Orona

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left: ISS008-E-18279 Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center. http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov Orona This atoll was formerly known as Hull or Hull Island. The islands together form a land area of about 3,9 km². Orona was inhabitated until 1962, than the atoll must be evacuated, the islanders had used up the anyhow scanty ground water and the rain did not last out to backfill the wells.

above: Photo: JoAnn Schwartz; by courtesy of JoAnn Schwartz http://www.flickr.com/photos/72923065@N00

Flora of Orona (almost complete) (green = pictures) Boerhavia albiflora, Boerhavia tetrandra, Cordia subcordata, Digitaria pacifica, Eragrostis paupera, Fimbristylis cymosa, Guettarda speciosa, Heliotropium foertherianum, Hibiscus tiliaceus (?) Ipomoea macrantha, Ipomoea pes-caprae ssp. brasiliensis, Laportea ruderalis, Lepturus pilgerianus, Lepturus repens, Pandanus tectorius, Pemphis acidula, Pisonia grandis, Portulaca lutea, Scaevola taccada, Sesuvium portulacastrum, Sida fallax, Suriana maritima, Tribulus cistoides, Triumfetta procumbens

References: - David R. Stoddart; F. Raymond Fosberg: Flora of the Phoenix Islands, Central Pacific. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. Atoll Res. Bull. 393: 1-60. 1994 - R. J. Pierce; T. Etei; V. Kerr; E. Saul; A. Teatata; M. Thorsen; G. Wragg: Phoenix Islands Conservation Survey and Assessment of restoration feasibility: Kiribati. Pacific Invasives Initiative, CEPF and Conservation International, Samoa. 2006