Aneityum

n. Oplismenus hirtellus L.

Example: shoot: chewed against cough

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 443

n. pandanus leaf

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 170

n. large tree, 15 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4073)

Example: 1. Flying foxes are known to eat the fruit. Accordingly, when hunters desire the flying fox, they gather near this species.

Scientific name: Dysoxylum aneityense, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree, 10 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4033)

Scientific name: Planchonella, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4759)

Scientific name: Gahnia aspera, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree, 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4072)

Example: 1. The flower and bark are known to reek a foul smell.

Scientific name: Geniostoma rupestre, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree. Growing in village garden. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #19)

Example: 1. To cure the sea snake (nispev) curse that causes missed periods. First the husband must combine 4 young leaves of incispev and 4 young leaves of nafanu and mash and squeeze the juice into a small bamboo (1-1.5 inch diameter) The nafanu is important because it is a plant that connects to the sea. Use wildcane leaves cover the bamboo closed. Go to the sick person and unwrap the snake from her. Start from the top and let the woman drink a small part of the potion then wash her with the mixture, making sure to wash head, elbows, knees, feet, and belly. Then take a leaf of naha and break it over the woman’s belly button to break the snake off. Smash the bamboo vessel to pieces. Leave the woman there until the wash dries on her. This takes one whole day and the ceremony in the evening so she can sleep and she must not eat. This ritual is performed by men.

Scientific name: Sophora tomentosa, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. herb, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3676)

Scientific name: Hedychium coronarium, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. pendent epiphyte, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4037)

Scientific name: Phlegmariurus phlegmaria, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3621)

Example: Good for covering laplap or stone oven. Remove hot stones, put leaves down, then food, then hot stones, then put the leaves down again to cover everything.

Scientific name: Codiaeum variegatum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree to 5 m, dbh 8 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4855)

Example: To treat a flu that has resulted in a thick, runny nose, collect sap of this tree, drink 2-3 drops directly (not in water). This is for treating the type of flu that provokes yellow mucus coming out of the nose. Drinking the sap breaks up the stuffy nose. Use once, it tastes very sour. In 3-4 days the mucus will be expelled. Do not use too much! If a person has a new cut, and the bleeding will not stop, place the sap on the cut and the bleeding will stop. If you have a burn that is bleeding, applying the sap will stop the blood and oozing sore. If a person has a sore on their body, cover it with a layer of the sap from this plant. This will ensure that the sore will not get larger from infection, flies, etc. but stay its original size. This plant is also used for unspecified spiritual practices. To determine if a fish you have caught is poisonous, e.g. with ciguatera, take an 8’ piece of small branch from this tree, peel the bark and put it inside the fish before you cook it on the earth oven. If the stick turns black, then you know that the fish is not good to eat--it has a poison so should be thrown away.

Scientific name: Tabernaemontana anguinea, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree to 7 m, dbh 30 com (collection: Michael J. Balick #4870)

Example: This plant is used for spiritual purposes. When fruits are young, the children take the fruit, cut it open and take coconut leaf midribs, impaling the seeds on the midribs and painting themselves with the fruit.

Scientific name: Pittosporum aneityense, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. a convolvulus with blue or reddish flowers

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3686)

Example: This tree is a source of sawn timber.

Scientific name: Syzygium nomoa, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3270)

Scientific name: Oxera lehuntei, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree. Growing near village. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #13)

Example: 1. To cure toothache when pregnant - Take the inner bark from Intejed and boil it in a pot of seawater (about 1 liter) along with 2 leaves from each of inpoutnatmas, narayag, nahayag, and nelmaha. Boil until juice is visibly leaving the plants. Put this water into your mouth and hold it there for 2-3 minutes. Do this this with one cup in the morning, 1 cup in the afternoon, and 1 cup in the evening. 2. This plant is special and people grew it – use it after burial of a chief – wash hands with these leaves and water to cleanse the people who buried the chief. 3. Name means belongs to the spirit

Scientific name: Codiaeum variegatum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. treelet, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4085)

Example: 1. The green leaves of this plant are used to cover fish, when cooking them in a fire.

