List of Samoan plant common names
Below are some Samoan plant names in alphabetical order in the Samoan language and their corresponding descriptions in English.[1][2][3] Many are used in traditional medicines in the Samoa Islands comprising Samoa and American Samoa.
| Samoan name | Scientific name | Plant family | English name |
|---|---|---|---|
| A'atasi | Rorippa sarmentosa | Brassicaceae (Mustard family) | Polynesian cress, longrunner |
| Ago, lega when cooked | Curcuma longa | Zingiberaceae (Ginger family) | Turmeric |
| Aloalo, also Aloalo fanua, Aloalo sami | Premna serratifolia | Verbenaceae (Verbena family) | |
| Aloalo tai | Volkameria inermis | Verbenaceae (Verbena family) | glory bower |
| Aloalo vao | Mussaenda raiateensis | Rubiaceae (Coffee family) | Pacific mussaenda, Pacific flag-tree |
| Aloe (English loan word) | Aloe vera | Agavaceae (Yucca family) | Aloe vera |
| Aoa | Ficus obliqua | Moraceae (Mulberry family) | Polynesian banyan, strangler fig |
| ʻApu Initia (English loan word) | Anacardium occidentale | Anacardiaceae (Cashew family) | Cashew, "Indian Apple" |
| Ateate | Melanthera biflora | Asteraceae (Sunflower family) | Beach sunflower |
| ʻAu'auli | Diospyros samoensis | Ebenaceae | Samoan ebony |
| ʻAute Samoa | Hibiscus rosa-sinensis | Malvaceae (Mallow family) | Red hibiscus |
| ʻAva, ʻAva Samoa, kava | Piper methysticum | Piperaceae (Pepper family) | Kava |
| ʻAvaʻavaaitu | Macropiper puberulum | Piperaceae (Pepper family) | hairy piper |
| ʻAvaʻavaaitu sosolo | |||
| ʻAvaʻavaaitu tu | |||
| ʻAvapui | Zingiber zerumbet | Zingiberaceae (Ginger family) | Wild ginger, shampoo ginger |
| ʻAvapui tuasivi | Alpinia samoensis | Zingiberaceae | Samoan shell-ginger |
| Esi (Tongan loan word, lesi transliterated as le esi | Carica papaya | Caricaceae (Papaya family) | Papaya, pawpaw |
| Faʻi, moʻe, futi | Musa maclayi | Musaceae (Banana family) | Banana, plantain |
| Fala | Pandanus tectorius | Pandanaceae (Screwpine family) | Pandanus, screwpine |
| Fau | Hibiscus tiliaceus | Malvaceae (Mallow family) | Beach hibiscus |
| Fetau | Calophyllum inophyllum | Clusiaceae (Maongosteen family) | Calophyllum |
| Filimoto | Flacourtia rukam | Flacourtiaceae (Flacourtia family) | Indian plum |
| Fisoa | Colubrina asiatica | Rhamnaceae (Buckthorn family) | latherleaf, Asian nakedwood, Asian snakewood |
| Fiu | Zingiber officinale | Zingiberaceae (Ginger family) | Ginger |
| Fu'afu'a | Kleinhovia hospita | Sterculiaceae (Cacao family) | guest tree |
| Fue laufao | Epipremnum pinnatum | Araceae (arum family) | centipede tongavine, dragon-tail plant |
| Fue manogi | Piper graeffei | Piperaceae (Piper family) | |
| Fue moa, Fuefue moa | Ipomoea pes-caprae | Convolvulaceae (Morning-glory family) | Beach morning-glory |
| Fue saina | Mikania micrantha | Asteraceae (Sunflower family) | Mile-a-minute weed, "Chinese Fue" |
| Fue sina | Vigna marina | Fabaceae (Pea family) | Beach pea |
| Futu | Barringtonia asiatica | Barringtonia (Barringtonia family) | Fish-poison tree |
| Gatae, Gatae Samoa | Erythrina variegata | Fabaceae (Pea family) | Coral tree |
| Ifi | Inocarpus fagifer | Fabaceae (Pea family) | Tahitian chestnut |
| Ifiifi | Atuna excelsa subsp. racemosa, syn. Atuna racemosa | Chrysobalanaceae | tabon-tabon |
| Ifilele | Intsia bijuga | Fabaceae (Pea family) | Fijian vesi, Tongan fehi |
