General Information

COMMON NAMES: Mountain Lantern-tree, Jack-in-the-box TRADITIONAL NAMES: Tūrina (RR MG MT), Puka Tūrina (AT); Other Polynesian - Pipi Tui (TON), Pipi (SAM) GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE Solomons - Societies COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; Land, mountains (+++) and makatea SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Medicine KEY FEATURES: Tūrina (Mountain Lantern-tree) is another widespread and common tree in the Slope Community. It has terminal bunches of alternate leaves (< 30 cm) with long stalks and large, wide-oval blades widest towards the base. The widely-spaced lateral veins are conspicuous, especially the two which originate at the base of the large midrib. Its fruit consists of a dark, spherical seed (< 1.5 cm), contained in a loose, open-ended chamber.

Cook Islands Distribution

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

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

Hernandia moerenhoutiana Guillemin
SYNONYMS: Hernandia moerenhoutiana moerenhoutiana [Cooks-Societies subspecies]

TAXONOMY: PLANTAE; ANTHOPHYTA (=Angiospermae); MAGNOLIOPSIDA (=Dicotyledones); MAGNOLIIDAE; Laurales; LAURACEAE

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -
POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Medicine. Comments: MATERIAL: Timber favoured by borer, soft - easily worked, very light, stains well.

Vouchers:
None Recorded.

References:
p.2/111 A.C.Smith - Flora Vitiensis Nova
p.293 I Cheeseman - Flora of Rarotonga
p.52 Wilder - Flora of Rarotonga
p.409b Whistler - Ethnobotany of the Cook Islands
p.107 McCormack/Kunzle - Rarotonga's Mountain Tracks and Plants

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zupM03a, zD02

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