-43-
On the other hand many of the abnormalities reported
by Fosberg, St. John and Biddulph have been reported from
coral atolls where no radioactive fallout has occurred. For
example,
Cordia,
defoliation and, death at the tips of
Pisonia and Tournefortia
branches of
(Messerschmidia)
were re-
ported on Wake Island in April 1952 after a period of drought
by Fosberg (11) ,
Taylor (23)
reported that
Bikini Atoll in March and April 1946
the vegetation at
(before Operation Cross-
roads) was unhealthy-looking and that Pisonia plants
only scanty foliage,
improving later in the year.
rainfall in the northern Marshall Islands show
period prevails from December to April,
Records of
that the
dry
the months of January
and February getting the least rainfall (5) ,
observations of Fosberg and Taylor,
bore
As shown by the
one would
expect to find
the plants at their worst during the dry period.
Some abnormalities found in the plants on coral atolls
have been caused by insects.
Taylor reported that the leaves
of Suriana were clipped as if by insect attack,
and Fosberg
reported that Bauhinia was chlorotic and badly eaten by insects.
Niering (19)
reported that on Kapingamarangi Atoll the leaves of
Scaevola were attacked by a leaf miner and new shoots and buds
of Calophyllum sp.
and Barringtonia asiatica were "infested to