Cook Islands Biodiversity & Natural Heritage
 

Delonix regia

Pātai

Flamboyant

Multimedia & Additional Resources

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Open this image in pop-up window Image: Leaves and flowers (red and yellow) 91KB

General Information

COMMON NAMES: Flamboyant, Royal Poinciana, Peacock Flower, Flame Tree, Forest Flame, Peacock Tree; German Flammenbaum, Flamboyant; French Flamboyant

TRADITIONAL NAMES: Pātai (RR MG AK TS TW MH RK), Rākau Tāmarumaru (AT), Pū Pī (MK), Marumaru (MT); Other Polynesian - Ra‘au Marumaru (TAH)

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE Madagascar

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Introduced - Recent (1892 from Sri Lanka), Not naturalised; Land, lowlands

SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Ornamental (Flower/Leaf), Medicine

KEY FEATURES: Wide-spreading tree to 15m. LEAVES compound (bipinnate) with 10-20 pairs of pinnae. LEAFLETS 10-25 opposite pairs, to 1x0.5cm. FLOWERS to 12cmØ with 5 petals to 7cm, crimson to scarlet, one petal yellow with red spots. FRUIT flat woody pod to 60x7cm with transverse seeds. SEEDS cigar-shaped. A variety has flowers entirely yellow.

Enlarged Image of 'Delonix regia'

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map View Distribution Map

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

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

Key to Symbols

Scientific Taxonomy

Delonix regia (Bojer ex Hook.)
SYNONYMS: Poinciana regia

TAXONOMY: PLANTAE; ANTHOPHYTA (=Angiospermae); MAGNOLIOPSIDA (=Dicotyledones); ROSIDAE; Fabales (Legumes); CAESALPINIACEAE

More Information

GENERAL NOTE: Introduced from Sri Lanka in 1892 by Frederick Moss, the first British Resident.

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
None Recorded.

References:
p.664 Wagner et al.- Flowering Plants of Hawaii
p.430 Neal - In Gardens of Hawaii
p.367 Hortus 3rd
p.351 Royal Hort. Soc. Index of Garden Plants
p.543 Tropica
p.3/090 A.C.Smith - Flora Vitiensis Nova
p.57 Wilder - Flora of Rarotonga
p.388d Whistler - Ethnobotany of the Cook Islands

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM03a, zD02

Web Resources

Citation Information

McCormack, Gerald (2007) Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga. Online at http://cookislands.bishopmuseum.org. Copy citation to system clipboard
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