Cook Islands Biodiversity & Natural Heritage
 

Sapindus saponaria

Akeake (MK)

Sapindus

Multimedia & Additional Resources

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General Information

COMMON NAMES: Sapindus

TRADITIONAL NAMES: Akeake (MK)

GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION: NATIVE Americas - Cooks - French Polynesia - Hawai‘i

COOK ISLANDS STATUS: Native; Land, lowlands

SIGNIFICANCE LIST: Material (Wood)

KEY FEATURES: Tree with pale bark. LF cpd, 30cm long, petiole 6cm, 4-7 LFTS, paired (very variable), rachis winged. LFTS sessile, papery, glabrous (top & bottom), entire, elliptic, base tapering, acuminate, sharp tip, to 16x6cm.

Enlarged Image of 'Sapindus saponaria'

Cook Islands Distribution

View Distribution Map View Distribution Map

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

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

Key to Symbols

Scientific Taxonomy

Sapindus saponaria Linnaeus
SYNONYMS: Sapindus saponaria var. jardiniana

TAXONOMY: PLANTAE; ANTHOPHYTA (=Angiospermae); MAGNOLIOPSIDA (=Dicotyledones); ROSIDAE; Sapindales; SAPINDACEAE

More Information

GENERAL NOTE: Known on Ma‘uke only. On Ma‘uke used for timber and tool handles (AW90). A feature of this family is that their fruit contain a lathering agent (a saponin) which lathers in water and can be used as a soap.

Vouchers & References

Vouchers:
None Recorded.

References:
p.1229 Wagner et al.- Flowering Plants of Hawaii
p.533 Neal - In Gardens of Hawaii
p.355a Whistler - Ethnobotany of the Cook Islands

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