Saccharum spontaneum


 

Family: Poaceae

Chuukese name:

English name: wild cane

Kosraen name: loa

Pohnpeian name: ahlek

Yapese name:

Location collected: COM-FSM, behind the boys dorm.

Date collected: 04 December 1998

Collected by: Naimy Weilbacher

Vegetative characteristics:

Habit: Shrub; It is terrestrial and mainly found in hot or dry areas.

Leaf shape and morphology: Linear leaf (2-4ft.) with parallel venation. Pubescent leaves are alternate (one on each node).

Stem type: is woody, with 10-15 ft. in lenght

Floral characteristics: It is often distingushed by its large plumose inflorescence that breaksup into units bearing two spikelets and peduncles hairy..

Uses: To Pohnpeians, they use the stem in building canoes.

Herbarium

BotanyLee Ling