CIBED - - Peltate Morning-glory

Decalobanthus peltatus Peltate Morning-glory Kūrima ^AT

f.CONVOLVULACEAE Morning-glories

Decalobanthus peltatus Peltate Morning-glory Kūrima ^AT

f.CONVOLVULACEAE Morning-glories

Cook Islands Status Summary

Show Notes

Intl. NamesPeltate Morning‑glory ^EN

Local NamesNo Name^RR,MT Kūrima^AT P,?N^AK

Pacific NamesNo Content

Sci. NamesDecalobanthus peltatus (accepted name) , Merremia peltata, Ipomoea peltata, Convolvulus peltatus, Merremia nymphaeifolia, Ipomoea nymphaeifolia, Operculina peltata

High Tax. Eng.k.Plants, p.Flowering Plants, f.Morning-glories - a vine

High Tax. Latink.PLANTAE, p.ANTHOPHYTA, c.MAGNOLIOPSIDA, sc.ASTERIDAE, o.Solanales, f.CONVOLVULACEAE

Natl. PresencePresent

Sth. PresenceRR⁺⁺⁺⁺MG^-AT⁺⁺⁺⁺MK^-MT⁺⁺AK⁺⁺⁺PL^-MN^-TK^-

Nth. PresenceTN^-MH^-RK^-PK^-NS^-SW^-

VouchersRR¹⁹⁰³ AT²⁰⁰² MT²⁰⁰² AK²⁰⁰²

Local OriginNative; Resident

Global RangeNative: Zanzibar - Madagascar - - Malesia - Societies; Introduced: mainly to areas/islands within overall native range;

HabitatLand; Lowlands, Horticultural Zone; Uplands

ThreatenedNo Content

InvasivenessInvasive; Wilderness - serious, Agriculture; by out-competing plants

BiosecurityNo Content

Medical StatusNo Content

Harmful StatusNo Content

UsesNo Content

IdentificationScrambling and high-climbing woody vine. LEAVES alternate, round, massive to 30x30cm, base indented, glossy, dark green; stalk in from edge (=peltate); radiating veins conspicuous; stalk to 20cm. FLOWER mainly terminal clusters, nocturnal; funnel-likmore...e, 5x5cmLxØ, white (sometimes yellowish), discarded next day. FRUIT a capsule, 2cmØ.

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Leaf and fs

Flower and leaves

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Vernacular Names

English and International Names

Peltate Morning-glory ^EN

Pacific Names

No Pacific Names

Local Names

No Name^RR,MT Kūrima^AT P,?N^AK

National Name: Kūrima ^AT

Island	Status	Main name
National name	AT	Kūrima
Rarotonga	++++	P,nN
Mangaia	-	A,nN?
Ātiu	++++	Kūrima
Ma‘uke	-	A,nN
Miti‘āro	++	P,nN
Aitutaki	+++	P,?N
Palmerston	-	A,nN
Tongareva-write	-	A,nN
Tongareva-speak	-	A,nN
Manihiki	-	A,nN
Rakahanga	-	A,nN
Pukapuka	-	A,nN
Nassau	-	A,nN

Scientific Names and Taxonomy

National Distribution & Vouchers

National Presence:

