Pwunso Botanic Garden

The SC/SS 115 Ethnobotany class visited the Pohnpei state botanic garden at Pwunso to see the gymnosperms and angiosperms. 
Mae under the heavy foliage of the nutmeg trees, Anthony with my notebook looking at nutmegs on the ground


Some of the plants that the class sees include the following:
  • Angiosperm: Syzygium aromaticum. Clove tree.
  • Gymnosperm: Araucaria columnaris. Cook Island Pine (male). Family: Araucariaceae
  • Angiosperm: Cinnamomum carolinense. Pohnpei cinnamon treemadeu
  • Gymnosperm:Cycad with cone
  • Angiosperm: Coffea arabica. Coffee flower and bean
  • Angiosperm: Piper nigrum. Black pepper. Family: Piperaceae.
  • Angiosperm: Myristica fragrans. Nutmeg and the spice mace.
  • Angiosperm: Piper ponapense. Pohnpei pepper vine konok. Family: Piperaceae.
  • Gymnosperm: Agathis spp.. Family: Araucariaceae. Near tennis courts.

 A more complete flora courtesy of the work of Dr. David Lorence, Diane Ragone, and Tim Flynn is also available.



Jasmine examines a Araucaria heterophylla male cone, Melinda behind her left shoulder

This term I remembered to arc counter-clockwise around the Pohnpei Visitor's Bureau. I began with a quick overview of the garden. I noted that the trees were all exotics. The class made a quick stop at the "millenium tree" (Ficus prolixa) and then headed down past the Japanese agriculture center. 

This route puts the Eucalyptus deglupta up front on the tour, and the nutmeg second. Time is tighter with the need to walk around to the tennis courts at the end of the class.

Mallone with male cone

After the nutmeg the class saw coffee and moved on the cycad which had mature cones. Cinnamon, Araucaria heterophylla, and cloves rounded out the front of the garden. This works well as it puts the class headed towards the gate. The cloves were producing, and I was able to reach a ripe one to eat. Strong, spicy, but good.
An invasive member of the Piperaceae family, Piper lolot, growing along the fence bordering the Pwunso botanic garden across from Calvary Christian Academy.


At the back the Calophyllum inophyllum was in full bloom, the strangler fig still being a problem. The class moved on to the three Agathis robusta trees and the allspice trees.

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