Cook Islands Biodiversity & Natural Heritage
 

Phyllanthus virgatus

Moemoe ‘Enua

Early Phyllanthus

Multimedia & Additional Resources

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General Information

COMMON NAMES: Early Phyllanthus

TRADITIONAL NAMES: Moemoe ‘Enua (RR), Matakura (MK); Other Polynesian - Moemoe (SAM)

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE se.Asia - Indonesia; EXOTIC EXOTIC aboriginal Fiji - French Polynesia

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Introduced - Polynesian, Naturalised; Land, lowlands - mountains (++)

SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Medicine,

KEY FEATURES: Erect to 60cm with alternate ascending branches in one plane. STEM woody, to 2mmØ, w small opposite wings. LEAVES alternate in one plane, semi-linear, to 25x7mm; base ~round, tip ~obtuse with spinule. FLOWERS axillary, separate female and male, 1-2mmØ; petals 6, oval to oblong; Flower-stalks 2-10mm (female), and 1-2mm (male). CAPSULE globose, to 3mmØ. SEEDS pitted, not ridged.

Enlarged Image of 'Phyllanthus virgatus'

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map View Distribution Map

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

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

Key to Symbols

Scientific Taxonomy

Phyllanthus virgatus G.Forster
SYNONYMS: Phyllanthus simplex [incl. TC]; Phyllanthus simplex var. virgatus

TAXONOMY: PLANTAE; ANTHOPHYTA (=Angiospermae); MAGNOLIOPSIDA (=Dicotyledones); ROSIDAE; Euphorbiales; EUPHORBIACEAE

More Information

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -. Comment: NBSAP - Mauke (5 of 8 wild plants)
POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Medicine,

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
Mauke: fieldspecimen by Teariki Teao, NBSAP 3/2001, inland, photo G.McCormack with ID as Phyllanthus virgatus.

References:
p.2/464 A.C.Smith - Flora Vitiensis Nova
p.294 R* Cheeseman - Flora of Rarotonga
p.380d Whistler - Ethnobotany of the Cook Islands

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