Taxon:  Scaevola taccada (Gaertn.) Roxb.



Summary
Genus:
Scaevola
Family:
Goodeniaceae
Nomen number:
70617
Place of publication:
Hort. bengal. 15.  1814
Verified:
11/21/1995 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
3 (0  active, 0  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Basionym
Lobelia taccada Gaertn.

Homotypic Synonym(s)
Scaevola frutescens K. Krause

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Scaevola koenigii Vahl
Scaevola sericea Vahl

Images (2 total. Click on image for more.)
Fruit

Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
  2. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  3. Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62 Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
  4. Aubréville, A. et al., eds. 1967-. Flore de la Nouvelle Caledonie et dependances. Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
  5. Bosser, J. M. et al., eds. 1976-. Flores des Mascareignes.
  6. Campbell, F. T., ed. 1995. Report of National Coalition of Exotic Plant Pest Councils (unpublished draft)
  7. Conant, P. et al. 1997. Appendix. Selected plant species interfering with resource management goals in North American natural areas. In: Luken, J. O. & J. W. Thieret, eds., Assessment and management of plant invasions. 255-267. Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
  8. Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
  9. Friday, J. B. et al. 2021. Reforestation of degraded landscapes in Micronesia. Land 10:926. DOI: 10.3390/land10090926.
  10. George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
  11. Green, P. S. 1991. The Indo-Pacific strand Scaevola (Goodeniaceae) - yet again. Taxon 40:118-122.
  12. Greuter, W. et al., eds. 2000. International code of botanical nomenclature (Saint Louis Code) Art. 33.2, Ex. 3.
  13. Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11. Note: = Scaevola fructescens
  14. Humbert, J.-H., ed. 1936-. Flore de Madagascar et des Comores.
  15. Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
  16. Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada Note: = Scaevola frutescens
  17. Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
  18. Shannon, R. K. et al. 1997. (1322) Proposal to conserve the name Scaevola taccada (Goodenaceae) with a conserved type. Taxon 46:801-802.
  19. Smith, A. C. 1979-1991. Flora vitiensis nova. Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
  20. Smitinand, T. & K. Larsen, eds. 1970-. Flora of Thailand.
  21. Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana. Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
  22. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
  23. Wagner, W. L. et al. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
  24. Walker, E. 1976. Flora of Okinawa and the southern Ryukyu Islands.
  25. Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishbeach naupaka as Scaevola frutescens1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada Note: = Scaevola frutescens
Englishbeach scaevola  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Englishbeach-cabbage  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
EnglishCardwell cabbage  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Englishhalf-flower  1Campbell, F. T., ed. 1995. Report of National Coalition of Exotic Plant Pest Councils (unpublished draft)
Englishpipetree  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Englishsea lettucetree  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaKenya e.Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
1NativeAfricaEast Tropical AfricaTanzania e.Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
1NativeAfricaSouthern AfricaSouth AfricaKwaZulu-Natal Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62 Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
1NativeAfricaWestern Indian OceanMadagascar  Humbert, J.-H., ed. 1936-. Flore de Madagascar et des Comores.
1NativeAfricaWestern Indian OceanMauritius  Bosser, J. M. et al., eds. 1976-. Flores des Mascareignes.
1NativeAfricaWestern Indian OceanReunion  Bosser, J. M. et al., eds. 1976-. Flores des Mascareignes.
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaFujian Sheng  
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaGuangdong Sheng  
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaGuangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu  
1NativeAsia-TemperateEastern AsiaJapanKyushus. 
1NativeAsia-TemperateEastern AsiaJapanRyukyu Islands  
1NativeAsia-TemperateEastern AsiaTaiwan   
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndia s. 
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentSri Lanka  Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaThailand  Smitinand, T. & K. Larsen, eds. 1970-. Flora of Thailand.
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaAustraliaCocos (Keeling) Islands  
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaChristmas Island  Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana. Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaIndonesia  Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana. Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaMalaysia  Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana. Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaPhilippines  Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana. Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
1NativeAsia-TropicalPapuasiaPapua New Guinea  Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana. Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaNorthern Territory George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaQueensland George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaWestern Australia George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
1NativePacificNorth-Central PacificUnited StatesHawaii Wagner, W. L. et al. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
1NativePacificNorthwestern PacificMicronesia   
1NativePacificNorthwestern PacificUnited StatesGuam  
1NativePacificSouth-Central PacificPitcairnHenderson  
1NativePacificSouthwestern PacificFiji  Smith, A. C. 1979-1991. Flora vitiensis nova. Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
1NativePacificSouthwestern PacificNew Caledonia  Aubréville, A. et al., eds. 1967-. Flore de la Nouvelle Caledonie et dependances. Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
1NativePacificSouthwestern PacificNiue   
4NaturalizedNorthern America United States s.e.Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
4NaturalizedSouthern AmericaCaribbeanWest Indies   
Native
Africa
  • EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Kenya (e.), Tanzania (e.)
  • SOUTHERN AFRICA: South Africa [KwaZulu-Natal]
  • WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN: Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion
Asia-Temperate
  • CHINA: China [Fujian Sheng, Guangdong Sheng, Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu]
  • EASTERN ASIA: Japan [Kyushu (s.), Ryukyu Islands], Taiwan
Asia-Tropical
  • INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India (s.), Sri Lanka
  • PAPUASIA: Papua New Guinea
  • INDO-CHINA: Thailand
  • MALESIA: Australia [Cocos (Keeling) Islands], Christmas Island, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines
Australasia
  • AUSTRALIA: Australia [Queensland, Western Australia, Northern Territory]
Pacific
  • NORTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: United States [Hawaii]
  • NORTHWESTERN PACIFIC: Micronesia, United States [Guam]
  • SOUTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: Pitcairn [Henderson]
  • SOUTHWESTERN PACIFIC: Fiji, New Caledonia, Niue
Naturalized
Northern America
  • REGION: United States (s.e.)
Southern America
  • CARIBBEAN: West Indies

Reference(s)
  1. Arnold, T. H. & B. C. De Wet, eds. 1993. Plants of southern Africa: names and distribution. Mem. Bot. Surv. S. Africa no. 62 Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
  2. Aubréville, A. et al., eds. 1967-. Flore de la Nouvelle Caledonie et dependances. Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
  3. Bosser, J. M. et al., eds. 1976-. Flores des Mascareignes.
  4. Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon.
  5. George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
  6. Humbert, J.-H., ed. 1936-. Flore de Madagascar et des Comores.
  7. Smith, A. C. 1979-1991. Flora vitiensis nova. Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
  8. Smitinand, T. & K. Larsen, eds. 1970-. Flora of Thailand.
  9. Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana. Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
  10. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
  11. Wagner, W. L. et al. 1990. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawai'i Note: = Scaevola sericea Vahl
  12. Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Environmentalerosion control Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Environmentalerosion controlas Scaevola frutescensLiberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada Note: = Scaevola frutescens
Environmentalfirebreak Friday, J. B. et al. 2021. Reforestation of degraded landscapes in Micronesia. Land 10:926. DOI: 10.3390/land10090926.
Weed  Weber, E. 2003. Invasive plant species of the world: a reference guide to environmental weeds
Weed  Campbell, F. T., ed. 1995. Report of National Coalition of Exotic Plant Pest Councils (unpublished draft)
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=70617. Accessed 15 April 2026.