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Gardenia taitensis Tahitian Gardenia Tiare Māori RR
f.RUBIACEAE Coffees
Gardenia taitensis Tahitian Gardenia Tiare Māori RR
f.RUBIACEAE Coffees
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Cook Islands Status Summary

Show Notes
    Intl. NamesTahitian Gardenia EN   Tiare Tahiti FR
    Local NamesTiare MāoriRR,MG,AT,MK,MT,AK,PL,TNw,MH,RK  Tiale MāoliTNs,PK,NS 
    Pacific NamesPua / Pua Samoa SAM
    Sci. NamesGardenia taitensis (accepted name) [on d'Urville specimen, Tahiti], Gardenia florida [inadequate info], Gardenia tahitensis [alternate spelling]
    High Tax. Eng.k.Plants, p.Flowering Plants, f.Coffees - a shrub
    High Tax. Latink.PLANTAE, p.ANTHOPHYTA, c.MAGNOLIOPSIDA, sc.ASTERIDAE, o.Rubiales, f.RUBIACEAE
    Natl. PresencePresent
    Sth. PresenceRR++++MG++++AT++++MK+++MT+++AK++++PL++?MN-TK-
    Nth. PresenceTN+++MH++?RK++?PK++++NSPSW-
    VouchersPK2004  
    Local OriginIntroduced; Polynesian; Maintained
    Global RangeNative: Vanuatu - Tonga / Samoa; 
    HabitatLand; Lowlands, Coastal, Horticultural Zone
    ThreatenedNo Content
    InvasivenessNo Content
    BiosecurityNo Content
    Medical StatusMedicine
    Harmful StatusNo Content
    UsesOrnamental - flowers; Material - for perfumes
    IdentificationNo Content
    Similar SpeciesNo Content
    Interest NoteThe name Tahitian Gardenia is somewhat a misnomer because itmore... is neither native nor naturalised in Tahiti. The first acceptable scientific name for the plant was based on Tahitian specimens collected by Dumont d'Urville in 1824. Hence the scientific name of Gardenia taitensis, and the English name of Tahitian Gardenia. It is interesting to note that it was also first collected in Tahiti, by the Forsters on Captain Cook's first Pacific voyage (1768-1771), although it was mis-identified as Gardenia florida. [GMcC 10/2004]

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Multimedia & Other Resources

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    speciesid 6173
    Flowers and leaves, and fruit insert
    speciesid 6173
    Fruits on Futuna island where it is native
    speciesid 6173
    Fruit on female plant from Tonga

Vernacular Names

Scientific Names and Taxonomy

National Distribution & Vouchers

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

no data available

Threatened

no data available

Invasive/Pest Status

no data available

Biosecurity

Medicinal

Species Uses

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2026) Cook Islands Biodiversity & Ethnobiology Database, Version 2026.05.02 - Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at https://naturalheritage.gov.ck/cibed
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speciesid 6173

Flowers and leaves, and fruit insert - Cook Islands, Rarotonga - Gerald McCormack

speciesid 6173

Fruits on Futuna island where it is native [3cmFrØ] - Wallis & Futuna, Futuna - Gerald McCormack


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speciesid 6173
Gardenia taitensis
Tahitian Gardenia
Tiare Māori RR
RUBIACEAE

4P312_Gard-tait_mix_GMcCormack_TXa.jpg// 4P312_Gard-tait_mix_GMcCormack_MXa.jpg// {Gardenia taitensis} // Tahitian Gardenia// Tiare Māori ^^RR¬¬// RUBIACEAE//



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