Abelmoschus moschatus Medik., Malvaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Hibiscus abelmoschus L.

Common name(s): [more details]

Austral: fautia

Chamorro: caamung, kámang, kamang

Chuukese: karereon, karereon nikapwerik nik, kareron, likonokon, nikapwerik, setmwechin, sotumo

English: musk okra, muskmallow, tropical jewel hibiscus

Fijian: aukiki, o‘e‘e, okeoke, vakeke, wakeke, wakewake, wakiwaki

French: ambrette, gombo musqué, graine de musc, ketmie musquée

Maori (Cook Islands): ‘aute, ta‘uri‘au, vavai tara, vavai tara, vavai tara, vavai tara

Niuean: fou hele, fou ingo

Palauan: gongul

Pohnpeian: metei, metey, methey, mety

Samoan: ‘aute toga, ‘aute toga, fau tagaloa, fau tagaloa, fua samasama, fua samasama, vavae Samoa

Tahitian: fautia, foutheea, pukawa

Tongan: fau‘ingo, loa

Ulithian: hathongethong

Wallisian: fau ingo

Yapese: kamwayang

Habit:  herb

Description:  "Herb or undershrub, 0.25-1.50 m, with taproot or root-tuber.  Stems solid, rarely fistular, as the petioles and pedicels, and both surfaces of the leaves mostly hispid by simple hairs, usually also with minute stellate hairs, rarely glabrous.  Leaves extremely variable in shape and size, in outline mostly orbicular to transversally elliptic, at base usually cordate, not incised, angular, or 3-7-palmilobed to -palmiparted, of the upper leaves usually narrower and often hastate or sagittate, with deltoid, triangular, ovate, obovate, spatulate, oblong, lanceolate or linear, sometimes pennilobed, obtuse, acute or acuminate segments, coarsely serrate to dentate, rarely entire, at base 5-9-nerved, without nectaries.  Stipules linear to filiform, simply hairy.  Flowers axillary, solitary.  Pedicel ± accrescent.  Epicalyx segments 7-10, rarely more, free, persistent, linear, filiform, lanceolate or oblong, usually acute, with simple hairs.  Calyx outside stellate-tomentose, inside simply sericeous.  Petals obovate, at apex rounded, at base fleshy and ciliate by simple hairs, for the rest scattered gland-hairs or glabrous.  Staminal column mostly yellow, at base dark purple, glabrous.   Ovary ovoid, hirsute; style hairy.  Capsule ovoid or globose, occasionally fusiform, acuminate with a short  rostrum, somewhat angular, usually hispid by simple, stiff hairs, often also with short simple hairs and minute stellate hairs, rarely glabrous, black or dark brown; valves chartaceous, inside smooth and shining.  Seeds concentrically ribbed, somewhat warty, mostly glabrous, sometimes ferrugineously stellate-tomentose, black-brown" (Borssum Waalkes, 1966; p. 90)

"Coarsely hispid herb to 1 or 1.5 m tall, leaves ovate-suborbicular, usually 3-5-lobed, to 15 cm long; stems hirsute; calyx greenish, spathe-like, caducous; corolla bright yellow with a darker or purplish eye, 8-10 cm wide; fruit a hirsute capsule 6-8 cm long, ovoid-cylindric; seeds musky-scented" (Stone, 1970; p. 408).