Scientific name: Cordyline fruticosa, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. terrestrial orchid, growing in open (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3523)

Example: This is a "message plant." If a person puts the flower behind their ear and then stares out at you, or tosses the flower to you, then say yes and follow them, for example, to drink kava, or to go swimming. Or a man invites a woman to go somewhere with him. Alternatively, you can leave the flower on a table and this is also a message to go with a person. Leaves also used to wrap foods. Decorate yard around the house.

Scientific name: Spathoglottis pacifica, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. grass to 3 m, flowers brown. Growing in degraded secondary forest along trail. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4969)

Example: The stem of this plant is used to make walls of houses. Collect the stem and remove the leaves, and then take one of the bush vines (any of them) and tie the stems into bundles for making house walls or fences for chicken pens. Children make a whistle from a hollow piece of stem from this plant.

Scientific name: Miscanthus sinensis, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. flower

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of flower or flowers (see def. for "elwa")

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 77

n. a flower

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 89

n. herb to 50 cm tall, flowers yellow. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4947)

Example: To treat toothache, collect the uppermost young leaves, rub them in your hand, put mass of crushed leaves into the area of toothache to lessen the pain. Do this as needed until the pain goes away. Keep it in your mouth for 10 minutes then spit out, then add a new one, keep going as needed.

Scientific name: Synedrella nodiflora, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. vine running many meters long over clay soil and grassy area on hillside where the triangular wooden signs are that used to be a landmark for ships coming to the island. Sterile. (collection: Michael J. Balick #5008)

Example: This plant is the focus of an important legend on Aneityum. When the missionary John Geddie and colleaguse first arrived on the island in July of 1848, the Chiefs welcomed them but some of the people did not like the idea. So these people sent a basket containing a peeled coconut and a fish (nopom) to the Chief in Umej to ask him to support the idea of getting rid of the missionary that the Chief of Analcahuat had welcomed. If the Chief of Umej were to eat the fish and coconut meat, it would mean that he agreed with the opposition. The Chief refused to eat the food in the basket and he told the people a parable involving this plant. A person cannot find the tip of the stem or the end of the root in the ground. So if they were to eliminate the missionary, his activity would continue because of God’s power. As it is with this plant, it will continue to grow and flourish if you cut it or try to dig up the root. So he sent a message about this plant to the people in Analcahuat who objected to the presence of the missionary stating this parable. Those people in Analcauhat held a secret meeting and they chose a powerful and strong person to kill the missionary. During the night the person went to the missionary’s house while he was in the toilet. Returning to the house, the missionary found the person in his doorway, and that person lifted his club to strike the missionary. But at that point the attacker’s hands suddenly had no power and the club fell from his hands, and he fell over. The missionary told him to get up, and not come back. After that experience, the people of Umej realized that God’s power was great and they could not go against it. The Chief took the peeled coconut that was sent him and covered it with the skin of another coconut and planted it instead of eating it. This coconut grew and the missionary’s work continued to grow on the island. So this vine played an important role in communicating the power of God to the people of Aneityum.

Speaker: Tony Keith

n. tree, 10 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3645)

Example: The ripe fruits of this plant are edible and said to be delicious as well as smell very good. When the fruits turn brown and soft you can open it and there will be a shell like an upsidedown turtle shell. You can eat the fruit out. As the fruit smells good, people put a basket of ripe fruits in their homes to give it a good smell. The unripe fruits can be eaten, but only when cooked in an earth oven so it is not sticky. The tree can be used for sawn timber. Can be used for building house, specifically the house posts. Number one timber.

Scientific name: Burckella obovata, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree to 7 m, dbh 20 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4968)

Example: The fruits are edible when they are red. If a person has been drinking kava and the next morning feels hung over, they can take a handful of the leaves of this plant, crush them in cool water, and wash their face with this. This treatment will help the kava feeling to disappear. At the same time, if a person eats the fruit of this tree a few hours in advance of planning to drink kava, they cannot drink kava as it will reduce the effects of the kava. The trunk of this tree can be used to build temporary houses and also it is good for firewood. When the plant is in flower, flying foxes and birds come to drink the nectar and hunters know this so they hunt near this tree.

