CIBED - - Sweet Potato

Ipomoea batatas Sweet Potato Kūmara ^RR

f.CONVOLVULACEAE Morning-glories

Ipomoea batatas Sweet Potato Kūmara ^RR

f.CONVOLVULACEAE Morning-glories

Cook Islands Status Summary

Show Notes

Intl. NamesSweet Potato ^EN Batate ^DE Süsskartoffel ^DE

Local NamesKūmara^{RR,AT,MK,MT,AK,PL,MH,RK} Kūara^MG Kūmala^PK,NS

Pacific NamesKumala ^TON ‘Umala ^SAM

Sci. NamesIpomoea batatas (accepted name) , Batatas edulis, Convolvulus batatas, Convolvulus edulis

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^PMN^{+ L}TK?

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

VouchersMN¹⁹⁷⁴ PK²⁰⁰⁴

Local OriginIntroduced; Polynesian; Maintained

Global RangeNative: tropical America;

HabitatLand; Lowlands, Horticultural Zone

ThreatenedNationally endangered - moderately

InvasivenessNo Content

BiosecurityNo Content

Medical StatusNo Content

Harmful StatusNo Content

UsesFood - root (very commonly)

IdentificationSprawling vine with root-tubers. ROOT tuberous. STEMS to 4m, w/wo nodes rooting, w/wo hairs. LEAVES variable, wide-oval to heart-like, to 15x15cm, w/wo hairs, w/wo teeth, w/wo 3-7 lobes, tip sharp; stalks 5-20cm. FLOWERS 1-few (sometimes absent); stamore...lk 3-15mm, w/wo hairs; sepals unequal, outer two shortest, oblong, 10-15mm, 3-5 raised veins; corolla funnel-like, pink to purplish with darker throat, sometimes white, 4-7cm long; stamen-stalks wo. hairs except at base.

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Leaves and flower

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Vernacular Names

English and International Names

Sweet Potato ^EN Batate^DE Süsskartoffel^DE

Pacific Names

Kumala ^TON ‘Umala^SAM

Local Names

Kūmara^{RR,AT,MK,MT,AK,PL,MH,RK} Kūara^MG Kūmala^PK,NS

National Name: Kūmara ^RR

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

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: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', 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: '#0000a0', fill: '#fff', symbol: 'WR', 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: '#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	Present
Manuae	+ L
Takūtea
Tongareva	Absent
Manihiki	++?
Rakahanga	++?
Pukapuka	+
Nassau	+
Suwarrow	+

Vouchers for:
Ipomoea batatas

Cook Islands

Southern

Northern

Oceanic

Rarotonga

Mangaia

Ātiu

Ma‘uke

Miti‘āro

Aitutaki

Palmerston

Manuae _____ 1974 2fs fieldspecimen 1974-07, fieldspecimen, dwellings area, Bill Sykes in 1998-01 updated report to NHT, with id as Ipomoea batatas.

Takūtea

Tongareva

Manihiki

Rakahanga

Pukapuka _____ 2004 2fs fieldspecimen fieldspecimen, 2/2004, G.McCormack with ID as Ipomoea batatas.

Nassau

Suwarrow

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

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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English and International Names

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Accepted Name

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National Distribution & Vouchers

Vouchers for:
Ipomoea batatas

Identification

Local Origin and Global Range

Habitat

Threatened

Invasive/Pest Status

Biosecurity

Medicinal

Species Uses

References

Citation Information

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Accepted Name

Synonyms

Vouchers for: Ipomoea batatas

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Ipomoea batatas