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During the period February 13 to 20, 1973, a visit was made to Canton Island for the purpose of conducting a preliminary survey of marine turtle nesting populations. Although previous investigators have described the sea birds (Buddle, 1938; Murphy G., 1954), insects (Van Zwaluwenburg, 1943, 1955), and vegetation (Hatheway, 1955), very little is known about the marine environment of Canton or the other seven atolls (Enderbury, Birnie, Phoenix, Sydney, Hull, Gardner and McKean) which comprise the Phoenix group. Publications dealing with marine life are limited to a description of fishes collected during the 1939 Bushnell Expedition at Canton, Hull, Enderbury and McKean (Schultz, 1943) and to an identification of some marine algae at Canton Island (Degener and Gillaspy, 1955 Dawson, 1959).

This paper attempts to provide a comprehensive listing and analysis of Kiribati plant names, along with the corresponding Latin, English, and selected Pacific-island vernacular names for plant species with recognized Kiribati vernacular names. The study focuses on those species found on the 16 islands of the Kiribati group proper (known traditionally as Tungaru), with no attempt being made to include species which might be present on the other islands of Kiribati: Banaba (Ocean Island) to the west and the Line and Phoenix Islands to the east. A brief analysis of relevant past studies and the nature of the plants and their names is also included. The paper is based on a ten-day in-the-field inventory of Kiribati plant names and plant resources on the islands of Abemama and Tarawa in 1984, plus a four- week field study of the plants of Nauru in 1980-81, which included a study of the plants of the resident I Kiribati contract worker community. The findings of these studies were then emended in light of comparison and cross-checking with plant lists and plant names from pre-existing sources.

Kwajalein is a crescent-shaped atoll that lies between 09°25' and 08°40'N and between 166°50' and 167°45'E, near the center o£ the western (Ralik) chain of the Marshall Islands (Figure 1). Composed of more than 90 islets, largely uninhabited, Kwajalein Atoll extends about 75 miles from southeast to northwest. It has a land area of about 6 square miles (3,854 acres) (Global Associates 1987), an increase of about 263 acres over the original area that was brought about by filling of land on Kwajalein, Roi-Namur, and Meek Islands.