Habitat/ecology:  Weedy in open and disturbed areas.  In Guam, "it occurs in marshy locations" (Stone, 1970; p 408).  In Fiji, "found from near sea level to an elevation of about 450 m as a weed naturalized in gardens, plantations, ricefields, and clearings, and also occurring along trails and on the edges of forest"  (Smith, 1981; p. 423).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  India, southern China and tropical Asia, into the Pacific.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ofu Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Whistler, W. A. (1990) (p. 7) Voucher cited: Whistler 3046
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ofu Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Whistler, W. A. (1990) (p. 7) Voucher cited: Whistler 3046
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Olosega Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Whistler, W. A. (1990) (p. 7) Voucher cited: Whistler 3064
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Olosega Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1925) (voucher ID: BISH 157653) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Olosega Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1975) (voucher ID: BISH 430269) Taxon name on voucher: Hibiscus abelmoschus
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Whistler, W. A. (1990) (p. 7) Vouchers cited: Judd s.n., Garber 601, Yuncker 9035, Yuncker 9298, Whistler 1418
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1939) (voucher ID: BISH 157643) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1939) (voucher ID: BISH 157644) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1930) (voucher ID: BISH 157646) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1930) (voucher ID: BISH 157647) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1921) (voucher ID: BISH 157648) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1930) (voucher ID: BISH 157649) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1920) (voucher ID: BISH 157654) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1935) (voucher ID: BISH 409636) Taxon name on voucher: Hibiscus abelmoschus
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Anatahan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Anatahan Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C./Sachet, M.-H. (1975) (p. 32) Voucher cited: Falanruw 1646 (US)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Anatahan Island	introduced	Ohba, T. (1994) (p. 60) Voucher cited: CBM-BS-58829
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Anatahan Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1984) (voucher ID: BISH 667815) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1950) (voucher ID: BISH 157677) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Aitutaki Atoll		McCormack, Gerald (2008)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	‘Atiu Island		McCormack, Gerald (2008)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Mangaia Island		McCormack, Gerald (2008)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Ma‘uke Island		McCormack, Gerald (2008)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Miti‘aro Island		McCormack, Gerald (2008)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Miti‘aro Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 96)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		McCormack, Gerald (2008)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 63)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1929) (voucher ID: BISH 157658) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1990) (voucher ID: BISH 664884) Taxon name on voucher: Hibiscus abelmoschus
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Chuuk Islands		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1947) (voucher ID: BISH 157681) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Chuuk Islands		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1946) (voucher ID: BISH 157692) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Dublon (Tonowas) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Dublon (Tonowas) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1935) (voucher ID: BISH 157688) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Fefan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Tol Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Uman Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1946) (voucher ID: BISH 157689) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Yanagi Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1993) (voucher ID: BISH 633397) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Denslow, Julie S./Nelson, Duane/Waguk, Erick E. (2000) (p. Voucher specimen) Specimen collected: BMW 5755 (BISH, BRI, GUAM)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Flynn, Tim (2005) (p. 17) Voucher cited: Lorence 7860 (PTBG)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Glassman, S. F. (1952) (p. 67)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1936) (voucher ID: BISH 157685) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1936) (voucher ID: BISH 157686) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1946) (voucher ID: BISH 157691) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1949) (voucher ID: BISH 157694) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1947) (voucher ID: BISH 157695) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1978) (voucher ID: BISH 188889) Taxon name on voucher: Hibiscus abelmoschus
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1980) (voucher ID: BISH 652816) Taxon name on voucher: Hibiscus abelmoschus
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Fais Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Fais Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Evans, M. (1969) (p. 9) Voucher cited: Fosberg 46714 (US)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Ifalik (Ifaluk) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Ifalik (Ifaluk) Atoll		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 157693) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Ulithi Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Ulithi Atoll		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1947) (voucher ID: BISH 157683) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Fiji Islands		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1928) (voucher ID: BISH 157631) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Kambara Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (p. 423) Voucher cited: Bryan 499
Fiji Fiji Islands	Kambara Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1924) (voucher ID: BISH 157632) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Rotuma Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1991) (voucher ID: BISH 637946) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Taveuni Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1928) (voucher ID: BISH 157633) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (p. 423) Vouchers cited: Greenwood 571, DA 10755, DA 12039, DA 13115, Seemann 19, Gillespie 4773
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1957) (voucher ID: BISH 14745) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1957) (voucher ID: BISH 698397) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Mbalavu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (p. 423) Voucher cited: Garnock-Jones 1111
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1981) (p. 423) Vouchers cited: Degener 15061, Gillespie 2933, Gillespie 4385.2, DA 10029, DA 2086, DA 10941, DA 5614, Storck 869
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1927) (voucher ID: BISH 157634) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1927) (voucher ID: BISH 157635) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1941) (voucher ID: BISH 157637) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Akamaru Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 156-159)
