Fagraea berteroana

Fagraea berteroana
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1) [1]
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. [2]
Synonyms [2]
28 synonyms Carissa grandisBertero ex A.DC. Fagraea affinisS.Moore Fagraea berteroana var. galilai(Gilg & Gilg-Ben.) Fosberg Fagraea berteroana var. kusaiana(Hosok.) Fosberg Fagraea berteroana var. ladronicaFosberg Fagraea berteroana var. marquisensisFosberg & Sachet Fagraea berteroana var. pogas(Hosok.) Fosberg Fagraea berteroana var. sair(Gilg & Gilg-Ben.) Fosberg Fagraea calophylloidesGilg & Gilg-Ben. Fagraea galilaiGilg & Gilg-Ben. Fagraea grandisPancher & Sebert Fagraea ksidGilg & Gilg-Ben. Fagraea kusaianaHosok. Fagraea longitubaM.L.Grant Fagraea novae-guineaeCammerl. Fagraea obovata var. papuanaF.M.Bailey Fagraea pachypodaGilg & Gilg-Ben. Fagraea peekeliiGilg & Gilg-Ben. Fagraea pluvialisS.Moore Fagraea puaNadeaud Fagraea rosenstromiiC.T.White Fagraea sairGilg & Gilg-Ben. Fagraea sair var. pogasHosok. Fagraea salomonensisGilg & Gilg-Ben. Fagraea samoensisGilg & Gilg-Ben. Fagraea schlechteriGilg & Gilg-Ben. Fagraea tahitensisButteaud Fagraea vitiensisGilg & Gilg-Ben.

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. It is known as the pua-lulu in the Samoan Islands, and as pua in Tonga and Tahiti. ^{[3] [4]}

It is native to the tropical Pacific, ranging from Queensland and Papuasia (New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, and Solomon Islands) to Micronesia (Caroline Islands, Gilbert Islands, and Marianas), Vanuatu, New Caledonia, Fiji, and parts of Polynesia (Cook Islands, Marquesas, Nauru, Niue, Samoan Islands, Society Islands, Tonga, Tubuai Islands, and Wallis and Futuna). ^[2]

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.

Etymology

The ITIS database clarifies the origin and spelling of the species epithet berteroana — "Published as 'berteriana' in honor of Bertero; correctable to 'berteroana,'". ^[5]

Cultural use

It was introduced to Hawaii, where 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. ^[6]

Gallery

• 
  Stem and leaves
• 
  Flower, fruit and leaves
• 
  Ripe and unripe fruits
• 
  Crown
• 
  White and orange flowers

References

1. Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI).; IUCN SSC Global Tree Specialist Group. (2018). "Fagraea berteroana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2018: e.T135880588A135882129. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2018-2.RLTS.T135880588A135882129.en . Retrieved 8 December 2023.
2. "Fagraea berteroana A.Gray ex Benth". Plants of the World Online . Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. 2025. Retrieved 12 September 2025.
3. "Pua". Te Māra Reo: The Language Garden. Benton Family Trust. 2023.
4. Whistler, W. Arthur (1978). "Vegetation of the montane region of Savai'i" (PDF). Pacific Science. 32 (1). University Press of Hawai'i: 89. Retrieved 10 July 2010.
5. ITIS database entry for Fagraea berteroana
6. Mary Kawena Pukui; Samuel Hoyt Elbert (2003). "lookup of Pua kenikeni". in Hawaiian Dictionary. Ulukau, the Hawaiian Electronic Library, University of Hawaii Press.

• Mary Kawena Pukui; Samuel Hoyt Elbert (2003). "lookup of Pua kenikeni". in Hawaiian Dictionary. Ulukau, the Hawaiian Electronic Library, University of Hawaii Press.