From PROTO REMOTE OCEANIC *buka, "Large littoral trees, including Pisonia species (Nyctagynaceae), and Gyrocarpus americanus (Hernandiaceae) ",
through PROTO CENTRAL PACIFIC *buka, As for Proto Eastern Oceanic, but expanded to include Hernandia nymphaefolia (Hernandiacae).

Polynesian: *Puka tea
REFLEXES IN SOME MODERN POLYNESIAN LANGUAGES:
Niuean: Pukatea (Pisonia grandis, Nyctagynaceae)
Marquesan: Pukatea, Pu'atea (Pisonia grandis, Nyctagynaceae)
Tahitian: Pu'atea (Pisonia grandis, Nyctagynaceae)
Tuamotuan: Pukatea (Pisonia grandis, Nyctagynaceae)
Manahiki-Rakahanga: Pukatea (Pisonia grandis, Nyctagynaceae)
Penrhyn: Puka tea (Pisonia grandis , Nyctagynaceae)
Tahitian: Pu'atea (Pisonia grandis , Nyctagynaceae)
Tuamotuan: Pukatea (Pisonia grandis , Nyctagynaceae)
Pukapuka: Pukatea (Pisonia grandis, Nyctagynaceae)
Rarotongan: Pukatea (Pisonia grandis, Nyctagynaceae)
Maori: Pukatea (Laurelia novaezelandiae, "Pukatea", Atherospermataceae, and two herbs)

RELATED WORDS
Proto-Polynesian: *Puka A general term (taxon) for large littoral trees, notably including Pisonia grandis (Nyctagynaceae), along with Hernandia nymphaefolia and Gyrocarpus americanus (Hernandiaceae).

In most Polynesian languages which have used this descriptive name it is associated with a single species, Pisonia grandis, known as pu'a vai ("water pu'a") in Samoa and puko or puko vai in Tonga, a dominant tree in littoral forests. Its primary namesake in Aotearoa is an impressive buttressed tree growing also in association with water, although the name here has been shared with two much smaller plants in an initially puzzling way. The New Zealand pukatea is tall forest tree which grows to about 35 metres high; the Pacific birdcatching pukatea is much shorter (up to about 20 metres, but often less), and the trunk is also often short and often rather gnarled, like the Rarotongan one illustrated in the gallery above. In favourable situations, however, the trunk will be extended and relatively slender, reminiscent of its counterpart in Aotearoa.

The Polynesian Pukatea, Pisonia grandis

Pisonia grandis is one of the characteristic trees of coral island forests, like those illustrated on the left and below, and a favourite roost of gregarious sea birds. In these environments the guano and leaves provide a rich compost and are vital components of the forest ecosystem. In Samoa it is one of the most common trees in littoral environments. In the Marquesas it is found in dryish forests and shoreline areas from 5 to about 300 metres. In Rarotonga it is found only in coastal areas, but in some of the other islands in the Cook group it is a dominant tree in makatea (coral limestone) areas and on some of the coral island forests in the Northern Cooks. In Hawai'i it is found naturally only because of a few trees on the isolated Lisianski (Papa'āpoho) coral island, about 1,700 km northwest of Honolulu, although two specimens were reported to have been collected on the main islands (one on Maui) by a visiting expedition in 1825.

The trees grow from 10-20 metres in height, generally with short trunks and several erect branches, and an exposed, octopus-like root system. The sweet-smelling white flowers may be either male or female, often on the same tree: the "petals" on the male flowers spread out, the female lobes do not. The female flowers are followed by narrow, cylindrical fruit with a sticky exudate, about 3 cm long. The wide, oval leaves are up to 30 cm long by 15 cm wide. The soft wood is generally considered not much good for anything (even fuel), because it deteriorates quickly once the tree is felled, but Art Whistler notes that in Samoa it was occasionally used for making canoes and also "sea goggles" (Plants in Samoan Culture, p. 195).

The fruit was used for bird traps in many places. Birds can also gorge themselves on the fruit and become temporarily immobilized. Birds are also important agents in spreading this tree, which has a range from Madagascar through Taiwan and Vanuatu to Polynesia, mostly but not exclusively on small coral islands -- the seeds stick to the feathers of the sea birds which roost and feed on it, and drop off one way or another as the birds migrate.

The leaves were once used in Tahiti as a diuretic, and in Vanuatu as a green vegetable. In the Cook Islands they have been used as goat fodder and the wood is occasionally used as firewood.

This tree's namesake in Aotearoa is discussed on a separate page. Other Polynesian birdcatching trees are described on the page for *~Para.