Scientific name: Syzygium, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. shrub, 1. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3205)

Example: 1. Plant this tree at each of the four corners of a fence to keep your pigs in and protect against a type of bad luck. If a man sleeps with his wife who is having her period, and then the man goes to see the pig, the pig will suffer and not grow strong and not have many piglets. So the presence of this plant controls against bad luck that others can bring to your pig farm. 2. This is an ornamental plant grown around the home. Sticks of this plant are planted around the outside of the garden and grow to create a fence, to protect the crops and keep them healthy, as well as protect the crops from people that are not cleansed in the ritual way. 3. This species is also planted around the house to add color and is very decorative in general. 4. For fertilizer in taro holes for water taro. For baly(?) taro and water taro, lay these flat on the surface of the charcoal, then lay the food – taro, cassava – on this and cover with another layer, add hot stones and cook. 4. Pig food, goat food.

Scientific name: Codiaeum variegatum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. herb growing to 2 m tall, flower white (collection: Michael J. Balick #4974)

Example: Put the leaf in seawater for two months, this will rett t he fibers. Then collect the fibrous strings and dry them in the sun, and use them for weaving. In the past this plant fiber was used to make rope but not at present.

Scientific name: Agave sisalana, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. shrub, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3602)

Example: This plant produces an edible fruit, but it is smaller than the cultivated guava, and is considered the wild type. Firewood. Pinch 4 tops and chew and swallow for stomach ache and diarrhea.

Scientific name: Psidium guajava, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. herb to 1. 5 m tall, flowers yellow (collection: Michael J. Balick #4894)

Example: When seeds are grey-white, they are ripe. Pick these and make decorations out of them such as necklaces. Women make these necklaces.

Scientific name: Coix lacryma-jobi, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. sparsely to moderately branched tree, 6-8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3220)

Example: 1. Wood is used for carving as it is a nice black wood. 2. Also used for house posts. 3. Use sapwood – cut a piece of wood, long one 1-2 m. Put it in front of the house or take a smaller piece on top of the entrance door – protects against bad spirits.

Scientific name: Thespesia populnea, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. flax

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 151

n. shrub to 2 m, coastal vegetation (collection: Michael J. Balick #4961)

Example: The stem of this plant is used for firewood. If a person has been drinking kava and the next morning feels hung over, they can take a handful of the leaves of this plant, crush them in cool water, and wash their face with this. This treatment will help the kava feeling to disappear.

Scientific name: Dendrolobium umbellatum, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. herb to 1 m,flowers yellow. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4893)

Example: To make rope, cut the stems, tie together in a bundle and place in the sea. Cover the bundle with rocks for about a week, then take it out, wash it, dry in the sun until the fibers bleach white and use to make grass skirts. This is the process of retting. When the cyclone season is finished, the plant has flowers and fruits--in May through July--this means no danger of cyclones.

Scientific name: Urena lobata, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. epiphytic liana, growing in primary forest. Bracts orange-red at base. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4029)

Example: 1. The roots of this plant are used to make "Nopoy"--a traditional trap used to catch fish and lobster. The outer bark of the roots are removed and sun-dried. The roots are then split into several pieces and they are woven in an open fashion similar to a "noporapora"--a type of market basket fashioned from coconut leaflets.

Scientific name: Freycinetia cf. reineckei, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. terrestrial orchid, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4116)

Scientific name: Macodes sanderiana, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. shrub, 2 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3485)

Example: 1. The larger stems of this plant can be used to build houses, for rafters. 2. It is also a good source of firewood. 3. Ancestors, before go to chief’s canal and want to talk about a complicated issue – a person would cut a branch and bring it to the sea and tap the water surface and would say what he wants, ask that he would want that issue to be solved and that others would follow his ideas and then go back to the meeting place and take stick, keep wind at his back, moving stick in all directions and then he will convince the people of his ideas. This is done by the chief’s spokesman. Helps convince the opposition. Helps keep power in hands of parent(??) chief rather than subchiefs who might have other ideas.

Scientific name: Glochidion ramiflorum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree to 15 m tall, dbh 40 com (collection: Michael J. Balick #4857)

Example: The wood of this tree is good for carving. The fibers go in one direction so it is easier to carve, for example, to make a kava bowl. In general, this is the species used to make kava bowls. If your kava is not strong, then making it in this bowl will make it stronger. The kind of bowl made from this tree has a handle on each side of the bowl and it is held with 2 hands. The place name Anumwmamlau is named after this tree. There are said to be two types of this tree--one with all green leaves (this specimen) and one with white and green leaves. If a person is going to a Tabu place and is concerned about spirits, they should take a handful of these leaves and wash the body all over with it--take a swim (bath) with it. Then the person can go to the Tabu place without risk. There are other unspecified spiritual uses of this tree.