| Kuava (English loan word) | Psidium guajava | Myrtaceae (Myrtle family) | Guava |
| La'au fai lafa | Senna alata | Fabaceae (Pea family) | Dandlebush, acapulco |
| Laga'ali | Aglaia samoensis | Meliaceae (Mahogany family) | |
| Lama, tuitui | Aleurites moluccanus | Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family) | Candlenut (lama means "soot") |
| Lau mafiafia | Hoya australis | Asclepiadaceae (Milkweed family) | Wax plant |
| Lau pata, Lau papata, Pata | Macaranga harveyana | Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family) | |
| Lau ti, Ti | Cordyline fruticosa | Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family) | Ti leaf |
| Leva | Cerbera manghas | Apocynaceae (Dogbane family) | sea mango |
| Ma'anunu | Tarenna sambucina | Rubiaceae (Coffee family) | |
| Magele | Trema cannabina | Ulmaceae (Elm family) | poison peach |
| Mago | Mangifera indica | Anacardiaceae (Cashew family) | mango |
| Makerita (English loan word) | Tagetes erecta | Asteraceae (Sunflower family) | African marigold |
| Mamala | Omalanthus nutans | Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family) | Mamala extract found to be medicinally useful as antiviral therapy |
| Masame | Glochidion ramiflorum | Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family) | |
| Matalafi | Psychotria insularum | Rubiaceae (Coffee family) | |
| Mati | Ficus tinctoria | Moraceae (Mulberry family) | Dyer's fig |
| Mautofu | Sida rhombifolia | Malvaceae (Mallow family) | Broom weed |
| Mau'utoga ("Tongan mau'u") | Commelina diffusa | Commelinaceae (Spiderwort family) | Day flower |
| Milo | Thespesia populnea | Malvaceae (Mallow family) | Milo, Pacific rosewood |
| Moegalo | Cymbopogon citratus | Poaceae (Grass family) | Lemon grass |
| Moli'aina ("edible moli") | Citrus sinensis | Rutaceae (Citrus family) | Orange, sweet orange |
| Moso'oi | Cananga odorata | Annonaceae (Soursop family) | Perfume tree, ylang-ylang |
| Namulega | Vitex trifolia | Verbenaceae (Verbena family) | simpleleaf chastetree |
| Niu | Cocos nucifera | Arecaceae (Palm family) | Coconut |
| Nonu, Nonu togianonu | Morinda citrifolia | Rubiaceae (Coffee family) | Indian mulberry, "noni" |
| Nonu 'ai ("edible nonu"), Nonu fi'afi'a | Syzygium malaccense | Myrtaceae (Myrtle family) | Malay apple |
| ʻOʻa | Bischofia javanica | Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family) | bishop wood |
| ʻOfe, ʻOfe Samoa | Schizostachyum glaucifolium | Poaceae (Grass family) | Polynesian bamboo |
| Ogoogo, Ogoogo toto | Laportea interrupta | Urticaceae (Nettle family) | Island nettle |
| Ogoogo tea, Ogoogo sina, Ogoogo pa'epa'e (all mean "white ogoogo") | Acalypha lanceolata | Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family) | |
| Pate | Coleus scutellarioides | Lamiaceae (Mint family) | Coleus |
| Polo feu ("spicy polo") | Capsicum frutescens | Solanaceae (Nightshade family) | Chilli pepper |
| Poumuli | Securinega flexuosa | Phyllanthaceae | |
| Pua Fiti ("Fijian pua") | Plumeria rubra | Apocynaceae (Dogbane family) | Plumeria, frangipani |
| Pua Samoa, Tiale | Gardenia taitensis | Rubiaceae (Coffee family) | Tahitian gardenia (tiare) |
| Pua taunofo | Allamanda cathartica | Apocynaceae (Dogbane family) | Golden trumpet |
| Salato | Dendrocnide harveyi | Urticaceae (Nettle family) | Stinging nettle tree |
