Below are some Samoan plant names in alphabetical order in the Samoan language and their corresponding descriptions in English. Many are used in traditional medicines in the Samoa Islands comprising Samoa and American Samoa.
Samoan name Scientific name Plant family English nameA'atasi Rorippa sarmentosaBrassicaceae (Mustard family) Polynesian cress, longrunnerAgo, lega when cooked Curcuma longa Zingiberaceae (Ginger family) TurmericAloalo, also Aloalo fanua, Aloalo sami Premna serratifolia Verbenaceae (Verbena family)Aloalo tai Volkameria inermis Verbenaceae (Verbena family) glory bowerAloalo vao Mussaenda raiateensis Rubiaceae (Coffee family) Pacific mussaenda, Pacific flag-treeAloe (English loan word) Aloe vera Agavaceae (Yucca family) Aloe veraAoa Ficus obliqua Moraceae (Mulberry family) Polynesian banyan, strangler fig ʻApu Initia (English loan word) Anacardium occidentale Anacardiaceae (Cashew family) Cashew, "Indian Apple"Ateate Wollastonia biflora Asteraceae (Sunflower family) Beach sunflowerʻAu'auli Diospyros samoensis Ebenaceae Samoan ebonyʻAute Samoa Hibiscus rosa-sinensis Malvaceae (Mallow family) Red hibiscusʻAva, ʻAva Samoa, kava Piper methysticum Piperaceae (Pepper family) KavaʻAvaʻavaaitu Macropiper puberulum Piperaceae (Pepper family) hairy piperʻAvaʻavaaitu sosolo ʻAvaʻavaaitu tu ʻAvapui Zingiber zerumbet Zingiberaceae (Ginger family) Wild ginger, shampoo gingerʻAvapui tuasivi Alpinia samoensis Zingiberaceae Samoan shell-gingerEsi (Tongan loan word, lesi transliterated as le esi Carica papaya Caricaceae (Papaya family) Papaya, pawpawFaʻi, moʻe, futi Musa maclayi Musaceae (Banana family) Banana, plantainFala Pandanus tectorius Pandanaceae (Screwpine family) Pandanus, screwpineFau Hibiscus tiliaceus Malvaceae (Mallow family) Beach hibiscusFetau Calophyllum inophyllum Clusiaceae (Maongosteen family) CalophyllumFilimoto Flacourtia rukam Flacourtiaceae (Flacourtia family) Indian plumFisoa Colubrina asiatica Rhamnaceae (Buckthorn family) latherleaf, Asian nakedwood, Asian snakewoodFiu Zingiber officinale Zingiberaceae (Ginger family) GingerFu'afu'a Kleinhovia hospita Sterculiaceae (Cacao family) guest treeFue laufao Epipremnum pinnatum Araceae (arum family) centipede tongavine, dragon-tail plantFue manogi Piper graeffei Piperaceae (Piper family) Fue moa, Fuefue moa Ipomoea pes-caprae Convolvulaceae (Morning-glory family) Beach morning-gloryFue saina Mikania micrantha Asteraceae (Sunflower family) Mile-a-minute weed, "Chinese Fue"Fue sina Vigna marina Fabaceae (Pea family) Beach peaFutu Barringtonia asiatica Barringtonia (Barringtonia family) Fish-poison treeGatae, Gatae Samoa Erythrina variegata Fabaceae (Pea family) Coral treeIfi Inocarpus fagifer Fabaceae (Pea family) Tahitian chestnutIfiifi Atuna excelsa subsp. racemosa, syn. Atuna racemosa Chrysobalanaceae tabon-tabonIfilele Intsia bijuga Fabaceae (Pea family) Fijian vesi, Tongan fehiKuava (English loan word) Psidium guajava Myrtaceae (Myrtle family) GuavaLa'au fai lafa Senna alata Fabaceae (Pea family) Dandlebush, acapulcoLaga'ali Aglaia samoensis Meliaceae (Mahogany family) Lama, tuitui Aleurites moluccanus Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family) Candlenut (lama means "soot")Lau mafiafia Hoya australis Asclepiadaceae (Milkweed family) Wax plantLau pata, Lau papata, Pata Macaranga harveyana Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family) Lau ti, Ti Cordyline fruticosa Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family) Ti leafLeva Cerbera manghas Apocynaceae (Dogbane family) sea mangoMa'anunu Tarenna sambucina Rubiaceae (Coffee family) Magele Trema cannabina Ulmaceae (Elm family) poison peachMago Mangifera indica Anacardiaceae (Cashew family) mangoMakerita (English loan word) Tagetes erecta Asteraceae (Sunflower family) African marigoldMamala Omalanthus nutans Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family) Mamala extract found to be medicinally useful as antiviral therapyMasame Glochidion ramiflorum Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family) Matalafi Psychotria insularum Rubiaceae (Coffee family) Mati Ficus tinctoria Moraceae (Mulberry family) Dyer's figMautofu Sida rhombifolia Malvaceae (Mallow