Present

Oceanic

islands: [ , {label: 'Rarotonga', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 404.5, left: 210.5, labelLeft: 222, labelTop: 404} , {label: 'Mangaia', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 427.5, left: 261.5, labelLeft: 274, labelTop: 426} , {label: 'Ātiu', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 372.5, left: 261.5, labelLeft: 244, labelTop: 382} , {label: 'Ma‘uke', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 374.5, left: 282.5, labelLeft: 284, labelTop: 385} , {label: 'Miti‘āro', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 358.5, left: 274.5, labelLeft: 283, labelTop: 351} , {label: 'Aitutaki', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 334.5, left: 210.5, labelLeft: 209, labelTop: 321} , {label: 'Palmerston', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 309.5, left: 112.5, labelLeft: 124, labelTop: 309} , {label: 'Manuae', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 346.5, left: 234.5, labelLeft: 244, labelTop: 338} , {label: 'Takūtea', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 362.5, left: 254.5, labelLeft: 211, labelTop: 363} , {label: 'Tongareva', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 32.5, left: 260.5, labelLeft: 205, labelTop: 31} , {label: 'Manihiki', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 80.5, left: 175.5, labelLeft: 187, labelTop: 80} , {label: 'Rakahanga', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 63.5, left: 173.5, labelLeft: 186, labelTop: 63} , {label: 'Pukapuka', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 88.5, left: 33.5, labelLeft: 45, labelTop: 88} , {label: 'Nassau', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 108.5, left: 46.5, labelLeft: 59, labelTop: 108} , {label: 'Suwarrow', stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 162.5, left: 115.5, labelLeft: 127, labelTop: 162} ] , legend: [{label: 'Not Assessed', top: 235, stroke: '#0000a0', fill: '#ffffff', symbol: 'WR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: 'Present', top: 250, stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: '? Present', top: 265, stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GWR', tris: '#ACACAC', trif: '#ffffff'}, {label: 'Absent', top: 280, stroke: '#C00000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RR', tris: '', trif: ''}, {label: '? Absent', top: 295, stroke: '#C00000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RWR', tris: '#c0c0c0', trif: '#ffffff'}, {label: 'Intercepted', top: 312, stroke: '#990000', fill: '#CC0000', symbol: 'RDR', tris: '#000000', trif: '#000000'}, {label: 'Extirpated/Extinct', top: 331, stroke: '#006600', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'RGR', tris: '#660000', trif: '#CC0000'} ]

Island	Status
Rarotonga	++++	native
Mangaia	Absent
Ātiu	++++	probably introduced
Ma‘uke	Absent
Miti‘āro	++	probably introduced
Aitutaki	+++	probably introduced
Palmerston	Absent
Manuae	Absent
Takūtea	Absent
Tongareva	Absent
Manihiki	Absent
Rakahanga	Absent
Pukapuka	Absent
Nassau	Absent
Suwarrow	Absent

Note: Native across the South Pacific with plants in French Polynesia and Cook Islands closely related to those of Savai‘i but not the rest of Samoa, or Tonga and Fiji. Separation of islands where it is native vs introduced is difficult. (Mitchell C. 2023, Population genetics progress report for {Decalobanthus peltatus}. Landcare report LC4266).

Vouchers for:
Decalobanthus peltatus

Cook Islands

Southern

Northern

Oceanic

Rarotonga _____ 1903 1cs specimen specimen, 1903, T.Cheeseman in "The Flora of Rarotonga..." (1903) p.288 as Ipomoea peltata "Woods near the sea, abundant all round the island, climbing to the tops of trees". In our area "Fiji to Tahiti". _____ 1931 1cs specimen specimen, 1931, G.P.Wilder in "Flora of Rarotonga" (1931) p.91 as Merremia nymphaeifolia. "..., climbing trees and eventually breaking them down,"; "Very common in the lowland woods."; and "A very troublesome plant about cultivated areas."

Mangaia

Ātiu _____ 2002 4br bookreport report, 2002-11 by J.Space & T.Flynn "Report to Gov. of the Cook Islands on Invasive Plants of Environmental Concern" (2002) as Merremia peltata origin uncertain.

Ma‘uke

Miti‘āro _____ 2002 4br bookreport report, 2002-11 by J.Space & T.Flynn "Report to Gov. of the Cook Islands on Invasive Plants of Environmental Concern" (2002) as Merremia peltata origin uncertain.

Aitutaki _____ 2002 4br bookreport report, 2002-11 by J.Space & T.Flynn "Report to Gov. of the Cook Islands on Invasive Plants of Environmental Concern" (2002): in 2-3 places, aggressive, first reported by B.Sykes 1974, a recent introduction.

Palmerston

Manuae

Takūtea

Tongareva

Manihiki

Rakahanga

Pukapuka

Nassau

Suwarrow

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

no data available

Threatened

Invasive/Pest Status

no data available

Biosecurity

Medicinal

no data available

Species Uses

References

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2025) Cook Islands Biodiversity & Ethnobiology Database, Version 2025.08.31 - Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at https://naturalheritage.gov.ck/cibed
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English and International Names

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Vouchers for:
Decalobanthus peltatus

Identification

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Threatened

Invasive/Pest Status

Biosecurity

Medicinal

Species Uses

References

Citation Information

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Cook Islands Status Summary

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Accepted Name

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Vouchers for: Decalobanthus peltatus

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Decalobanthus peltatus