Below are some Samoan plant names in alphabetical order in the Samoan language and their corresponding descriptions in English.[1][2][3] Many are used in traditional medicines in the Samoa Islands comprising Samoa and American Samoa.

Samoan name Scientific name Plant family English name
A'atasiRorippa sarmentosaBrassicaceae (Mustard family)Polynesian cress, longrunner
Ago, lega when cookedCurcuma longaZingiberaceae (Ginger family)Turmeric
Aloalo, also Aloalo fanua, Aloalo samiPremna serratifoliaVerbenaceae (Verbena family)
Aloalo taiVolkameria inermisVerbenaceae (Verbena family)glory bower
Aloalo vaoMussaenda raiateensisRubiaceae (Coffee family)Pacific mussaenda, Pacific flag-tree
Aloe (English loan word)Aloe veraAgavaceae (Yucca family)Aloe vera
AoaFicus obliquaMoraceae (Mulberry family)Polynesian banyan, strangler fig
ʻApu Initia (English loan word)Anacardium occidentaleAnacardiaceae (Cashew family)Cashew, "Indian Apple"
AteateMelanthera bifloraAsteraceae (Sunflower family)Beach sunflower
ʻAu'auliDiospyros samoensisEbenaceaeSamoan ebony
ʻAute SamoaHibiscus rosa-sinensisMalvaceae (Mallow family)Red hibiscus
ʻAva, ʻAva Samoa, kavaPiper methysticumPiperaceae (Pepper family)Kava
ʻAvaʻavaaituMacropiper puberulumPiperaceae (Pepper family)hairy piper
ʻAvaʻavaaitu sosolo
ʻAvaʻavaaitu tu
ʻAvapuiZingiber zerumbetZingiberaceae (Ginger family)Wild ginger, shampoo ginger
ʻAvapui tuasiviAlpinia samoensisZingiberaceaeSamoan shell-ginger
Esi (Tongan loan word, lesi transliterated as le esiCarica papayaCaricaceae (Papaya family)Papaya, pawpaw
Faʻi, moʻe, futiMusa maclayiMusaceae (Banana family)Banana, plantain
FalaPandanus tectoriusPandanaceae (Screwpine family)Pandanus, screwpine
FauHibiscus tiliaceusMalvaceae (Mallow family)Beach hibiscus
FetauCalophyllum inophyllumClusiaceae (Maongosteen family)Calophyllum
FilimotoFlacourtia rukamFlacourtiaceae (Flacourtia family)Indian plum
FisoaColubrina asiaticaRhamnaceae (Buckthorn family)latherleaf, Asian nakedwood, Asian snakewood
FiuZingiber officinaleZingiberaceae (Ginger family)Ginger
Fu'afu'aKleinhovia hospitaSterculiaceae (Cacao family)guest tree
Fue laufaoEpipremnum pinnatumAraceae (arum family)centipede tongavine, dragon-tail plant
Fue manogiPiper graeffeiPiperaceae (Piper family)
Fue moa, Fuefue moaIpomoea pes-capraeConvolvulaceae (Morning-glory family)Beach morning-glory
Fue sainaMikania micranthaAsteraceae (Sunflower family)Mile-a-minute weed, "Chinese Fue"
Fue sinaVigna marinaFabaceae (Pea family)Beach pea
FutuBarringtonia asiaticaBarringtonia (Barringtonia family)Fish-poison tree
Gatae, Gatae SamoaErythrina variegataFabaceae (Pea family)Coral tree
IfiInocarpus fagiferFabaceae (Pea family)Tahitian chestnut
IfiifiAtuna excelsa subsp. racemosa, syn. Atuna racemosaChrysobalanaceaetabon-tabon
IfileleIntsia bijugaFabaceae (Pea family)Fijian vesi, Tongan fehi
Kuava (English loan word)Psidium guajavaMyrtaceae (Myrtle family)Guava
La'au fai lafaSenna alataFabaceae (Pea family)Dandlebush, acapulco
Laga'aliAglaia samoensisMeliaceae (Mahogany family)
Lama, tuituiAleurites moluccanusEuphorbiaceae (Spurge family)Candlenut (lama means "soot")
Lau mafiafiaHoya australisAsclepiadaceae (Milkweed family)Wax plant
Lau pata, Lau papata, PataMacaranga harveyanaEuphorbiaceae (Spurge family)
Lau ti, TiCordyline fruticosaEuphorbiaceae (Spurge family)Ti leaf
LevaCerbera manghasApocynaceae (Dogbane family)sea mango
Ma'anunuTarenna sambucinaRubiaceae (Coffee family)
MageleTrema cannabinaUlmaceae (Elm family)poison peach
MagoMangifera indicaAnacardiaceae (Cashew family)mango
Makerita (English loan word)Tagetes erectaAsteraceae (Sunflower family)African marigold
MamalaOmalanthus nutansEuphorbiaceae (Spurge family)Mamala extract found to be medicinally useful as antiviral therapy
MasameGlochidion ramiflorumEuphorbiaceae (Spurge family)
MatalafiPsychotria insularumRubiaceae (Coffee family)
MatiFicus tinctoriaMoraceae (Mulberry family)Dyer's fig