Scientific name: Flueggea flexuosa, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. grass; also "namutmut"

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 95

n. tree, 7-8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3582)

Example: Firewood, timber good for bush houses. Calendar plant – when it is in flower, the old people know it is time to harvest root crops, like yam and other vine crops, in the wild, as yet unspecified. Local names = INYAC, NOMODEJ TAL, NOMODEJ WOU, NOU LELCEI… etc.

Scientific name: Weinmannia denhamii, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

[nanaθ] n. shrub, 2-3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3455)

Example: Fertilizer, take fresh leaves and put in area where plant taro.

Scientific name: Psychotria milnei, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4764)

Scientific name: Tarenna, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. well branched tree, 14 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3651)

Example: Poles made from this plant are used for house rafters and burned for firewood. To plant taro in a swampy area, collect the leaves of this species and put them in the hole where the taro is to be planted, mix with a bit of soil and then plant the taro on top of that. Leaves are a type of fertilizer. Used when baking with the earth oven. Hot stones cover the food and then the leaves from this plant cover the stones. The leaves stay on the branch.

Scientific name: Polyscias cissodendron, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. vine to 3 m, sori brown. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4930)

Example: Take a handful of the vine, twist it into rope with many stems of the vine, and use it to tie bundles of sugar cane. It can also be used to tie wild canes (Miscanthus) to the roof of the house. Take a handful of the vine, twist it into rope with many stems of the vine, and use it to tie bundles of sugar cane. It can also be used to tie wild canes (Miscanthus) to the roof of the house.

Scientific name: Lygodium reticulatum, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. epiphytic fern on tree trunk, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4087)

Example: 1. The name refers to a crustacean and also to the spines of bamboo.

Scientific name: Prosaptia contigua, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. grass to 10 cm, seeds brown. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4945)

Example: To make a baby strong, burn the leaves and rhizome, take the ashes and rub on the baby’s arms, knees, legs. Makes them strong, healthy and able to walk. Use after the child is given a bath. 1-4 years old, and it will help. Can use every day after bathing.

Scientific name: Lepturus repens, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4773)

Scientific name: Phyllanthus myrianthus, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. treelet, 1 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3622)

Example: People use the leaf of this plant to tie over grated banana, taro or other foods for cooking in an earth oven or boiling in a pot. The root of this species is edible. Cook it for 2-3 nights in an earth oven and then chew and squeeze the juice into your mouth, spitting out the fiber.

Scientific name: Cordyline fruticosa, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree. Village home garden. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #9)

Example: 1. To cure spirit sickness of the niteitau. Use plants that also end with "au" : niditau, intoutau, naoyerop. Go to the top of the plant to get the soft leaves of the plants niditau, intoutau, naoyerop, also take the bark. The person making the medicine should be holding the these leaves with a piece of nelmaha. Nelmaha means go away. The sick person chews the leaves and bark and swallows the juice spitting out the fiber into the nelmaha the medicine maker is holding. The medicine person then takes the spit out fiber in the nalmaha leaf and throws it into the sea in front of the village. 2. Edible fruits, when ripe or green, does not taste when green, but sweet when ripe. 3a. Leaves (young) are edible, for example wrap around coconut meat and eat or cook with island cabbage and other leaves, boil and add coconut milk and eat. 3b. The young leaves are edible, after boiling for 5 minutes. A piece of coconut and a pinch of salt is wrapped in the leaves and eaten. The mature leaves are used to wrap food such as pig or cow meat and cooked in an earth oven. Tie this bundle with a piece of Pandanus fiber to secure it before putting in the earth oven. 4. During big feast, use this a lot – circumcison or wedding feast, harvest leaves and wrap around meat and bake on earth oven – sometimes we cut down a whole tree to gather leaves. 5. To make men’s custom belt – split stem, peel outer bark off to take inner bark and peel it, tear end to make strap that can be tied. Dry in sun but not direct sunlight. 6. Older large trunks were burned by ancestors to keep fire going – this was during the time when people did not have matches and did not need them as the embers of this tree would stay hot for days and when it was time to make a stronger fire, people would add smaller branches to make a flame appear.

