Nuckman, C.D. 1965 Journal March 2 Tokelau Tokelau Atoll Nuckman Tokelau Island The soil on Tokelau Island is extremely poor and sparse. It consists mainly of coral rubble with only small amounts of organic material. Consequently the vegetation, in many areas, isn't tremendous impressive. Birds Nest Polypodium and a fern that closely resembles the Christone Fern (native to the south earth U.S.) compose the bulk of the ground cover. There is an extremely sparse growth of Brachyaria (Thunb variety) and a Scaevola-like grass Scaevola I messerschmidia and Surama (cult land) are common plants in the understorey, with the last two confined primarily to the beaches. The canopy is predominantly Cocos with varying amounts of Pandanus Pisonia Morinda and Kuni (?) Several Cordia subcordata was found. Other plants encountered include Elaeagnus sp Cassytha filiformis and several helobaceous species that have been introduced. This plant growth pattern holds for all of the islands on the atoll. The Birds Nest Fern seems to be the primary source of organic soil. Each fern's root system is extensive (like each there is a small pile of decayed plant material. This material is held tightly together by the extensive root system. The cocos debris and other plant material that fall onto the ground are not held tightly in any manner so consequently due to the heavy annual rainfall, this materials are washed away as fast as they form. This washing away is facilitated by the extremely porous soil. Black and White Photographs Roll #1 Fakarava Island Tokelau Group Feb 27 (36 exposure roll) #1 Cassytha filiformis on Scaevola frutescens f11/125 #2 Closeup of #1 f16/60 #3 Scaevola frutescens f11/125 #4 Sedge + grass association f22/30 #5 Taro patch with banana trees - cultivated - Taro 8+ tall, Banana 15 feet tall in 3 foot depression f11/125 #6 Grass species - 1 foot tall f16/60 #7 Shoreline of Matongo Island - typical of all 13 in the Tokelau Group showing a canopy of Cocos Pisonia, lower story of I. messerschmidia Scaevola and Pandanus + ground cover of ferns f11/250 #8 Cocos and Scaevola in foreground - looking to the windward reef f11/250 #9 Pandanus framed by Cocos f11/250 #10 I. messerschmidia f8/250 #11 I. messerschmidia in bloom f8/250 (closeup) #12 Birds Nest Fern + Polypodium f5.6/250 #13 Pisonia + Cocos Forest - ground cover entire of ferns f5.6/250 #14 Birds Nest Fern on Pisonia trunk. Height right hand fern (from ground) 12 feet; left one - 9 feet. f5.6/250 #15 Morinda act in Pisonia forest - Al Samuelson in foreground. f5.6/250 #16 Surama sp on small islet ferrying laborer out of