Observations by tavita_togia2016

Aloalo tai (Clerodendrum inerme) is a member of the Verbenaceae family. It is an indigenous scandent shrub with weak, flexible stems that can grow up into the canopy if they are able to lean on other plants. It is common on rocky or sandy beaches. The leaves are occasionally used in native remedies for treating wounds, punctures, and inflammation.
Whistler, W. Arthur. 2000. Plants in Samoan Culture: The Ethnobotany of Samoa. Isle Botanica. Honolulu, HI.

Nonu (Morinda citrifolia) is a member of the Rubiaceae (Coffee) family. It is a small tree or shrub up to 10 m in height, but usually much shorter, with a clear yellow sap, glabrous, 4-angled stems, and large, rounded, interpetiolar stipules 4-14 mm long; chocolate-brown bark, longitudinally grooved, off-white bark, and cream-colored wood. Nonu has opposite leaves; 4-angled young stems; heads of small white 5-lobed flowers borne in a head on a stalk opposite an unpaired leaf; and large, translucent whitish, faceted, foul-smelling fruit.
This tree is native to Southeast Asia and Australia, but is believed to be an ancient introduction throughout Polynesia as far east as Hawaii. It occurs on nearly all the high islands in its Polynesian range. Nonu is also occasional-to-common in littoral to foothill forests, and is often disturbed places and lava flow scrub, reported from near se level to 500 m elevation. The foul-smelling fruit is a famine food. It has medicinal uses throughout its range, and in the Samoan Archipelago it is used to treat boil, inflammations, “ghost sickness”, and a variety of other ailments. And the nectar is a favorite food of honeyeaters.

Reference:
Whistler, W. Arthur. 2004. Rainforest Trees of Samoa. Isle Botanica. Honolulu, HI

Asi Vai (Syzygium dealatum) is a member of the Myrtaceae (Myrtle) family. It is a medium-sized tree up to 15 m in height with glabrous, quadrangular, and slightly winged young stems; bark is gray-brown, rough and striate, corky white beneath, tan inner bark and wood; opposite leaves; terminal, many-flowered inflorescences; many showy stamens; and a purple fruit.
This tree is indigenous to the Samoan Archipelago and elsewhere in western Polynesia occurring in Tonga, Niue, the Horne Islands, and ‘Uvea. It is occasional in coastal forests and less commonly in lowland forests, and has been reported from near sea level to 310 m elevation. And the seasonal fruits are eaten by pigeons and doves.

Reference:

Whistler, W. Arthur. 2004. Rainforest Trees of Samoa. Isle Botanica. Honolulu, HI.)

Teve (Amorphophallus paeoniifolius) is a member of the Araceae (Aroid) family. This species is a stemless herbaceous plant with an underground tuber up to 30 cm in diameter. The single leaf, which arises from the tuber after flowering, has a mottled petiole up to 1 m in height, and a large blade up to 1 m across, divided into three parts that are further pinnately lobed. The small, unisexual flowers are densely arranged together on a fleshy spadix arising from the ground, and surrounded by a large, foul-smelling, greenish-purple spathe.
It is a native to tropical Asia or Indo-Malaysia, but was an ancient introduction to eastward as far as Hawaii. In the Samoan Archipelago, it is uncommon in secondary forest, plantations, and other undisturbed places. The rhizome was formerly eaten as a famine food, but it requires much cooking since it is very acrid. The juice from the stems is sometimes dripped into the eye for treating eye ailments such as blurry vision. It is used to treat conjunctivitis.

Reference:
Whistler, W. Arthur. 2000. Plants in Samoan Culture: The Ethnobotany of Samoa. Isle Botanica. Honolulu, HI.

Bulbophyllum samoanum is a member of Orchidaceae family .It is a small epiphyte with a clustered or weakly spreading habit; rhizome short, 2 mm in diameter. Pseudo bulbs pear-shaped, 1.2-1.5 x 0.7-0.8 cm. Leaves oblong-oblanceolate, obtuse, 6.5-14 cm long, 1-2.2 cm wide, slender petiolate. Inflorence erect, one-flowered, 6-12 cm long; peduncle short, terete, 1-3.5 cm long; bract minute, ovate, apiculate. Flower greenish yellow with reddish purple marking; pedicle and ovary 5-8.5 mm long. Lip very fleshy, slightly arcuate, ovate-sublinguiform, articulate at base, obtuse at apex, 2.5-4 x 1.5-2 mm; disc sulcate, glabrous. Column 3-4 mm long with two subulate apical satelidia; foot 2 mm long.

Reference:
Cribb, Phillip & Whistler, W. Arthur. 1996. Orchids of Samoa. The Royal Botanic Gardens. United Kingdom.

Oketi palapala (Didymoplexis micradenia) is a member of the Orchidaceae (Orchids) family. It is a saprophytic orchid that uses dead organic material as a source of food. This inconspicuous herb is unable to make its own food and must absorb it from organic material present in the soil.

Reference:
Cribb, Phillip & Whistler, W. Arthur. 1996. Orchids of Samoa. The Royal Botanic Gardens. United Kingdom.