Scientific name: Ficus aspera, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. shrub. Village pathways. ornamental. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #7)

Example: 1. Heat the leaves then place on the sore muscle. 2. Edible plant, cook young leaves until soft and then can eat, as a vegetable or soup, with any food. 3. Same use as AAM 3 to heat and put on body to heal pain. 4. On a reef when it is time to protect the reef to conserve it and bring more fish, you take this plant and put it in the hole in the reef – cut stem and put it in reef in several parts. People will know it is under protection and respect it.

Scientific name: Polyscias multijuga, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. rush growing to 1-2 meters tall, round (collection: Michael J. Balick #4975)

Example: Split the stem of this plant on one side, open up the entire stem and make a roll of the stem. Use to weave baskets.

Scientific name: Schoenoplectus validus, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. herb to 20 cm, flowers blue. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4922)

Example: Roast the tuber of this vine on an open fire for 20-40 minutes, peel off the skin and eat like cassava or taro. Chew it and drink the "juice" while spitting out the fiber. It grows wild, season of harvesting is in May. Very tasty food for people, considered "numba wan" food for this island.

Scientific name: Plectranthus scutellarioides, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. terrestrial fern, growing in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4094)

Example: 1. The name describes a sea bird, whose long legs are similar in shape to the stipe of this fern.

Scientific name: Tectaria crenata, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4791)

Scientific name: Acalypha wilkesiana, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree, 3. 5-4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3472)

Example: 1. This species is good for firewood when dried. 2. The wood is used as well for making house posts. 3. Use this w/ INCIPINTI (GMP 3471) for compost in the water taro field.

Scientific name: Melicope latifolia, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, growing in forest at edge of wide tidal stream (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3535)

Example: 1. The wood is strong and good to make house posts. People use these for this purpose on the coast as salt water does not bother this wood. 2. People eat fruit, split fruit in half, carefully scrape the inner part into a pot of water, keep over night – next day rinse, fry or cook with coconut milk and can add tinned tuna for example, very hard work.

Scientific name: Bruguiera gymnorhiza, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 3 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3518)

Example: People plant this tree near the coast, specifically as small fish and shellfish hide in it to breed and people know this.

Scientific name: Rhizophora samoensis, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree. Growing near village. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #21)

Example: 1. To cure spirit sickness of the niteitau. Use plants that also end with "au" : niditau, intoutau, naoyerop. Go to the top of the plant to get the soft leaves of the plants niditau, intoutau, naoyerop, also take the bark. The person making the medicine should be holding the these leaves with a piece of nelmaha. Nelmaha means go away. The sick person chews the leaves and bark and swallows the juice spitting out the fiber into the nelmaha the medicine maker is holding. The medicine person then takes the spit out fiber in the nalmaha leaf and throws it into the sea in front of the village. 2. To cure headaches casued by bad spirit - Take one top from Nelmaha and one from inrowod (white stripe variety) Combine and chew these then spit them out and apply to the sick persons forehead. 3. To cure headaches - Someone other than the woman must prepare this. Break the top branch of netethae and remove leaves for use. Combine with the top leaves of the top branch of nelmaha. Chew the leaves and drink the juice. Do this when the sun is setting on the horizon. The woman gives the leftover fibers to the person who prepared the medicine and that person goes and throws the fibers in the direction of the setting sun. 4. To cure toothache when pregnant - Take the inner bark from Intejed and boil it in a pot of seawater (about 1 liter) along with 2 leaves from each of inpounatmas, narayag, nahayag, and nelmaha. Boil until juice is visibly leaving the plants. Put this water into your mouth and hold it there for 2-3 minutes. Do this this with one cup in the morning, 1 cup in the afternoon, and 1 cup in the evening. 5. Used to fight against black magic in an unspecified way. 6. Roll leaf and put in pocket for protection when walk in a new area. 7. Message plant if a land dispute – if a person puts this stem or leaf in another’s garden whom they are angry with it means go away!! 8. To treat sick people, especially who fall ill from black magic to save their life. Symptoms vary, for example a person with small boils over body,* a person chews the leaf and spits it on the sick person, 1x and then puts the branch with leaves near the sick person when they sleep – 3x (1x day) branch is ca. 25cm long. (*headache, severe)

