86

Figure A-2. Affected Guettarda speciosa with normal appearingScaevola sericea.
‘

normal green color. Ground surveys revealed that
Scaevola sericea was common and normalin appearance. Manyof the Guettarda speciosa appeared

the tree. Several trees had dry and shriveled
fronds, and 6 had deformed bulges4 to 8 ft below the crown with apparently normal growth

or nearly all the leaves were gone from the termi-

Photographs of the affected vegetation were
examined by Dr. Fosberg, and hestated that the
changesweresimilar to those he had previously
reported.
It is not possible to evaluate the cause of the
changes from the present observations. More extensive and detailed botanical and ecological surveys will be necessary, both on the islands that

to be in poor condition (Figure A-2). In some, all

nal 1 to 12 in. of the branches, and other leaves
were yellowed and shriveled. In other Guettarda,

nearly all the leaves were gone, and the bushes
appeared completely dead. More than 50% of the
Guettarda were affected in whole or part. In one

area of Naen several hundred yards inland from
the ocean beach, there was a field of ~30 Guet-

tarda, all of which were dead. Some young Pisonia
grandis were seen which appeared to be in good
condition. Mature Pisonia were seen which were
partially defoliated, but these did not appear to be
greatly different from those seen on RongelapIslet
on the southeast corner of Rongelap Atoll. None
of the mistletoe-like clumps described by Fosberg
seen with nearly complete defoliation, which ap-

trees within a radius of 300 yards, which were

REFERENCES

peared dead. A small grove of coconuttrees near
the center of Naen Islet contained 4 to 5 dead
decapitated at heights 5 to 12 ft above the ground
with no evidence of axe or machete marks. Two 2-

headed coconut trees were seen, one with fronds

that were mostly brown and appeared dead grow-

~
3

£#

oF

ing from the trunk 2 ft belowthe true crownof

cS

received radiation and on those that did not, to

determine whether the changes seen bear any
relation to fallout. In particular, it should be noted
that these observations were made during the dry
season.
Weareindebted to Professor Frank Richardson
of the University of Washington for identifying the
plants, and to Commander W.Lyons, USN, for
his assistance in taking the photographs.

were Observed. Several Ochrosia oppositifolia were

eH

abovethe bulges.

1. Fossera, F.R., Nature 183, 1448 (1959).
2. FosBera, F.R., Atoll Research Bulletin 61, 1-11 (1959).
3. CoNaRD, R.A. ET AL., Medical Survey of Rongelap People,
March 1958, Four Years After Exposure to Fallout, BNL

534 (T-135).

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