Cook Islands Biodiversity & Natural Heritage
 

Jasminum didymum

‘Āketa

Native Jasmine

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General Information

COMMON NAMES: Native Jasmine

TRADITIONAL NAMES: ‘Āketa (RR), Pirita (MG AT MK MT)

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE New Guinea - n.&e.Australia - Societies

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; S.Group - common in inland RR and in makatea forest on rasied-islands; N.Group - absent; Land, mountains (+++)

SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Material (Fibre)

KEY FEATURES: High-climbing vine with slender, tough stems. LEAVES usually opposite; compound; 3 leaflets. LEAFLETS oval, to 8x5cm; edge smooth; tip elongate and sharp. FLOWERS in loose cluster, fragrant, small; corolla white, tube to 10mm, 5 lobes to 5mm. FRUIT round, 15mmØ, ripening purple to black.

Enlarged Image of 'Jasminum didymum'

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
-
-
-
-
-
-

Key to Symbols

Scientific Taxonomy

Jasminum didymum G.Forster
SYNONYMS: Jasminum didymum didymum [range n.Australia - Fiji - Societies]

TAXONOMY: PLANTAE; ANTHOPHYTA (=Angiospermae); MAGNOLIOPSIDA (=Dicotyledones); ASTERIDAE; Scrophulariales; OLEACEAE

More Information

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -
POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Material (Fibre). Comments: On the makatea islands the strong, slender stems are woven to make freshwater-eel traps (called ‘inaki).

IDENTIFICATION: A high-climbing, slender-stemmed vine. STEM very strong. LEAVES opposite pairs (sometimes triplets), compound, leaflets 3 (=trifoliolate); stalk to 3cm. LEAFLETS oval, to 8x5cm; tip long drawn-out, and sharp; base obtuse. FLOWERS many in loose-branching array; fragrant at night; corolla white, tube to 10mm and 5 lobes to 5mm. FRUIT round, to 15mmØ, ripening purple to black; seed 10mmØ.

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
None Recorded.

References:
p.4/126 A.C.Smith - Flora Vitiensis Nova
p.286 I Cheeseman - Flora of Rarotonga
p.87 Wilder - Flora of Rarotonga
p.355b Whistler - Ethnobotany of the Cook Islands
p.86 McCormack/Kunzle - Rarotonga's Mountain Tracks and Plants

Data Update History (information):
zTX, zB02, zM02, zupM03a, zD04b

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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