| Seasea | Syzygium corynocarpum | Myrtaceae (Myrtle family) | hemp-agrimony, holy rope |
| Soi | Dioscorea bulbifera | Dioscoreaceae (Yam family) | Bitter yam |
| Tagitagi, Tagitagi Samoa | Polyscias fruticosa | Araliaceae (Panax family) | Ming aralia |
| Taipoipoi | Geniostoma ligustrifolium | Loganiaceae (Logania family) | hangehange |
| Talafalu | Micromelum minutum | Rutaceae (Citrus family) | limeberry, samui |
| Talie | Terminalia catappa | Combretaceae (Tropical Island family) | Tropical almond |
| Talo | Colocasia esculenta | Araceae (Arum family) | Taro |
| Teuila | Alpinia purpurata | Zingiberaceae (Ginger family) | Red ginger. (national flower of Samoa) |
| Teve | Amorphophallus paeoniifolius | Araceae (arum family) | elephant foot yam, whitespot giant arum |
| Tipolo (Tahitian loan word) | Citrus medica | Rutaceae (Citrus family) | Citron, lemon |
| Togo, Togotogo | Centella asiatica | Apiaceae (Carrot family) | Asiatic pennywort |
| Tolo | Saccharum officinarum | Poaceae (Grass family) | Sugarcane |
| U'a | Broussonetia papyrifera | Moraceae (Mulberry family) | Paper mulberry, used in making tapa |
| Ufi | Boerhavia repens | Nyctaginaceae (Four O'Clock family) | Yam |
| ʻUlu | Artocarpus altilis | Moraceae (Mulberry family) | Breadfruit tree |
| ʻUmala | Ipomoea batatas | Ipomoea (Sweet Potato) | Sweet potato, kumara |
| Usi | Euodia hortensis | Rutaceae (Citrus family) | Island musk |
| Vao apulupulu | Chamaesyce hirta | Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family) | Garden spurge |
| Vao vai | Peperomia pellucida | Piperaceae (Pepper family) | pepper elder, shining bush plant, man to man |
| Vavae | Ceiba pentandra | Malvaceae (Mallow family) | Kapok |
| Vi | Spondias dulcis | Anacardiaceae (Cashew family) | Polynesian plum, Otaheite apple |
| Vi vao | Physalis angulata | Solanaceae (Nightshade family) | Wild cape gooseberry |
See also
References
- Isle Botanica, Art Whistler (May 1999). "Guide to the most commonly used medicinal plants in Samoa" (PDF). American Samoa Community College Land Grant Program. Honolulu, Hawai'i. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
- Roger R. B. Leakey, Craig R. Elevitch, Isabella Aiona Abbott (2006). Traditional trees of Pacific Islands: their culture, environment, and use. Permanent Agriculture Resources. ISBN 978-0-9702544-5-0. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - "Traditional medicines still strong in Samoa". Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Samoa. Retrieved July 8, 2010.
External links
- Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Samoa.
- American Samoa Environment Protection Agency
- United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Protected Areas
- Samoa: Country Report to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) International Technical Conference on Plant Genetic Resources, (Leipzig, 1996); Report prepared by Seve T. Imo, William J. Cable, Apia, October, 1995.
- Kava: its ceremonial use, An Account of Samoan History up to 1918 by Teo Tuvale.
- Samoa Biodiversity Profile - International Treaty, Convention on Biological Diversity
- Luisa Castro; Kristie Tsuda, eds. (1993). Samoan Medicinal Plants and Their Usage (PDF) (May 2001 ed.). Agricultural Development in the American Pacific. ISBN 1-931435-27-8.
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