86
Figure A-2. Affected Guettarda speciosa with normal appearing Scaevola sericea.
normal green color. Ground surveys revealed that
Scaevola sericea was common and normalin ap-
pearance. Manyof the Guetiarda speciosa appeared
to be in poor condition (Figure A-2). In some,all
or nearly all the leaves were gone from the termi-
nal 1 to 12 in. of the branches, and other leaves
were yellowed and shriveled. In other Guetiarda,
nearly all the leaves were gone, and the bushes
appearedcompletely dead. More than 50% of the
Guettarda were affected in whole or part. In one
area of Naen several hundredyards inland from
the ocean beach, there wasa 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 appearto be
greatly different from those seen on RongelapIslet
on the southeast corner of Rongelap Atoll. None
of the mistletoe-like clumps described by Fosberg
were observed. Several Ochrosia oppositifolia were
seen with nearly complete defoliation, which appeared dead. A small grove of coconut trees near
the tree. Several trees had dry and shriveled
fronds, and 6 had deformed bulges 4 to 8 ft be-
low the crown with apparently normal growth
above the bulges.
Photographs of the affected vegetation were
examined by Dr. Fosberg, and he stated that the
changeswere similar 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 ecologicalsurveys will be necessary, both on theislands that
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.
Weare indebted 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.
the center of Naen Islet contained 4 to 5 dead
trees within a radius of 300 yards, which were
REFERENCES
headed coconut trees were seen, one with fronds
that were mostly brown and appeared dead grow-
1. Fosserc, F.R., Nature 183, 1448 (1959).
2. FosperG, F.R., Atoll Research Bulletin 61, 1-11 (1959).
3. Conarp, R.A. ET AL., Medical Survey of Rongelap People,
March 1958, Four Years After Exposure to Fallout, BNL
decapitated at heights 5 to 12 ft above the ground
with no evidence of axe or machete marks. Two 2ing from the trunk ~2 ft below the true crown of
soci60%
534 (T-135).