General Information

COMMON NAMES: Kava Shrub, Yanggona [Fiji], Kava [Polynesia] TRADITIONAL NAMES: Kava Māori (RR MG AT MK MT AK); Other Polynesian - ‘Ava (SAM) GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE Vanuatu COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Introduced - Polynesian, Not naturalised; Land, mountains (+) SIGNIFICANCE LIST: ; Locally endangeredMedicine KEY FEATURES: A sterile shrub to

Cook Islands Distribution

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

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

Piper methysticum J.R.Forster & G.Forster
SYNONYMS: Macropiper methysticum

TAXONOMY: PLANTAE; ANTHOPHYTA (=Angiospermae); MAGNOLIOPSIDA (=Dicotyledones); MAGNOLIIDAE; Piperales; PIPERACEAE

SIGNIFICANCE NOTES -
BIODIVERSITY: Locally endangered. Comment: Very rare in cultivation. NBSAP - Te Au-o-Tonga (1 of 4 domestic), NBSAP - Takitumu (1 of 4 domestic plants), NBSAP - Mangaia (2 of 2 domestic)
POSITIVE SIGNIFICANCE: Medicine. Comments: Formerly cuitvated for its psychoactive properties.

GENERAL NOTE: A unique cultivated plant of the Pacific islands, and traditionally used as a drink to induce relaxation. Increasingly exported to pharmaceutical and nutraceutical companies in developed countries to be sold as a natural replacement for Valium (mainly in Europe) and as a food supplement (mainly in the united States). The main export industry occurs in Fiji and Vanuatu.

Vouchers:
None Recorded.

References:
p.291 Neal - In Gardens of Hawaii
p.2/058 A.C.Smith - Flora Vitiensis Nova
p.292 A Cheeseman - Flora of Rarotonga
p.39 Wilder - Flora of Rarotonga
p.369a Whistler - Ethnobotany of the Cook Islands
p.51 McCormack/Kunzle - Rarotonga's Mountain Tracks and Plants

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

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