Claoxylon marianum, MUELL. ARG.

Kerr, Alexander M., 2023, Katot yan panao: A case study of indigenous botanical nomenclature in the scientific literature, Micronesica 2023 (3), pp. 1-20 : 4

CLAOXYLON MARIANUM MUELL. ARG.

The second species considered here is a member of the large dicot family Euphorbiaceae , the spurges, with over 6500 species among about 225 genera ( POWO 2023) and found worldwide. One genus, the tropical to subtropical Asian Claoxylon A. Juss. , consists of about 80 species ( POWO 2023) of shrubs and small trees, including C. marianum , which is restricted to the Mariana Islands of Guam, Rota, and Saipan ( Fosberg et al. 1979), as well as Anatahan ( Ohba 1994). This species is similar in growth form and leaf anatomy to D. latifolia . It also presents as a small irregular tree inhabiting limestone forest. The branches are also smooth, grey, terete, and brittle, bearing prominent abscission scars and terminal whorls of large oblong leaves with impressed lateral veins ( Fig. 2A ). However, the species is most easily distinguished from D. latifolia by its serrate leaf margins ( Fig. 2B ), the youngest leaves pubescent and often purplish, especially when dried, as well as by its bluishgreen inflorescences ( Fig. 2C ) producing purplish fruits ( Fig. 2D ).

Claoxylon marianum was first collected in 1792 on Guam ( BISH 165552) by Tadeáš Haenke, one of two botanists with the Malaspina expedition that stopped on the island for eight days to reprovision and collect natural-history specimens ( David et al. 2003). Hence, Haenke or his colleague Luis Née may have recorded the Chamoru name of this species, just as they did for other plants they gathered during the expedition ( Madulid 1989). However, the taxonomic accounts of their specimens by Presl (1830, 1835) and Cavanilles (1791 –1801), respectively, do not include local names, nor a description of C. marianum . In fact, the species would not be described until 1866 by Johannes Müller-Argoviensis (in Candolle 1862 –1866: 783) from exemplars obtained on Guam ( G 00313924, MNHN P 05478664) in 1819 by Gaudichaud (1826).

Figures

Figure 2. Claoxylon marianum Muell.Arg. (Euphorbiaceae), Guam. A) Common habitus as shrubby tree (94524278). B) Toothed leaves crowded at branch terminus (86964495). C) Male flowers and buds (153656635). D) Female flowers and fruit (86964496). Image numbers from iNaturalist (www.inaturalist.org); photographers: N. Sablan (A, C), M. Martinez (B, D); licensing: © the author with permission (A, C), CC BY-NC (B, D).