French Polynesia Gambier Islands	Mangareva (Gambier) Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 156-159)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Bora Bora Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 156-159)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Huahine Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 156-159)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Maupiti (Maurua) Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 156-159)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Maupiti (Maurua) Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1987) (p. 46) Voucher cited: Fosberg 64954 (US) Rare
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 173) Vouchers cited: Moore 265, Florence 3460, BRY 26420
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 156-159)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 491364) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 173)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 156-159)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 586801) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 586803) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 173) Vouchers cited: BRY 26043, BRY 26345
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 156-159) Also subsp. tuberosus (J.B. Spanoghe) J. Borssum-Waalkes
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1987) (voucher ID: BISH 553688) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1985) (voucher ID: BISH 659370) Taxon name on voucher: Hibiscus abelmoschus
French Polynesia Tubuai (Austral) Islands	Raivavae (Raevavae) Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 156-159)
French Polynesia Tubuai (Austral) Islands	Raivavae (Raevavae) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1992) (voucher ID: BISH 643334) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
French Polynesia Tubuai (Austral) Islands	Rapa Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 156-159)
French Polynesia Tubuai (Austral) Islands	Tubuai (Tupuai) Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Florence, J. (2004) (pp. 156-159)
French Polynesia Tubuai (Austral) Islands	Tubuai (Tupuai) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1922) (voucher ID: BISH 157657) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced invasive	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 408) Vouchers cited: Stone 4312 (GUAM), Stone 4449 (GUAM)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1918) (voucher ID: BISH 157675) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1962) (voucher ID: BISH 157676) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1918) (voucher ID: BISH 157682) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 870) Voucher cited: Rock s.n. (BISH) Present status unknown.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced	Wester, Lyndon (1992) (p. 142)
Japan (offshore islands) Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced	Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Arno Atoll	introduced invasive cultivated	Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian (2007) (p. 4) Confirmed by personal communication.
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced invasive cultivated abo. intro.	Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 25)
New Caledonia Îles Loyauté (Loyalte Islands)	Îles Ouvéa (Ouvea Atoll)	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 96) Voucher cited: Däniker 3010 (Z) Spontané
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 96) Vouchers cited: Balansa 1054, Däniker 2563 (Z), MacKee 29408 Spontané
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (p. 112) Vouchers cited: CHR 170324, CHR 170325, CHR 170326, CHR 170333
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 29)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2000) (p. 7) Voucher specimen collected: Flynn 6700
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced invasive	Yuncker, T. G. (1943) (p. 92) Vouchers cited: Yuncker 9636 (BISH), Yuncker 10162 (BISH) "Frequent in clearings and waste areas".
Palau Hatohobei Group	Tobi Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1992) (voucher ID: BISH 625621) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Palau Hatohobei Group	Tobi Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1992) (voucher ID: BISH 625687) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Palau Hatohobei Group	Tobi Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1992) (voucher ID: BNM 93) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medic.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Raulerson, L./Rinehart, A. F./Falanruw, M. C. (1996)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2008)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Kayangel (Ngcheangel) Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2008)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Peleliu Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1979) (p. 161)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 69)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1929) (voucher ID: BISH 157651) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1929) (voucher ID: BISH 157652) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1906) (voucher ID: BISH 157655) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1906) (voucher ID: BISH 440245) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 65)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1968) (voucher ID: BISH 28554) Taxon name on voucher: Hibiscus abelmoschus
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1929) (voucher ID: BISH 157650) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1973) (voucher ID: BISH 417680) Taxon name on voucher: Hibiscus abelmoschus
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Anuta Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1971) (voucher ID: BISH 80084) Taxon name on voucher: Abelmoschus moschatus Medik.
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced cultivated	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 43)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Ha‘apai Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 41) Voucher cited: Soakai 562
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	‘Uiha Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1959) (voucher ID: BISH 41302) Taxon name on voucher: Hibiscus abelmoschus
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 41) Voucher cited: Parks 16208
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 183) Voucher cited: Yuncker 15585
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 157641) Taxon name on voucher: Hibiscus abelmoschus
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1926) (voucher ID: BISH 157645) Taxon name on voucher: Hibiscus abelmoschus
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 41) Voucher cited: Soakai 200
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1958) (voucher ID: BISH 41190) Taxon name on voucher: Hibiscus abelmoschus
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Late Island	introduced	Sykes, W. R. (1981) (p. 349)
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 41) Voucher cited: Crosby 5
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 183) Voucher cited: Yuncker 16030
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Burkill, I. H. (1900) (p. 28)
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 157642) Taxon name on voucher: Hibiscus abelmoschus
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis and Futuna Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 29)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2008)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Maldives Maldive Islands	Maldive Islands		Fosberg, F. R. (1957) (p. 26)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Frégate Island		Robertson, S. A./Todd, D. M. (1983) (p. 54) Voucher cited: Todd 2741

