Mosses
and seedless vascular plants (psilotum, lycopodium, ferns) hike
Languages arranged East to West:
1. Nostoc spp.
Use: None yet known
English: cyanobacteria
Kosraen: fokon faht
Mwoakillese: pwijen joau
(soau honorific for sun PNI)
Pohnpeian: pwisehn ketipen
Kitti: pwisehn koatipin
Kapinga: gili moana
Mortlockese: paniol
Chuukese: num
Woleai: Luumule
Yapese: la'law
2. Lycopodium cernuum
Use: Cockroach repellent (P) decoration (C, K, P)
English: christmas tree club moss
Kosraen: mah in tefuroh
Pingalapese: suhke krismas
Pohnpeian: kidi en mal
Kitti: kidi en mal
Chuukese: unen katu
Yapese: gama'
Fijian: lawanini
3. Dicranopteris linearis
Use: None
English: false staghorn fern
Pohnpeian: mwedil en mal
Kitti: mwoadil en mal
Chuukese: anecha
Yapese: gana'
Fijian: qato
4. Nephrolepis spp.
Use: Cockroach repellent; 4 fiddleheads anti-diuretic or to calm nerves (P); decoration (C)
English: sword fern
Kosraen: Fa
Pingalapese: reh
Mwoakillese: pwoa
Pohnpeian: rehdil
Kitti: roahdil
Nukuoran: luu'he
Kapinga: Lo'gadaha
Chuukese: amare
Woleai: Gemarag
Yapese: alaw' (cockroach)
Fijian: diqi waruwaru
5. Thelypteris maemonensis
Use:
Washing dishes, tinea versicolor antifungal, local toilet tissue
(P), grass skirt (Y)
Kosraen: Fa
Mwoakillese: pwoa
Pohnpeian: mahrek
Kitti: marek
Nukuoran: manu'a tababa
Yapese: walem (skirt)
6. Psilotum complanatum
Yap: Tilbug
7. Huperzia phlegmaria
Use: Mwarmwar for dance (P)
English: lycopodium
Pohnpeian: limpahr
Kitti: limpahr
Yapese: awol (centipede)
Fijian: sevaseva
8. Vittaria sp.
Use: Used with local oil to strengthen hair (K), or with water (P, Y)
Pohnpeian: alis en kewelik, alis en Nahnsou sed (honorific for heron)
Mortlockese: Ishish
[Woleai: Gashishil gaatu?]
Yapese: rob (beard)
9. Asplenium nidus
Use: On yams (P) , leaf tips for soup (Y)
English: bird's nest fern
Kosraen: muhlihklihk
Pingalapese: sehlik
Mwoakillese: kardoap
Pohnpeian: tehnlihk
Kitti: toahnlik
Nukuoran: lau gadaha
Kapinga: Lo'goho
Mortlockese: chöölik
Chuukese: nük
Woleai: iuliuniug
Yapese: chath
Fijian: beluve
10. Cyathea nigricans
Use: Posts for nahs, leaves as mats (P)
English: tree fern
Kosraen: po, tukun inut
Pingalapese: kesar
Mwoakillese: kasar
Pohnpeian: katar
Kitti: katar
Nukuoran: maele
Yapese: yibung
Fijian: balaba
11. Phymatosorus scolopendria
Use: Anti-diarheal (K, P) , mwarmwar for dancers (P, W), child's skirt (W), bone medicine
English: fragrant fern or maile-scented fern
Kitti: kidou
Kosraen: sra kwemkwem
Pingalapese: pweh
Mwoakillese: kamkam
Pohnpeian: kidou
Kapinga: gideu
Mortlockese: amäära
Chuukese: chichi
Woleai: shishi
Yapese: gob u láey (swamp)
Yapese: gob (drier place)
Fijian: kadakada
12. Musci
Use: fragrance for coconut oil (K)
English: moss
Kosraen: lum
Pingalapese: limw
Pohnpeian: lihmw
Kitti: lihmw
Mortlockese: lum?
Chuukese: num?
Woleai: luumwe
Yapese: ganir
Most primitive to most complex:
Cyanobacteria --> Moss --> [ Seedless Vascular Plants: Psilotum -> Lycopodium -> Ferns ]