Scientific name: Ficus littoralis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. tree to 8 m, dbh 10 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4863)

Example: Fiber: Collect the stems of this plant, peel off the outer bark, soak (ret) in seawater for 1 week, then put stone on top of it-the fibers are loosened by the retting, peel them off and hang in the sun to dry and bleach. Weave small baskets, grass skirts and other things from this fiber. When sticks are placed in areas of the sea, shells are attracted to these sticks and people can collect the shells used for adornment--the animals in the shells like to eat the material on the sticks. Dried fruits of this plant are eaten by birds.

Scientific name: Pipturus argenteus, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree, 16 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3709)

Example: The small straight stems of this plant are used for fishing spears and the larger poles for rafters. The wood can also be used to make combs--the name refers to "comb wood."

Scientific name: Linociera brachystachys, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. scandent shrub, growing in dense rainforest. Fruits purple-red. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4117)

Scientific name: Medinilla cauliflora, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. lithophyte, growing on rock in dense rainforest. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4038)

Scientific name: Antrophyum plantagineum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. kind of bush

Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. tree to 5 m, flowers white. Growing in secondary forest with metroxylon palms and other large trees. (collection: Michael J. Balick #4954)

Example: The pear shaped fruits are eaten when ripe. Peel off the outer skin, eat inner part and discard the seed. The leaves are used to protect food as it is being cooked on an earth oven. To prepare the oven, pile hot stones, then put a layer of leaves on the stones, and then place hot stones on top of the leaves. To make a hot oven, the stones are lined in a pit, a fire lit, more stones placed on firewood and the top layer of stones gets very hot. Then, remove the stones from the top of the wood, and cook food o the bottom layer of stones, add a layer of leaves, place the food on top of this, then cover with a layer of leaves and then pile the rest of the hot stones on top of the leaves.

Speaker: Tony Keith

n. tree to 10 m, dbh 75 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4988)

Example: The young aerial roots are cut from the stems of the tree and used as a local rope, to tie things, help construct temporary shelters, as well as to make string for a hunting bow. Flying foxes like to eat this fruit so in the night when the fruit is mature hunters come by this tree to hunt flying foxes as well as hunting birds during the day. Hunters use bows and arrows for birds, and throwing sticks (natou) made from any plant to hunt flying foxes.

Scientific name: Ficus kajewskii, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree fern, trunk 2-2. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3693)

Scientific name: Cyathea vieillardii, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. epiphyte on main trunk of Hernandia moerenhoutiana, pendant (1.7 m long) (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3648)

Example: Name means pile of fish. To protect a conservation area and restock it, collect pile of stems and leaves and put in a pool of water with stones on it. Fish will come and breed and area will have more fish. Fish in general

Scientific name: Dendrobium involutum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. Barringtonia asiatica L.

Example: inner bark: ground, added to dug pools in the sea as fish poison

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 442

n. herb, growing in weedy area at end of airstrip runway. Flowers yellow. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3568)

Scientific name: Youngia japonica, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. kind of plant, grass, or fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3503)

Example: The leaves of this plant are used in cooking, particuarly with the earth oven. Use a fire to heat stones, then when the fire burns down and the stones are hot, pile these leaves on top of the hot stones and then place the food being cooked--taro, fish, pig, cassava, banana or other foods--on top of the leaves. Then pile more of these leaves on top of the food and then place additional hot stones on top of that pile of leaves. While the food is cooking--each type of food takes a different amount of time--the leaves give off a very nice smell and help flavor the food.

Scientific name: Cleidion javanicum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 4 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3517)

Example: 1. The leaves of the young plant are used to wrap food for cooking on a fire. 2. The wood is used for temporary houses, for making rafters that are said to last a long time. 3. The wood is strong and used to carve paddles for the canoe. 4. It is also grown and used for firewood. 5. Firewood, (6) use as local plate. 7. On west side of island, take old coconut, fill with water, put lead into hole on end, take out and give to baby to drink and it will help the baby talk.

