Re: Note from Phil Mueller

From: jhlawrence <jhl at kuentos.guam.net> on 1997.03.11 at 19:25:18(486) As a new aroider from GUAM it was interesting to read Phil's comments re our island. The brown tree snake (BTS) stories you all hear are ALL highly unfounded. We do have some snakes here but they are not, repeat THEY ARE NOT, DO NOT and NEVER HAVE hung from the trees like pasta. WE do have the yellowing virus; quite serious problem but the local government is not doing much to correct or educate. I have seen a dramatic increase in the number of infected palms along Marine Drive (main drag up and down the island). Each year power authority crews use knives to remove old leaves and nuts prior to Liberation DAY. I have watched as the virus slowly spreads from tree to tree year after year. Going to take sometime before the locals react here; probably after the coconuts are gone or enough are lost..... Not enough public education although we are getting some US Forest Service funding to "study" the problem. +More I am new to aroids so I don't have much to report on these at this time. Phil's observations are correct in as far as they go and he was able to see. In the interior, the best part of GUAM, we get some REALLY large leafed Alocasia macrorhysa (sp?) (A. macrorhiza (L.) Schott) that grow upwards of 1.5 meters (don't know if .5 m increase rates a REALLY large or not but they seem really big. Here is Stones list of the more common Araceae in Guam Anthurium Pistia Caladium bicolor Colocasia esulenta Cyrtosperma chamissonis Alocasia macrorrhiza Raphidophora aura Typhonium Monstera Dieffenbachia picta Xanthosoma Aglaonema Scindapsus Not very interesting or unique from my limited understanding. There is one Raphidophora species reported by Stone, 1962, that was seen only once (Holotype) located in the MOST inaccessible site (former NUC storage facility-even thought the Marine Guards are gone (meaning no nucs) they still won't let you in without a REAL good reason. Here is the description for those interested (from Micronesica Vol. 6 July 1970) A high-climbing vine; leaves green, the petioles to 12 cm long, the sheath open along lowest 4/5 to 5/6; blades lanceolate or narrowly oblong, about 30 x 7 cm; acuminate-acute; spateh broad, thick, pale yellow; spadix without appendix; flowers bisexual; carpels single, separable, each with tow sthort staminodes; stigma capitate-discoid. Guam: Naval Magazine near Maulap Stream. 28 April 1962. Stone 4101 (GUAM) Holotype. Seen only once. Well, I have taken up enough space. bye from GUAM, Where America's Aroiding DAY BEGINS! bart

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