General Information

COMMON NAMES: Cordia, Kou, Island Walnut [as Pacific Rosewood in Whistler 1990 (Ethnobotany of the Cook Islands), and in the CINHP until 11/2003]; French Tou TRADITIONAL NAMES: Tou (RR MG AT MK MT AK PL TS TW MH RK), Wakanava (PK NS); Other Polynesian - Puataukanave (TON), Tauanave (SAM) GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE e.Africa - se.Asia - Malesia - ne.Australia - e.Polynesia COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; Land, coastal SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Medicine, Artefacts, Wood, Construction, Food KEY FEATURES: Spreading tree to 15 m. LEAVES alternate, oval to 20x15cm, widest towards base; petiole long (8cm). FLOWERS in clusters; each 5cmØ; petals orange and wide. FRUIT ovoid, 3cmØ, broadest towards the base with a pointed tip; matures brown.

Cook Islands Distribution

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Southern Group: Present    Makatea: Present
RR	MG	AT	MK	MT	AK	PL	TK	MN
++	+	++	++	++	++	++?	-	?++L

Northern Group: Present
TN	MH	RK	PK	NS	SW
+++	P	P	++	+	P

Cordia subcordata Lam.
TAXONOMY: PLANTAE; ANTHOPHYTA (=Angiospermae); MAGNOLIOPSIDA (=Dicotyledones); ASTERIDAE; Lamiales; BORAGINACEAE

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -. Comment: NBSAP - Te Au-o-Tonga (1 of 6 wild), NBSAP - Aitutaki (1= of 5 wild plants), NBSAP - Mangaia (2= of 4 wild)
POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Medicine, Artefacts, Wood, Construction, Food. Comments: One of the most popular carving woods of Polynesia. A high quality, hard wood, from brown-black to white. Used in Polynesia to make slit-gongs, food bowls, seats, paddles, clubs, furniture, etc. Seeds eaten by children.

Vouchers:
Pukapuka: fieldspecimen, 2/2004, G.McCormack with ID as Cordia subcordata.

References:
p.392 Wagner et al.- Flowering Plants of Hawaii
p.714 Neal - In Gardens of Hawaii
p.5/152 A.C.Smith - Flora Vitiensis Nova
p.288 A Cheeseman - Flora of Rarotonga
p.92 Wilder - Flora of Rarotonga
p.407g Whistler - Ethnobotany of the Cook Islands

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zD02

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