Scientific name: Macaranga tanarius, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 7-8 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3587)

Example: 1. If the preferred banana leaves are not available to wrap food for cooking, then use young leaves of this species and tie taro and fish for cooking. 2. Use leaves to wrap fresh water prawns and fresh water fish and cook them on charcoal. Use as a cup by making funnel out of leaf and drink from it. 3. Used for unspecified ritual activities.

Scientific name: Dillenia biflora, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. vine climbing up a macaranga tree, growing in open disturbed area. Fruits green. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3588)

Example: 1. To build a cyclone house, take the vine of this species to tie pieces of the house. To prepare the vine for use as rope, collect many feet of it, put it in a fire, roll it in a figure 8, wait until it softens and then use for tying. This vine is hard and needs to be heated to a high temperature in the fire to make it soft; the person preparing this must use gloves to tie it to the posts and rafters while it is still warm. When it cools, it is very strong. Rope made from this vine will last a long time--perhaps 10-15 years. It can also be used to make a regular house. However, it is not as strong as GMP #3589. 2. For men who want rasta in hair, take a few leaves and dry them, burn with some other plants to rub on the rasta and keeps it healthy, keep from splitting.

Scientific name: Geitonoplesium cymosum, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. tree, 8-10 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3481)

Example: 1a. This plant is a "message plant." If a person goes to another village with a leaf of this species in their hand, then people know that someone is coming, and this is reflected in the local name. 1b. Message plant – if you pop by someone’s house and drop leaves there, people know someone has visited them. You can ask neighbors who came by. 2. The fruit is a source of a nut that children love to eat raw. 3. It is known in Bislama as "false mango" [kiyaman mango].

Scientific name: Finschia chloroxantha, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. seaweed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 102

n. Bidens pilosa L.

Example: shoot -- cold maceration taken internally against cough

Scientific name: Bidens pilosa L., Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 440

n. Bidens pilosa L.

Example: shoot -- cold maceration taken internally against cough

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 440

n. epiphyte. Growing on tree in village area. (collection: Ashley A McGuigan #1)

Example: Makes period normal again. Take three young leaves from the very tops of the plant and pound and squeeze out the juice from the leaves. Mix with small amount of water to help juice come out. Drink this 3 times a day for 3 days. Pig food – feed the leaves to the pigs. Leaves used to wrap around Cyrtosperma merkusii to cook for several days—this taro needs a lot of cooking. So this leaf is particularly used for that purpose because it is very watery. Will keep the taro from becoming too burned or dry – it will cook soft after a few days – keep tasting it until the calcium oxalate sensation is gone. Check it 3 times – cook, open, taste and it should be good. Wrap fish and put directly on charcoal fire. – also cover top rocks in earth oven.

Scientific name: Epipremnum pinnatum, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. herb to 70 cm, florets yellow (collection: Michael J. Balick #4998)

Example: To treat a headache, especially from the flu, boil a handful of leaves in 1 liter of water for a few minutes, let cool and drink 1 cup of liquid per day . Also can treat this type of headache by using the plant in a steam bath, by boiling 4 handfuls of leaves in a pot of water, covering the head with a towel and breathing in the steam from the pot.

Scientific name: Bidens pilosa, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. laplap leaf (RPV #154)

Scientific name: Heliconia indica var. austrocaledonica, Speaker: Romario Yaufati

n. Dracaena angustifolia

Example: Leaf: cold maceration, emetic, taken internally against ciguatera poison

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 444

n. tree, 7 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3521)

Example: 1. The inner bark of this plant is used as a dye or paint to provide a brown color. Boil the inner bark in a pot with a shirt and the color of the shirt will be changed to brown. 2. For toothache, people take the inner bark and mix it with sea water, and then rinse the tooth with this mixture to remove the pain. 3a. People macerate the leaves and the bark and when the tide is low, spread this in a pool of water to poison the sea shells that are edible. When they die, the eyes of this organism comes above the sand, indicating where they are, and people harvest and eat them. 3b. To attract and collect clam – NIPJINUMU – scrape bark in a pool of sea water where the clams are attracted immediately and can be collected, coming up from the sand. 4. Firewood, unspecified medical use.