Soi (Dioscorea bulbifera) is a member of the Dioscoreaceae (Yam) family. It is a climbing vine of ancient introduction to the Samoan Archipelago, and is common as a weed of disturbed places and secondary forest. The aerial tubers were grated, washed repeatedly, and eaten in times of scarcity. These are apparently poisonous, at least during part of the year. The crushed aerial tubers are sometimes used in native remedies for treating boils, and are eaten by the tooth-billed pigeon.

Reference:
Whistler, W. Arthur. 2000. Plants in Samoan Culture: The Ethnobotany of Samoa. Isle Botanica. Honolulu, HI.

Masoa (Tacca leontopetaloides) is an indigenous herb occasional in littoral to lowland forest. Starch extracted from the tuber is used as food, most commonly as an additive to other foods. The partly cooked tuber is also used as glue for pasting sheets of tapa cloth together. The plant is infrequently used today, being replaced by cassava.

Reference:
Masoa (Tacca leontopetaloides) is an indigenous herb occasional in littoral to lowland forest. Starch extracted from the tuber is used as food, most commonly as an additive to other foods. The partly cooked tuber is also used as glue for pasting sheets of tapa cloth together. The plant is infrequently used today, being replaced by cassava.

Taamu (Alocasia macrorrhiza) is a member of the Araceae (Aroid) family. It is one of a few important root crop plants in the Samoan Archipelago, and is a native of the Old World tropics between India and Melanesia. The corm extends above the surface of the ground; large and long in length; after being cooked, it has a stringy, fibrous texture, and requires more cooking because of the presence of high concentrations of oxalate crystals that are extremely irritating to the throat. It can be grown in dry and rocky places, and does not need to be harvested at a certain time. They frequently flower and fruit, and are occasionally found semi-naturalized in forest areas.

Rference:
Whistler, W. Arthur. 2000. Plants in Samoan Culture: The Ethnobotany of Samoa. Isle Botanica. Honolulu, HI.

The Manu Palagi or Red-vented Bulbul (Pycnonotus cafer) can reach a height of 20 cm. It is a conspicuous bird, easily recognized by the combination of its dark, almost black plumage, black erectile crest, white rump, and scarlet vent. The tail is dark black-brown with white tips. The sexes are similar, but the males are larger. They generally have a direct flight with rapid wingbeats, although they frequently undulate over short distances displaying the conspicuous white rump. These birds have a wide variety of calls, ranging from a fairly clear whistle to a harsh chatter. The usual call is a two or three syllable pee-plo, pee pee plo.

The bulbuls are omnivores with a diet that consists of fruits and berries, and a small portion of insects. Bulbuls are confined to man-modified habitats but may also be found in forested areas, but generally in association with roads, river flood plains, or forest clearings. They also frequently take nectar from a variety of flower types and small geckos and skinks are eaten on occasion. Their nests are constructed of rootlets, dry grass, pieces of vine and sometimes artificial fibers and are lined with soft grass or hair. Two or three white eggs with red spots are laid by the female. It is native to India and southwest Asia, and was introduced to the Pacific west region.
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Segasegamau’u (Watling, Dick and Kelly, Chloe Talbot. 2001. A Guide to the Birds of Fiji & Western Polynesia. Environmental Consultants (Fiji) Ltd. Fiji.)

The Segasegamau’u (Myzomela cardinalis) or Cardinal Honeyeater displays a wide habitat tolerance, similar to the Orange-breasted Myzomela in Fiji, and is one of the most commonly encountered birds in Samoa. It is endemic to Fiji and found in Samoa, American Samoa, Vanuatu, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia, eastern Solomon Islands, and north of much of Micronesia. Males are black with vivid scarlet upper parts, chin and throat. The back is slightly mottled with black. Females are drab olive-grey with paler underparts and a scarlet rump and lower back. The bird can reach 9 cm in height during adulthood. During flight, it is fast and direct. Primarily a nectar feeder, it also gleans extensively for small insects. When foraging it releases a high-pitched zeet that is frequently given. The small cup-shaped nest is built on forked branches, generally constructed of grass cuttings. Three to five white eggs with a few red spots are laid.

Reference:
Watling, Dick and Kelly, Chloe Talbot. 2001. A Guide to the Birds of Fiji & Western Polynesia. Environmental Consultants (Fiji) Ltd. Fiji.

Oketi-ole-la (Phaius tankervilleae) is a common terrestrial orchid species present at higher elevations (summit scrub) that are tall, erect, and attractive.

Reference:
Whistler, W. Arthur. 2002. The Samoan Rainforest: A Guide to the Vegetation of the Samoan Archipelago. Isle Botanica. Honolulu, HI.

Pulu (Tabernaemontana pandacaqui) is a member of the Apocynaceae (Dogbane) family. It is a small tree or shrub up to 3 m or more in height with glabrous stems and a white sap; bark is light-colored, marked by inconspicuous lenticels, fibrous; opposite leaves; small white trumpet-shaped flowers that are yellow within; and a paired, curved, orange fruits spreading apart at maturity to expose the large red seed.
This tree is indigenous to the Samoan Archipelago and ranges from Thailand to Polynesia. Its Polynesian range includes Tonga, the Society Islands, and the Tuamotus. It is uncommon and little-known in coastal and lowland forests, and has been reported from near sea level to 250 m elevation. The sap is occasionally used medicinally.

Reference:
Whistler, W. Arthur. 2004. Rainforest Trees of Samoa. Isle Botanica. Honolulu, HI.