Exploring for Plants Conserving the Cockpit Country of Jamaica

If I had to personify the three species of Ponapea we are studying, I would say Ponapea ledermanniana, found in Kosrae and Pohnpei, is a bit of an exhibitionist.  It flaunts its bright white inflorescences above the hillside canopy for all to see.  Ponapea hosinoi, found in Pohnpei, is a bit shier, though it does make itself accessible in lowland forests and swamps.  Its inflorescences are covered with dark brown scales that don’t really pop out in a dark forest.

Cruising the rock islands, looking for Ponapea palauensis.

Ponapea palauensis, found only in Palau, is a sneaky rascal hiding deep in ravines of jagged limestone islands with nearly inaccessible shorelines.  This species has by far given us the greatest frustration and the greatest thrill of discovery.  Read More…

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Stump of Ponapea ledermanniana in newly-cleared farmland

We spent a week traveling around Pohnpei, scouring the forests for palms. A week is not enough time for a thorough census, but we now have an idea of the distribution and abundance of Ponapea palms. After talking with many Pohnpeians across the island, we also have information on where the palms grew in the past.

Both Ponapea species are difficult to find on Pohnpei, and they appear to be in decline. Pohnpei has more people and a greater intensity of farming than we saw on Kosrae, so impacts on the forests are more obvious. Read More…

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This is my final entry to the blog– Christie, Carl, and Steve are in Palau while I am headed back home via Guam and Hawaii.

On our last field day in Pohnpei, Steve and Carl decided to take some longer hikes in search of palms in new areas. Christie agreed to stay with me for the day, introducing me to snorkeling for the first time.

We rode to an island where the Japanese had built a seaplane base during World War II. The concrete platforms, a hangar, and pillboxes remain.

For a first time snorkeler and true scaredy cat, Pohnpei was a great place to start. The reefs are beautiful– the fish are colorful and small. The corals range from pastels to white with sparkly blue tips. Our guide took good care of me and steered me away from where the big fish might be. This was our only non-palm activity of the entire trip. Read More…

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Making sakau– Straining the pulp through strips of Hibiscus tiliaceus

In Pohnpei, we encountered two cultural practices that piqued my curiosity.  The first is the ancient tradition of consuming sakau.  Sakau (called kava in other parts of the Pacific) is a thick dark drink made from pounding the roots of a pepper plant – Piper methysticum.  In Ponpei, the root pulp is mixed with water then wrung out using strips of Hibiscus tiliaceus bark (the same material used to make ‘grass’ or ‘Hawaiian’ skirts).

Though on this trip we did not have the opportunity to partake in the ritual, we were fortunate enough to see the drink being prepared.  I am told that sakau has a relaxing effect on the body without impairing judgment.  Sakau is consumed in a social setting and even before important meetings. Read More…

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'Multitasking' - Steve with GPS unit perched on his head while writing filed notes.

Today is Friday and our field work on Pohnpei is nearly complete.  We have spent five days systematically driving and hiking this island, looking for every known site of Ponapea.  Our methods are pretty simple.  We started by driving all the roads with our heads hanging out the car windows, looking intently at the passing vegetation.  We found a few populations that way.  Most helpful were our guides Ray and Amos from the Conservation Society of Pohnpei.  They already knew where a few populations are located on inland trails.  After seeing those, we began stopping and asking local people where to look.

Every time we find a group of Ponapea, we take a GPS reading to reference the site to a map.  Next we walk the area to get an idea of how many fruiting trees there are and if there are any seedlings.  Read More…

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A forest of Clinostigma ponapense on Pohnpei

Despite its small size, Pohnpei has a diverse native palm flora. It is home to five palm species, including two that are endemic (found nowhere else) and two that are found on only one other island. As we study the two species of Ponapea we are also gathering information on the other palms of Pohnpei. Read More…

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Pohnpei is a high volcanic island with three named mountains, the tallest reaching 2100 feet. It has an area of 350 square kilometers (135 square miles) and a population of about 35,000. A road circles the island, taking about two hours to drive around. The island is divided into five provinces, each headed by a chief who has descended from ancient royalty. This is an island rich in history, myth and mystery.

Inside the ruins of Nan Madol.

The ancient city of Nan Madol is a spectacular, 200 acre archaeological site that is comprised of 92 man made islets off the coast of Pohnpei. The islets were constructed on a large section of near-shore coral reef, using quarried stone and crushed coral. Paths and walls were made of basalt rocks brought from the opposite side of the island. Huge stone walls surround the tombs and buildings, and the rocks range in size from 600 pounds to 60 tons. To this day, there is no good explanation for how the largest of the rocks were transported. Construction probably began around 800 A.D. and lasted several hundred years. Nan Madol was the government and religious center, and also the home of royalty – similar to the Lelu ruins on Kosrae. Read More…

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Carl using the pole saw to collect DNA samples.

Today was our first day in Pohnpei.  We jumped in the SUV this morning with intentions of driving the island to get a feel for the lay of the land.  Our expectations were pretty low.  It is Sunday and everyone on the island rests today, including the field guides.

We have all settled into our roles on this expedition.  Steve is the driver and has a general idea of where we are going since he has been here before.  He has 30 plus years of experience in the field and is prepared for anything.  Carl, in addition to his expert palm identification skills, is our fearless collector.  He plunges happily into the swamps in search of fallen seed.  We stand by the roadside and cheer him on (and think to ourselves “glad it’s him and not me.”)  Read More…

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