Scientific name: Acacia simplex, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. a fern

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 120

n. a species of seaweed

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 103

n. cycad to 3 m tall, 25 cm dbh (collection: Michael J. Balick #5010)

Example: In the past there were no toys for the children, so people made toys from the seed of this plant. They peeled the fruit, took the seed, removed the inside, punched one hole on each side, put a string through each of the holes and twisted the string to spin the seed such that it would make a whistling sound as the fruit spun faster and faster. On Palm Sunday, people use this leaf in Church. People plant this cycad around their homes and use it as an ornamental. Some people believe that having this plant around their homes will keep the bad spirits away.

Scientific name: Cycas seemannii, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. species of vine runner; a basket net

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 104

n. sprawling, vine-like herb (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3215)

Example: 1. The flower of this plant is used for decoration, for Christmas in particular, in church and home. 2. To attract a mate, put the flower in your hair. 3. This is the introduced one that is named after the wild type.

Scientific name: Gloriosa superba, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. Ageratum conyzoides L.

Example: juice squeezed from leaves; wounds

Speaker: Bradacs 2011, p. 440

n. shrub to 1 m, flowers green (collection: Michael J. Balick #4895)

Example: To make bush ropes, remove outer bark, use to tie things when other ropes are not available. This plant is sour and toxic if the fruits or leaves are eaten. Animals will not eat this plant. The elders teach us not to eat this plant.

Scientific name: Wikstroemia indica, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. kind of flowering plant (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4794)

Scientific name: Rivina humilis, Speaker: Wina Nasauman

n. vine climbing into the canopy on Sarcomelicope, growing in primary rainforest. Fruits green. (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3620)

Example: This plant is used for local rope. Coil it in a figure 8, heat on a fire, when it is soft, use it for tying poles on a house. It is very strong when cool and dry.

Scientific name: Melodinus neoebudicus, Speaker: Titiya Lalep

n. a kind of bulbous root

Speaker: Inglis 1882, p. 105

n. understory tree, 6 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #4049)

Example: 1. The name means "knife of sandpaper", a type of fish. The leaf base resembles the fin of the fish. 2. In the past, a spear was made from the sapling wood of this plant for tribal warfare. Today, spears are made from this plant for fishing. First, a relatively straight spaling is chosen and then heated over a fire. The pliable portion of wood is straightened and then decorticated. When cool, a portion of wire can be affixed on one end to aid in the spearing of fish.

Scientific name: Tapeinosperma

n. tree, 2. 5 m tall (collection: Gregory M. Plunkett #3272)

Example: Wood is strong and used to make a spear for fishing.

Scientific name: Tapeinosperma netor, Speaker: Natu Kenneth

n. tree fern to 5 m tall, fronds 2. 5 m long (collection: Michael J. Balick #5014)

Example: Trunk of this plant is used to make food. Cut the stem in 2-3 foot pieces, peel the outer stem, put the peeled stems in an earth oven to cook for the afternoon through the night--about 12 hours. It will be ready the next day. Peel off any remaining fibrous tissue, slice the stems and eat. They are said to taste like sweet potato. The young fronds are boiled for 5 minutes and coconut milk is added, this mixture is then eaten. It is important to collect only the inrolled fronds that have not yet fully opened. The fronds are used to make temporary houses when camping in the bush. They are used to make a roof. To make a cassava grater, take 2-3 pieces of the frond stype, connect them together by piercing them on the sides with a piece of bamboo or any stick such that they are held together in parallel fashion, and use this to grate uncooked cassava to make lap-lap and to grate banana or any food that needs to be processed in this way. The thorny part of the stipe grates the food.

Scientific name: Sphaeropteris lunulata, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. tree to 20 m, dbh 75 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4976). Loanword for introduced species.

Example: This tree was introduced as a source of timber and has been widely planted on this part of the island. The cone is used to throw on a fire as it is said that the smoke will keep away mosquitoes.

Scientific name: Pinus caribaea, Speaker: Tony Keith

n. tree to 8 m, dbh 60 cm (collection: Michael J. Balick #4984)

Example: Peel the shell of the fruit and eat the inner part, or make jam from this part. Spit out the seeds. The branches of this tree are used for firewood.

Scientific name: Ceratonia siliqua, Speaker: Tony Keith