Fagraea berteroana
Fagraea berteroana (orth. variant F. berteriana), commonly known as the pua keni keni, pua kenikeni or perfume flower tree, is a small spreading tree or a large shrub which grows in the sub-tropics, where temperatures are 10 °C or more. It is indigenous to the Samoa Islands where it is known as the pua-lulu plus in Tonga and Tahiti as pua.[1] Its occurrence spans from New Caledonia to eastern Polynesia.[2] The ITIS database clarifies the spelling of the name ("Published as "berteriana" in honor of Bertero; correctable to "berteroana,"..).[3]
| Pua keni keni | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Gentianales |
| Family: | Gentianaceae |
| Genus: | Fagraea |
| Species: | F. berteroana |
| Binomial name | |
| Fagraea berteroana A.Gray ex Benth. | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Fagraea berteriana (orth. var.) | |
Description
The plant has quad-angular branches, blunt tipped leaves, and fragrant 7 cm tubular shaped flowers of creamy white, which become yellow with time.
Cultural use
The flowers are popular for making lei. The tree's name, in Hawaiian, means "ten cent flower", referring to the sale price for a single flower in the past.[4]
References
- "Pua". Te Māra Reo: The Language Garden. Benton Family Trust. 2023.
- Whistler, W. Arthur (1978). "Vegetation of the montane region of Savai'i" (PDF). Pacific Science. University Press of Hawai'i. 32 (1): 89. Retrieved 10 July 2010.
- ITIS database entry for Fagraea berteroana
- Mary Kawena Pukui and Samuel Hoyt Elbert (2003). "lookup of Pua kenikeni". in Hawaiian Dictionary. Ulukau, the Hawaiian Electronic Library, University of Hawaii Press.
- Mary Kawena Pukui and Samuel Hoyt Elbert (2003). "lookup of Pua kenikeni". in Hawaiian Dictionary. Ulukau, the Hawaiian Electronic Library, University of Hawaii Press.