family) Broom weedMau'utoga ("Tongan mau'u") Commelina diffusa Commelinaceae (Spiderwort family) Day flowerMilo Thespesia populnea Malvaceae (Mallow family) Milo, Pacific rosewoodMoegalo Cymbopogon citratus Poaceae (Grass family) Lemon grassMoli'aina ("edible moli") Citrus sinensis Rutaceae (Citrus family) Orange, sweet orangeMoso'oi Cananga odorata Annonaceae (Soursop family) Perfume tree, ylang-ylangNamulega Vitex trifolia Verbenaceae (Verbena family) simpleleaf chastetreeNiu (Young drinking coconut), Popo(Mature Coconut) Cocos nucifera Arecaceae (Palm family) CoconutNonu, Nonu togianonu Morinda citrifolia Rubiaceae (Coffee family) Indian mulberry, "noni"Nonu 'ai ("edible nonu"), Nonu fi'afi'a Syzygium malaccense Myrtaceae (Myrtle family) Malay appleʻOʻa Bischofia javanica Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family) bishop woodʻOfe, Ofe Samoa Schizostachyum glaucifolium Poaceae (Grass family) Polynesian bambooOgoogo, Ogoogo toto Laportea interrupta Urticaceae (Nettle family) Island nettleOgoogo tea, Ogoogo sina, Ogoogo pa'epa'e (all mean "white ogoogo") Acalypha lanceolata Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family)Pate Coleus scutellarioides Lamiaceae (Mint family) ColeusPolo feu ("spicy polo") Capsicum frutescens Solanaceae (Nightshade family) Chilli pepperPoumuli Securinega flexuosa Phyllanthaceae Pua Fiti ("Fijian pua") Plumeria rubra Apocynaceae (Dogbane family) Plumeria, frangipaniPua Samoa, Tiale Gardenia taitensis Rubiaceae (Coffee family) Tahitian gardenia (tiare)Pua taunofo Allamanda cathartica Apocynaceae (Dogbane family) Golden trumpetSalato Dendrocnide harveyi Urticaceae (Nettle family) Stinging nettle treeSeasea Syzygium corynocarpum Myrtaceae (Myrtle family) hemp-agrimony, holy ropeSoi Dioscorea bulbifera Dioscoreaceae (Yam family) Bitter yamTagitagi, Tagitagi Samoa Polyscias fruticosa Araliaceae (Panax family) Ming araliaTaipoipoi Geniostoma ligustrifolium Loganiaceae (Logania family) hangehangeTalafalu Micromelum minutum Rutaceae (Citrus family) limeberry, samuiTalie Terminalia catappa Combretaceae (Tropical Island family) Tropical almondTalo Colocasia esculenta Araceae (Arum family) TaroTeuila Alpinia purpurata Zingiberaceae (Ginger family) Red ginger. (national flower of Samoa)Teve Amorphophallus paeoniifolius Araceae (arum family) elephant foot yam, whitespot giant arumTipolo (Tahitian loan word) Citrus medica Rutaceae (Citrus family) Citron, lemonTogo, Togotogo Centella asiatica Apiaceae (Carrot family) Asiatic pennywortTolo Saccharum officinarum Poaceae (Grass family) SugarcaneU'a Broussonetia papyrifera Moraceae (Mulberry family) Paper mulberry, used in making tapaUfi Boerhavia repens Nyctaginaceae (Four O'Clock family) YamʻUlu Artocarpus altilis Moraceae (Mulberry family) Breadfruit treeʻUmala Ipomoea batatas Ipomoea (Sweet Potato) Sweet potato, kumaraUsi Euodia hortensis Rutaceae (Citrus family) Island muskVao apulupulu Chamaesyce hirta Euphorbiaceae (Spurge family) Garden spurgeVao vai Peperomia pellucida Piperaceae (Pepper family) pepper elder, shining bush plant, man to manVavae Ceiba pentandra Malvaceae (Mallow family) KapokVi Spondias dulcis Anacardiaceae (Cashew family) Polynesian plum, Otaheite appleVi vao Physalis angulata Solanaceae (Nightshade family) Wild cape gooseberry
See also List of protected areas of Samoa National Park of American Samoa Central Savai'i Rainforest, largest continuous patch of rainforest in Polynesia List of birds of Samoa List of mammals of Samoa IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Domesticated plants and animals of Austronesia
References
External links Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Samoa. American Samoa Environment Protection Agency United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Protected Areas Samoa: Country Report to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations) International Technical Conference on Plant Genetic Resources, (Leipzig, 1996); Report prepared by Seve T. Imo, William J. Cable, Apia, October, 1995. Kava: its ceremonial use, An Account of Samoan History up to 1918 by Teo Tuvale. Samoa Biodiversity Profile - International Treaty, Convention on Biological Diversity