Comments:  Smith (1981, p. 423) says it's probably an inadvertent aboriginal introduction to Fiji. Drake et al. (1996, pp. 65-77) list it as a Polynesian introduction to Tonga. It was not seen on ‘Eua or Vava‘u, Tonga, in 2001 (Space & Flynn) so it must be fairly rare at those locations.

Additional information:
Information from the World Agroforestry Centre's AgroForestryTree Database.
Information from the Global Invasive Species Database.

Additional online information about Abelmoschus moschatus is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Abelmoschus moschatus as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Abelmoschus moschatus may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

Other Latin names:  Hibiscus abelmoschus L.

References:

Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.). 1992. Voucher specimen #BNM93(Kepler, A.K. 92-88).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1906. Voucher specimen #BISH 157655 (Vaupel, F. 227).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1906. Voucher specimen #BISH 440245 (Vaupel, F. 227).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1918. Voucher specimen #BISH 157675 (Nelson, P. 56).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1918. Voucher specimen #BISH 157682 (Nelson, P. 56).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1920. Voucher specimen #BISH 157654 (Setchell, W.A. 525).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1921. Voucher specimen #BISH 157648 (Garber, D.W. 601).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1922. Voucher specimen #BISH 157657 (Aitken, R.T. 922).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1924. Voucher specimen #BISH 157632 (Bryan Jr, E.H. 499).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1925. Voucher specimen #BISH 157653 (Garber, D.W. 1085).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1926. Voucher specimen #BISH 157645 (Parks, H.E. 16208).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1927. Voucher specimen #BISH 157634 (Gillespie, J.W. 4385.2).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1927. Voucher specimen #BISH 157635 (Gillespie, J.W. 2933).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1928. Voucher specimen #BISH 157631 (Gillespie, J.W. 4419).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1928. Voucher specimen #BISH 157633 (Gillespie, J.W. 4773).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1929. Voucher specimen #BISH 157650 (Christophersen, E. 528).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1929. Voucher specimen #BISH 157651 (Christophersen, E. 686).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1929. Voucher specimen #BISH 157652 (Christophersen, E. 722).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1929. Voucher specimen #BISH 157658 (Wilder, G.P. 942).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1930. Voucher specimen #BISH 157646 (Judd, A.F.; collector's voucher number unknown).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1930. Voucher specimen #BISH 157647 (Judd, A.F.; collector's voucher number unknown).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1930. Voucher specimen #BISH 157649 (Judd, A.F.; collector's voucher number unknown).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1935. Voucher specimen #BISH 157688 (Takamatsu, M. 152).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1935. Voucher specimen #BISH 409636 (Bryan Jr, E.H. 985).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1936. Voucher specimen #BISH 157685 (Takamatsu, M. 886).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1936. Voucher specimen #BISH 157686 (Takamatsu, M. 764).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1939. Voucher specimen #BISH 157643 (Yuncker, T.G. 9298).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1939. Voucher specimen #BISH 157644 (Yuncker, T.G. 9035).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1941. Voucher specimen #BISH 157637 (Degener, O. 15061).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1946. Voucher specimen #BISH 157689 (Hosaka, E.Y. 2717).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1946. Voucher specimen #BISH 157691 (Fosberg, F.R. 26334).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1946. Voucher specimen #BISH 157692 (Pelzer, K.J. 101).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1947. Voucher specimen #BISH 157681 (Wong, C.C.Y. 212).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1947. Voucher specimen #BISH 157683 (Lessa, W.A. 25).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1947. Voucher specimen #BISH 157695 (Riesenberg, S.H. 80).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1949. Voucher specimen #BISH 157694 (Glassman, S.F. 2760).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1950. Voucher specimen #BISH 157677 (Fosberg, F.R. 31796).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1953. Voucher specimen #BISH 157641 (Yuncker, T.G. 15585).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1953. Voucher specimen #BISH 157642 (Yuncker, T.G. 16030).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1953. Voucher specimen #BISH 157693 (Abbott, D.P. 135).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1957. Voucher specimen #BISH 14745 (Koroiveibau, D. 10755).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1957. Voucher specimen #BISH 698397 (Koroiveibau, D. 10755).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1958. Voucher specimen #BISH 41190 (Soakai, E. 200).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1959. Voucher specimen #BISH 41302 (Soakai, E. 562).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1962. Voucher specimen #BISH 157676 (Perez, G.S.A. 75).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1968. Voucher specimen #BISH 28554 (Bristol, M.L. 2022).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1971. Voucher specimen #BISH 80084 (Deyen 18360).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1973. Voucher specimen #BISH 417680 (Whistler, W.A. W 622).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1975. Voucher specimen #BISH 430269 (Whistler, W.A. W 3064).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1978. Voucher specimen #BISH 188889 (Fosberg, F.R. 58484).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1980. Voucher specimen #BISH 652816 (Fosberg, F.R. 60462).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1982. Voucher specimen #BISH 491364 (Florence, J. 3460).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1982. Voucher specimen #BISH 586801 (Fosberg, F.R. 63494).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1982. Voucher specimen #BISH 586803 (Fosberg, F.R. 63431).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1984. Voucher specimen #BISH 667815 (Herbst, D.R. 7500).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1985. Voucher specimen #BISH 659370 (Fosberg, F.R. 65032).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1987. Voucher specimen #BISH 553688 (Florence, J. 8095).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1990. Voucher specimen #BISH 664884 (Sykes, W.R. 473922).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1991. Voucher specimen #BISH 637946 (McClatchey, W.C. 136).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1992. Voucher specimen #BISH 625621 (A.K.Kepler 92-89).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1992. Voucher specimen #BISH 625687 (A.K.Kepler 92-88).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1992. Voucher specimen #BISH 643334 (Florence 11305).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1993. Voucher specimen #BISH 633397 (A.K.Kepler 93-114).

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