CIBED - - Perfume Tree - Mata‘oi RR

Cananga odorata Perfume Tree Mata‘oi ^RR

f.ANNONACEAE Custard-apples

Cananga odorata Perfume Tree Mata‘oi ^RR

f.ANNONACEAE Custard-apples

Cook Islands Status Summary

Show Notes

Intl. NamesPerfume Tree ^EN Ilang‑ilang ^EN Ylang‑ylang ^EN , Ylang‑Ylang ^DE Ylang‑ylang ^FR

Local NamesMata‘oi^RR,MK,MT,AK Moto‘oi^MG Motoī^AT

Pacific NamesMokosoi/mokasoi/mokohoi ^FIJ Mohokoi ^TON Moso‘oi ^SAM Moto‘oi ^HAW

Sci. NamesCananga odorata (accepted name) , Uvaria odorata, Canangium odoratum

High Tax. Eng.k.Plants, p.Flowering Plants, f.Custard-apples - a tree

High Tax. Latink.PLANTAE, p.ANTHOPHYTA, c.MAGNOLIOPSIDA, sc.MAGNOLIIDAE, o.Magnoliales, f.ANNONACEAE

Natl. PresencePresent

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

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

VouchersNo Content

Local OriginIntroduced; Polynesian; Naturalised

Global RangeNative: se.Asia - Malesia / n.Australia - Solomons; Introduced: incl Fiji - Marquesas (ancient);

HabitatLand; Lowlands, Horticultural Zone; Uplands

ThreatenedSub-nationally endangered - seriously

InvasivenessInvasive; Agriculture

BiosecurityNo Content

Medical StatusMedicine

Harmful StatusNo Content

UsesOrnamental - flowers

IdentificationA tree to 20m. LEAVES: along the branches, alternate, green, pale middle vein, long oval, tip pointed, to 30cm. FLOWERS: arising at leaf bases, greenish-yellow, strongly scented, petals long and twisted, to 6cm. FRUIT: leaf bases, clusters, small ovoid, to 20mm.

Similar SpeciesNone.

Interest NoteIntroduction - recent or Polynesian? Cheeseman (1899) conclumore...ded it was Polynesian Introduced on Rarotonga, as did Setchell in 1924 for Samoa. The traditional names support an ancient introduction: Makosoi / mokohoi (Fiji - plus other cognates), Mosokoi (Futuna) Mohokoi (Tonga), Mosoio (Samoa) and Mataoi / Motooi / Moto (S.Cooks). A.C.Smith (Flora Vitiensis Nova) has the Perfume Tree as native to the Solomons, and an aboriginal introduction to Fiji and eastward.

Mature greenish-yellow flowers are strongly scented, especially in the morning. The fruits are popular food for fruit-doves and pigeons.

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4P008_Cana-odor_

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Leaves, flowers and fruit

Leaf and flowers

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Leaf and flowers (jpg)

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Vernacular Names

English and International Names

Perfume Tree ^EN Ilang-ilang^EN Ylang-ylang^EN [Malesia] Ylang-Ylang^DE Ylang-ylang^FR

Pacific Names

Mokosoi/mokasoi/mokohoi ^FIJ Mohokoi^TON Moso‘oi^SAM Moto‘oi^HAW

Local Names

Mata‘oi^RR,MK,MT,AK Moto‘oi^MG Motoī^AT

National Name: Mata‘oi ^RR

Island	Status	Main name
National name	RR	Mata‘oi
Rarotonga	+	Mata‘oi
Mangaia	+	Moto‘oi
Ātiu	+	Motoī
Ma‘uke	+	Mata‘oi
Miti‘āro	+	Mata‘oi
Aitutaki	++	Mata‘oi
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

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

Vouchers for:
Cananga odorata

Cook Islands

Southern

Northern

Oceanic

Rarotonga

Mangaia

Ātiu

Ma‘uke

Miti‘āro

Aitutaki

Palmerston

Manuae

Takūtea

Tongareva

Manihiki

Rakahanga

Pukapuka

Nassau

Suwarrow

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

Threatened

Invasive/Pest Status

no data available

Biosecurity

Medicinal

Species Uses

References

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2026) Cook Islands Biodiversity & Ethnobiology Database, Version 2026.03.23 - Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at https://naturalheritage.gov.ck/cibed
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