CIBED - - Lantern Tree

Hernandia nymphaeifolia Lantern Tree Puka ^RR

f.LAURACEAE Avocados

Hernandia nymphaeifolia Lantern Tree Puka ^RR

f.LAURACEAE Avocados

Cook Islands Status Summary

Show Notes

Intl. NamesLantern Tree ^EN

Local NamesPuka^{RR,MG,MK,MT,AK,PL} Puka Tāvōvō^AT Pukaama^{TNs,TNw,MH,RK,PK,NS}

Pacific NamesPu‘a ^SAM

Sci. NamesHernandia nymphaeifolia (accepted name) , Biasolettia nymphaeifolia, Biasolettia peltata, Hernandia nymphiifolia, Hernandia peltata

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

High Tax. Latink.PLANTAE, p.ANTHOPHYTA, c.MAGNOLIOPSIDA, sc.MAGNOLIIDAE, o.Laurales, f.LAURACEAE

Natl. PresencePresent

Sth. PresenceRR⁺⁺⁺MG⁺⁺⁺AT⁺⁺⁺⁺MK⁺⁺MT⁺⁺⁺AK⁺⁺⁺PL^++?MN^{P L}TK^P

Nth. PresenceTN⁺MH^++?RK^++?PK⁺⁺⁺⁺NS^++?SW⁺⁺

VouchersMN¹⁹⁷⁴ PK²⁰⁰⁴ SW¹⁹⁸⁵

Local OriginNative; Resident

Global RangeNative: e.Africa - Asia - Micronesia - Pitcairn;

HabitatLand; Lowlands, Coastal

ThreatenedNo Content

InvasivenessNo Content

BiosecurityNo Content

Medical StatusMedicine

Harmful StatusNo Content

UsesMaterial - for adornment

IdentificationA large tree to 20m.

Multimedia & Other Resources

Photographs: 3
Video: 0
Audio: 0
Documents: 0
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Leaves, flowers and fruit

Leaves and flowers

Leaves and fruit

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Vernacular Names

English and International Names

Lantern Tree ^EN

Pacific Names

Pu‘a ^SAM

Local Names

Puka^{RR,MG,MK,MT,AK,PL} Puka Tāvōvō^AT Pukaama^{TNs,TNw,MH,RK,PK,NS}

National Name: Puka ^RR

Island	Status	Main name
National name	RR	Puka
Rarotonga	+++	Puka
Mangaia	+++	Puka
Ātiu	++++	Puka Tāvōvō
Ma‘uke	++	Puka
Miti‘āro	+++	Puka
Aitutaki	+++	Puka
Palmerston	++?	Puka
Tongareva-write	+	Pukaama
Tongareva-speak	+	Pukaama
Manihiki	++?	Pukaama
Rakahanga	++?	Pukaama
Pukapuka	++++	Pukaama
Nassau	++?	Pukaama

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: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 309.5, left: 112.5, labelLeft: 124, labelTop: 309} , {label: 'Manuae', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 346.5, left: 234.5, labelLeft: 244, labelTop: 338} , {label: 'Takūtea', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 362.5, left: 254.5, labelLeft: 211, labelTop: 363} , {label: 'Tongareva', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 32.5, left: 260.5, labelLeft: 205, labelTop: 31} , {label: 'Manihiki', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 80.5, left: 175.5, labelLeft: 187, labelTop: 80} , {label: 'Rakahanga', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 63.5, left: 173.5, labelLeft: 186, labelTop: 63} , {label: 'Pukapuka', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 88.5, left: 33.5, labelLeft: 45, labelTop: 88} , {label: 'Nassau', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', tris: '', trif: '', top: 108.5, left: 46.5, labelLeft: 59, labelTop: 108} , {label: 'Suwarrow', stroke: '#009900', fill: '#00CC00', symbol: 'GR', 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	++?
Manuae	Present L
Takūtea	Present
Tongareva	+	Intro Recent
Manihiki	++?
Rakahanga	++?
Pukapuka	++++
Nassau	++?
Suwarrow	++

Vouchers for:
Hernandia nymphaeifolia

Cook Islands

Southern

Northern

Oceanic

Rarotonga

Mangaia

Ātiu

Ma‘uke

Miti‘āro

Aitutaki

Palmerston

Manuae _____ 1974 2fs fieldspecimen 1974-07, fieldspecimen, probably introduced, Bill Sykes in 1998-01 updated report to NHT, with id as Hernandia nymphaefolia.

Takūtea

Tongareva

Manihiki

Rakahanga

Pukapuka _____ 2004 2fs fieldspecimen fieldspecimen, 2/2004, very common esp. near Taro areas, used for mulch, ID G.McCormack.

Nassau

Suwarrow _____ 1985 2fs fieldspecimen 1985-09/10, fieldspecimen, a few, in 1986-02 report G.McCormack to Sec. Internal Affairs with ID Lantern Trees.

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 2026.05.19 - Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at https://naturalheritage.gov.ck/cibed
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Cook Islands Status Summary

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Vernacular Names

English and International Names

Pacific Names

Scientific Names and Taxonomy

Accepted Name

Synonyms

National Distribution & Vouchers

Vouchers for:
Hernandia nymphaeifolia

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

Threatened

Invasive/Pest Status

Biosecurity

Medicinal

Species Uses

References

Citation Information

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Cook Islands Status Summary

Multimedia & Other Resources

Vernacular Names

Accepted Name

Synonyms

Vouchers for: Hernandia nymphaeifolia

Citation Information

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Vouchers for:
Hernandia nymphaeifolia