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As a background for work on the vegetation of Micronesia it was necessary to assemble all available information on the flora. early accounts of the islands and their exploration. agricultural history. and economic botany. as well as on the ecology and vegetation of the region. It was found that the published bibliographies were by no means. complete or adequate for this purpose. so a card catalog was made of all items located and examined. This forms the basis of the bibliography. but an effort has been made to locate and include any published work on other aspects of plant science. also. in order that the bibliography may be reasonably complete.

The Gilbert Islands are a part of the- Gilbert and Ellice Islands Crown Colony of Great Britain, They lie in the Pacific Ocean directly southeast of the Marshall Islands and straddle the equator from 3 degrees North Latitude to 3 degrees South Latitude. All are low islands and most are atolls. They are densely inhabited by Micronesian people who are greatly dependent on the sea for food.