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The island was first mentioned by Roggeveen in 1722 (JOURDAIN 1970), but visits became regular only during the XlXth century. An evangelist, of the "London Missionary Society" settled down in 1829 (NEWBURY 1986), which supposes that exchanges with the outside were regular at that time. This probably explains the presence of bird specimens collected outside the Scientific Expeditions (e.g. description of Ptilinopus purpuratus chalcurus in 1859 by GRAY).

This paper is a somewhat revised and updated version of a report, written in 1973 after our 9-day visit, at the request of Mr. Marlon Brando, proprietor of Tetiaroa Atoll, and published here with his accord. The original version was based on that visit to the atoll, as explained in the introduction. It was supplemented by a few observations called from herbarium specimens and field notes of Dr. Gerrit Wilder, who visited the island briefly on March 12, 1925 and August 30, 1929, and of E. H. Quayle, of the Whitney Expedition, who stopped there on November 19-21, 1921.

Lilie de Tupai ou Motu~Iti (16°15’S, 15l°50,W), l’un des cinq atolls des lies de la Societe, est, apres Bellingshausen (souvent ecrit Belling- hausen) (15°45’S, 154°33’W), le plus au nord de cet archipel, a 280 km NNW de Papeete. C'est grace a l'amabilite de son proprietaire, Maltre Marcel Lejeune, et a l'interet qu'il porte aux travaux scientifiques que j'ai pu y sejourner en Dec. 1974 et Mars 1983 (et F. R. Fosberg en Juin 1981). Qu'il veuille bien trouver ici, ainsi que son fils, l'expression de ma reconnaissance pour son hospitalite. J’ai beneficie aussi de la gentillesse et des connaissances sur les plantes des residents de l'fle et, en 1983, de 1'assistance de mon collegue Bruno Delesalle, et je les en remercie. Bernard Salvat, qui visita Tupai en Juin 1983 m’a communique ses photographies dont certaines sont reproduites ici, ce done je lui suis bien reconnaissante.

The archipelago of the Society Islands, in the South Pacific, includes principally high volcanic islands, with fringing or barrier reefs, but also a number of outlying atolls: Tetiaroa, due north of Tahiti, Tupai or Motu-Iti, north-northwest of Bora-Bora and, at the west end of the volcanic chain, Maupihaa or Mopelia, Scilly or Fenua Ura or Manuae, and Bellingshausen (often spelled Bellinghausen) or Motu One.