MautofuSida rhombifoliaMalvaceae (Mallow family)Broom weed
Mau'utoga ("Tongan mau'u")Commelina diffusaCommelinaceae (Spiderwort family)Day flower
MiloThespesia populneaMalvaceae (Mallow family)Milo, Pacific rosewood
MoegaloCymbopogon citratusPoaceae (Grass family)Lemon grass
Moli'aina ("edible moli")Citrus sinensisRutaceae (Citrus family)Orange, sweet orange
Moso'oiCananga odorataAnnonaceae (Soursop family)Perfume tree, ylang-ylang
NamulegaVitex trifoliaVerbenaceae (Verbena family)simpleleaf chastetree
NiuCocos nuciferaArecaceae (Palm family)Coconut
Nonu, Nonu togianonuMorinda citrifoliaRubiaceae (Coffee family)Indian mulberry, "noni"
Nonu 'ai ("edible nonu"), Nonu fi'afi'aSyzygium malaccenseMyrtaceae (Myrtle family)Malay apple
ʻOʻaBischofia javanicaEuphorbiaceae (Spurge family)bishop wood
ʻOfe, Ofe SamoaSchizostachyum glaucifoliumPoaceae (Grass family)Polynesian bamboo
Ogoogo, Ogoogo totoLaportea interruptaUrticaceae (Nettle family)Island nettle
Ogoogo tea, Ogoogo sina, Ogoogo pa'epa'e (all mean "white ogoogo")Acalypha lanceolataEuphorbiaceae (Spurge family)
PateColeus scutellarioidesLamiaceae (Mint family)Coleus
Polo feu ("spicy polo")Capsicum frutescensSolanaceae (Nightshade family)Chilli pepper
PoumuliSecurinega flexuosaPhyllanthaceae
Pua Fiti ("Fijian pua")Plumeria rubraApocynaceae (Dogbane family)Plumeria, frangipani
Pua Samoa, TialeGardenia taitensisRubiaceae (Coffee family)Tahitian gardenia (tiare)
Pua taunofoAllamanda catharticaApocynaceae (Dogbane family)Golden trumpet
SalatoDendrocnide harveyiUrticaceae (Nettle family)Stinging nettle tree
SeaseaSyzygium corynocarpumMyrtaceae (Myrtle family)hemp-agrimony, holy rope
SoiDioscorea bulbiferaDioscoreaceae (Yam family)Bitter yam
Tagitagi, Tagitagi SamoaPolyscias fruticosaAraliaceae (Panax family)Ming aralia
TaipoipoiGeniostoma ligustrifoliumLoganiaceae (Logania family)hangehange
TalafaluMicromelum minutumRutaceae (Citrus family)limeberry, samui
TalieTerminalia catappaCombretaceae (Tropical Island family)Tropical almond
TaloColocasia esculentaAraceae (Arum family)Taro
TeuilaAlpinia purpurataZingiberaceae (Ginger family)Red ginger. (national flower of Samoa)
TeveAmorphophallus paeoniifoliusAraceae (arum family)elephant foot yam, whitespot giant arum
Tipolo (Tahitian loan word)Citrus medicaRutaceae (Citrus family)Citron, lemon
Togo, TogotogoCentella asiaticaApiaceae (Carrot family)Asiatic pennywort
ToloSaccharum officinarumPoaceae (Grass family)Sugarcane
U'aBroussonetia papyriferaMoraceae (Mulberry family)Paper mulberry, used in making tapa
UfiBoerhavia repensNyctaginaceae (Four O'Clock family)Yam
ʻUluArtocarpus altilisMoraceae (Mulberry family)Breadfruit tree
ʻUmalaIpomoea batatasIpomoea (Sweet Potato)Sweet potato, kumara
UsiEuodia hortensisRutaceae (Citrus family)Island musk
Vao apulupuluChamaesyce hirtaEuphorbiaceae (Spurge family)Garden spurge
Vao vaiPeperomia pellucidaPiperaceae (Pepper family)pepper elder, shining bush plant, man to man
VavaeCeiba pentandraMalvaceae (Mallow family)Kapok
ViSpondias dulcisAnacardiaceae (Cashew family)Polynesian plum, Otaheite apple
Vi vaoPhysalis angulataSolanaceae (Nightshade family)Wild cape gooseberry

See also

References

  1. Isle Botanica, Art Whistler (May 1999). "Guide to the most commonly used medicinal plants in Samoa" (PDF). American Samoa Community College Land Grant Program. Honolulu, Hawai'i. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
  2. Roger R. B. Leakey, Craig R. Elevitch, Isabella Aiona Abbott (2006). Traditional trees of Pacific Islands: their culture, environment, and use. Permanent Agriculture Resources. ISBN 978-0-9702544-5-0. Retrieved 11 July 2010.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. "Traditional medicines still strong in Samoa". Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Samoa. Retrieved July 8, 2010.
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