General Information

COMMON NAMES: Derris, New Guinea Creeper TRADITIONAL NAMES: ‘Ora Pāpua (RR MG MK MT AK), Rākau Pāpua (AT); Other Polynesian - Kava Fisi (TON), ‘Ava Niukini (SAM) GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE s.Burma - Malesia; EXOTIC EXOTIC New Guinea - Societies COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Introduced - Recent (late 1800s - pre-1920s), Not naturalised (flowers, but no viable seeds); Land, lowlands - mountains (+++) SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Material (Fish Poison 1+); Poisonous to fish KEY FEATURES: A vine sprawling on the ground and climbing high in trees. LEAVES alternate, compound. LEAFLETS 3-4 opposite pairs with one terminal; oval, large, to 20x8cm; glossy green above, dull below; tip drawn-out and sharp. INFORESCENCE to 15cm, many flowered. FLOWERS pea-like, pink and white, 5 petals; the wing and keel petals close-packed; the standard petal reflexed, 2x1cm; calyx cup-like, 5mm deep, red-brown. FRUIT not seen locally.

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map

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

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

Derris malaccensis (Benth.)
SYNONYMS: Derris elliptica [sensu GW]

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

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -
POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Material (Fish Poison 1+)
NEGATIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Poisonous to fish. Comments: NBSAP - Mauke (7 of 10 weeds)

GENERAL NOTE: Not recorded by Cheeseman (1903) but common by the 1920s when Wilder studied the flora of Rarotonga. The Derris uliginosa of Cheeseman, a synonym of Derris trifoliata, was a mis-identification of the Millettia australis of the northwest hills of inland Rarotonga. A.C.Smith (Flora Vitiensis Nova) follows Verdcourt (1979) who concluded that Derris malaccensis was NOT native in New Guinea. [G.McC 11/2004]

Vouchers:
Atiu: specimen (leaves, young fruits, no flowers), Te Kopi Valley, Ngatiarua district, 7/1991, B.Syles with ID as Derris malaccensis in BPBM.

References:
p.454 Neal - In Gardens of Hawaii
p.3/168 A.C.Smith - Flora Vitiensis Nova
p.57 R Wilder - Flora of Rarotonga
p.386d Whistler - Ethnobotany of the Cook Islands
p.90 McCormack/Kunzle - Rarotonga's Mountain Tracks and Plants

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM04b, zD02, zupD04b

Web Resources

• Google
• Google Images