Cordyline fruticosa

The form introduced by the Polynesians has green foliage and is apparently sterile. Rare on ridge of the plateau, possibly a marker of safe paths on the cliff margin, as in other Polynesian islands. Florence, Chepstow-Lusty 6' Waldren 1 0929. (Florence, J., Waldren, S. & Chepstow-Lusty, A.J. (1995)The flora of the Pitcairn Islands: a review, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 56, pp. 79119.); Probably native to tropical Asia. Those with red leaves which may be grown purely for ornament. The roots were widely used as a sugar source (Whistler, 1991a), containing -20% sucrose according to Barrau (1961), who also states that cooked roots keep well. The leaves were used as food wraps, cordage and clothing, and the plant was used in herbal medicine (Handy & Handy, 1972; Kirch & Yen, 1982; Whistler, 1991a; Whistler, 1991b), but Cordyline also had great religious significance (Whistler, 1991b). For example, in Hawai'i the plant was used for altar decoration, protection from evil spirits and for exorcism (Handy & Handy, 1972), and perhaps of more significance to Henderson, was used as a boundary marker in Tikopia (Kirch & Yen, 1982). Cordyline observed in 1997 growing high on the cliffs at Tautama, the major stone quarrying area of Pitcairn, may well have been planted for similar marker/religious purposes. The distribution of Cordyline on Henderson suggests it was used as a food supplement and is often found at gardening locations (Weisler et al., 1991), and the plant probably had great religious and cultural significance. No flowering or fruiting has ever been recorded from Henderson Cordyline, which may represent a sterile cultivar resulting from a single Polynesian introduction; nearby Pitcairn has many fully fertile individuals. (Waldren, S., Wesiler, M.I., Hather, J.G. & Morrow, D. (1999)The non-native vascular plants of Henderson Island, South Central Pacific Ocean, Atoll Research Bulletin, 463, pp. 114. Available at: https://doi.org/10.5479/si.00775630.463.1);