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Located at 148°15' West and 15°50' South, in the northwesternmost part of the Tuamotu archipelago (Central Pacific), Makatea island is isolated from its nearest neighbouring atolls, Rangiroa and Tikehau by about 80 km, and it is 245 km from its closest volcanic neighbour, Tahiti. This island rises at least 3,500 m above the sea floor. Like all Tuamotu islands, Makatea consists of biogenic deposits. But unlike the other islands which rise no more than a few metres above sea level and surround lagoons, Makatea reaches more than 100 m in elevation. Based on foraminiferal assemblages, age determination clearly indicated that the island frame was built up during Early Miocene (Montaggioni et al. 1985 a; Montaggioni, 1985).

This report includes an introductory section on the geography and vegetation, and a main portion listing the species of vascular plants known to occur, or to have occurred, on the island, with detailed descriptions of those of which time permitted a careful study, and brief descriptions of the remaining native species. Those suspected to have been brought by Polynesians in pre-European time are also described and discussed in some detail. Exotic species are either very briefly described or, especially in cases of very familiar weeds and ornamentals, merely listed with remarks on their occurrences and citations of specimens. Collections by Raynal are cited, as are those made on the 1985 expedition, with symbols indicating the herbaria where they are deposited. The Raynal specimens are in the herbarium of the Laboratoire de Phanerogamie Museum d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris (P).

A faunistic account of the terrestrial reptiles occurring on islands and atolls of Eastern Polynesia is provided along with a description of their biogeographic characteristics. The distribution area of each species is presented in relation to frequencies of occurrence, maximum area of coverage, biology and limits of the present state of knowledge.

Pesticides as covered in the project include acaricides, biological pesticides (bacteria, viruses), defoliants, dessicants, fumigants, fungicides, herbicides, insecticides, molluscicides, nematicides, rodenticides and synergists. Pesticides included are those used in plant protection, in animal health (products for external use only), in human health programmes and for urban pest control.

Address by the Hon. Russell Marshall, Minister of Foreign Affairs to the Commonwealth Institute Pacific Environment Conference, 3 October 1988