Marquesas Islands, common on shore cliffs on the islands of Hatutaa, Nuku Hiva, Ua Huka, Hiva Oa, and Fatu Hiva, 0–900 m.

During research on the type of Pennisetum articulare Trin., an important discrepancy became apparent. The specimen has always been assumed to have been collected by Kyber who was on numerous expeditions with Ferdinand von Wrangel between 1821 and 1827 (Wrangel and Sabine 1840; Soreng et al. 1995). This would initially appear to be supported by the information contained on the Holotype label, “Exped. Sub Navarrho F.P. de Wrangel” and a small note in illegible German script labeled Kyber, 1827. However, the species was published in 1821, at least two years prior to when Kyber was reported to have arrived in the Pacific with Von Wrangel., (Wrangel and Sabine 1840).

After an extensive review of the relevant literature, which revealed that Ferdinand von Wrangel was in the Marquesas Islands in mid-March 1818 with the Danish botanist Marten Wormskjold (Golvonin 1979), we have concluded that Marten Wormskjold likely collected the specimens during this time, leaving his collections with Von Wrangel to be delivered to Trinius for identification. This theory is substantiated by the fact the all of the writing on the original label is Trinius’ handwriting, except for Kyber’s note. Subsequently the specimen was believed to have been returned to Von Wrangel providing the opportunity in 1827 for Dr. Kyber, the previously presumed collector, to examine the specimen and make additional notes.

Endemic to Marquesas Islands on Nuku Hiva and Fatu Hiva, from 800–1130 m. Cenchrus henryanus is known from only a single collection from Fatu Hiva.

Caroline Islands, known only from the island of Kosrae.

In the recently published World Checklist of Myrtaceae, Eugenia stelechanthoides Kaneh. was placed into synonymy with Syzygium stelechantha (Diels) Glassman. In his original publication, Kanehira acknowledges the close relationship of the two species, but also notes two major differences that correlate with distribution. Specimens from Kosrae (Syzygium stelechanthoides) have much larger leaves, as well as winged branchlets, while the specimens from Pohnpei (Syzygium stelechantha) do not. Upon examination of specimens of both species from Pohnpei, and Kosrae, as well as additional islands in the Caroline archipelago at US, only specimens from Kosrae exhibited the characteristics of Syzygium stelechanthoides described by Kanehira. Therefore, until a more in depth study can be performed on the Syzygium of the area, we find it best to maintain Syzygium stelechanthoides as a separate species.