Raroia

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left: ISS004-E-6713 Image courtesy of the Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, NASA Johnson Space Center. http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov Raroia The Raroia atoll has a size of approximately 400 km², of which 340 km sq are occupied by the lagoon. The about eighty motus together build a land area of at least 21 km². On its highest point the atoll rises only 6 m above the sea level.

left: Raroia, the pass in the north west of the atoll Photo: Angela K. Keppler http://www.pbif.org

left: Raroia, on one of the motus Photo: Angela K. Keppler http://www.pbif.org

Flora of Raroia (almost complete) (green = pictures) Achyranthes velutina, Asplenium nidus, Boerhavia tetrandra, Calophyllum inophyllum, Canavalia cathartica, Cassytha filiformis, Chamaesyce fosbergii, Cocos nucifera, Cordia subcordata, Cyperus javanicus (?), Digitaria stenotaphrodes, Fimbristylis cymosa ssp. umbellatocapitata, Guettarda speciosa, Heliotropium anomalum, Heliotropium foertherianum, Hibiscus tiliaceus, Ipomoea littoralis, Ipomoea macrantha, Kadua romanzoffiensis, Laportea ruderalis, Lepidium bidentatum, Lepturus repens, Microsorum grossum, Nephrolepis hirsutula, Nesogenes euphrasioides, Pandanus tectorius, Pemphis acidula, Pipturus argenteus var. tuamotensis (ex), Pisonia grandis, Portulaca lutea, Psilotum nudum, Scaevola taccada, Sesbania coccinea ssp. atollensis, Suriana maritima, Timonius polygamus, Triumfetta procumbens, Vigna marina, Ximenia americana

References: - Bengt Danielsson: Raroian Culture. Atoll Research Bull. Nr. 32, 1952 - Maxwell S. Doty; Jan Newhouse; Harvey A. Miller; Kenneth Wilson: Floristics and Plant Ecology of Raroia Atoll, Tuamotus. Atoll Research Bull. Nr. 33, 1954