|
back |
 left:ISS002-E-8813 Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center. http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov Rangiroa The Rangiroa atoll is the largest atoll in French Polynesia and the second largest in the world. The lagoon has an area of up to 1640 km sq and is surrounded by some 200 motus, which cover an land area of about 80 km sq. Virtually exactly in the west is the so called Blue Lagoon, a kind of miniature atoll. The Rangiroa atoll still holds some numbers of the rare Blue Lorikeets (Vini peruviana) as well as of the extremly endangered Polynesian Ground-Doves (Gallicolumba erythroptera). |
 left:The Blue Lagoon of Rangiroa, an atoll inside the atoll, in the foreground left Motu Iore. Photo: by courtesy of Tahiti-Tourisme http://www.Tahiti-Tourisme.com |
 left:Motu Tehaare (left) in the south western part of the atoll Photo: by courtesy of Tahiti-Tourisme http://www.Tahiti-Tourisme.com |
| Flora of Rangiroa (almost complete) (green = pictures) Achyranthes velutina, Asplenium nidus, Boerhavia tetrandra, Calophyllum inophyllum, Cassytha filiformis, Chamaesyce fosbergii, Cladium mariscus ssp. jamaicense, Cocos nucifera, Cordia subcordata, Cyperus javanicus, Digitaria stenotaphrodes, Fimbristylis cymosa ssp. umbellatocapitata, Guettarda speciosa, Halophila ovalis, Heliotropium anomalum, Heliotropium foertherianum, Hibiscus tiliaceus, Ipomoea macrantha, Kadua romanzoffiensis, Laportea ruderalis, Lepidium bidentatum, Lepturus repens, Microsorum grossum, Nephrolepis biserrata, Nesogenes euphrasioides, Pandanus tectorius, Paspalum vaginatum, Pemphis acidula, Pipturus argenteus var. tuamotensis, Pisonia grandis, Portulaca lutea, Psilotum nudum, Scaevola taccada, Sesbania coccinea ssp. atollensis, Suriana maritima, Terminalia samoensis, Thespesia populnea, Thuarea involuta, Timonius polygamus, Triumfetta procumbens, Ximenia americana |
| References: - D. R. Stoddart; Marie-Helene Sachet: Reconnaissance geomorphology of Rangiroa Atoll, Tuamotu Archipelago. Atoll. Res. Bull., No. 125, p. 1-31. 1969 |