CIBED - - Kapok - Mama‘u RR

Ceiba pentandra Kapok Mama‘u ^RR

f.BOMBACACEAE Kapoks

Ceiba pentandra Kapok Mama‘u ^RR

f.BOMBACACEAE Kapoks

Cook Islands Status Summary

Show Notes

Intl. NamesKapok ^EN Silk‑cotton Tree ^EN Kapokbaum ^DE

Local NamesMama‘u^RR,MG,AK Tumu Mama‘u^RR Vavai^AT,MK,MT

Pacific NamesVavae ^SAM

Sci. NamesCeiba pentandra (accepted name) , Bombax pentandrum, Bombax malabaricum, Ceiba casearia, Ceiba pendrandra, Ceiba pentandra var. pentandra

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

High Tax. Latink.PLANTAE, p.ANTHOPHYTA, c.MAGNOLIOPSIDA, sc.DILLENIIDAE, o.Malvales, f.BOMBACACEAE

Natl. PresencePresent

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

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

VouchersNo Content

Local OriginIntroduced; Recent; Maintained

Global RangeNative: tropical Americas - w.Africa;

HabitatLand; Lowlands, Horticultural Zone

ThreatenedNo Content

InvasivenessNo Content

BiosecurityNo Content

Medical StatusNo Content

Harmful StatusNo Content

UsesMaterial - for fibre

IdentificationA large deciduous tree to 30m; trunk often with a few pyramid-shaped thorns. LEAVES: at branch ends; alternate; green; subdivided (compound) into leaflets. LEAFLETS: joined at bases (fan-like); 5-7/leaf; narrow-oval. FLOWERS: along the branches; framore...grant; white to rosy or yellowish; petals fleshy with silky hairs; flowers appear before leaves. FRUIT: along the branches; long, spindle (sausage) shaped, leathery pod; to15cm length [L]. SEEDS: inside pod; embedded in long white wooly/fibrous material (=kapok).

Similar SpeciesNone.

Interest NoteNo Content

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Video: 0
Audio: 0
Documents: 0
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4P101_Ceib-pent_

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Leaf, flower and open pods

Tree with open pods

Tree with green pods, detail of open pod

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Leaf, flower and open pods (jpg)
Tree with open pods (jpg)
Tree with green pods, detail of open pod (jpg)

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Vernacular Names

English and International Names

Kapok ^EN Silk-cotton Tree^EN Kapokbaum^DE

Pacific Names

Vavae ^SAM

Local Names

Mama‘u^RR,MG,AK Tumu Mama‘u^RR Vavai^AT,MK,MT

National Name: Mama‘u ^RR

Island	Status	Main name
National name	RR	Mama‘u
Rarotonga	+++	Mama‘u / Tumu Mama‘u
Mangaia	+++	Mama‘u
Ātiu	+++	Vavai
Ma‘uke	+++	Vavai
Miti‘āro	+++	Vavai
Aitutaki	+++	Mama‘u
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: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', 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: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', 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	+++
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

Note: S.Group - common

Vouchers for:
Ceiba pentandra

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

no data available

Threatened

no data available

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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Vouchers for:
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Invasive/Pest Status

Biosecurity

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References

Citation Information

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Accepted Name

Synonyms

Vouchers for: Ceiba pentandra

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Ceiba pentandra