Galapagos Species Database

The Galapagos Species Database shares the information about the species from our Natural History Collections.

Gouania polygama (Jacq.) Urb.

bejuco indio, palo jabon, canillo, jaboncillo, Chewstick, liane savon

Taxonomy

Domain
Eukaryota

Kingdom
Plantae

Phylum
Magnoliophyta

Class
Magnoliopsida (= Dicotyledoneae)

Order
Euphorbiales

Family
Rhamnaceae

Genus
Gouania

Species
polygama

Taxon category: Accepted

Syn.: Gouania tomentosa Jacq. fide Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew & Missouri Botanical Garden (2010).

Origin: Introduced - established

Introduction

Year of first record: 1926

Mode of introduction: Intentional

Introduction Pathway: Intentional

Subpathway: Agriculture/Horticulture

Introduced status: Naturalized

Invasive status: No data

Distribution

Map of specimen collection localities or observation records for this species in our collections database.

References

  • Cayot, L. J. (1987) Ecology of Giant Tortoise (Geochelone elephantopus)in the Galápagos Islands. Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Biology in the Graduate School of Syracuse University.
  • Christophersen, E. (1932) A Collection of Plants from the Galápagos Islands. Nyt Mag. Naturvidenskaberne 70: 67-95.
  • CONABIO (2009) Catálogo taxonómico de especies de México. Cap. nat. México 1.
  • Funk, V.T. Hollowell, T., Berry, P., Kelloff, C. & Alexander, S.N. (2007) Checklist of the Plants of the Guiana Shield (Venezuela: Amazonas, Bolivar, Delta Amacuro; Guyana, Surinam, French Guiana). Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 55: 1-584.
  • Hokche, O. Berry, P.E. & Huber, O. (2008) Nuev. Cat. Fl. Vas. Venezuela 1–860.
  • Jørgensen, P.M. Nee, M. & Beck, S. G. (2010) Catálogo de las plantas vasculares de Bolivia. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard.
  • Jørgensen, P.M. León-Yánez, S. (eds.) (1999) Catalogue of the Vascular Plants of Ecuador. Monographs in Systematic Botany from the Missouri Botanical Garden 75. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, 1181 pp.
  • Lawesson, J.E. (1987) Plantas exóticas en las Islas Galápagos, un resumen. Memorias. Taller sobre investigación Botánica y manejo en Galápagos. Pg. 17-23.
  • Porter, D.M. (1983) Vascular Plants of the Galapagos: Origins and Dispersal. In: Bowman, R.I., Berson, M. & Leviton, A.E. (eds.): Patterns of evolution in Galápagos organisms. Pacific Division, AAAS, San Francisco, California, p. 33-96.
  • Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew Missouri Botanical Garden (eds.) (2013) The Plant List, Version 1.1. Published on the Internet; http://www.theplantlist.org/ (accessed 1st January).
  • Tropicos.org. (2017) Database of Missouri Botanical Garden. Tropicos.org. Missouri Botanical Garden. 06 Oct 2017 <http://www.tropicos.org
  • Wiggins, I.L. Porter, D.M. (1971) Flora of the Galapagos Islands Standford University Press, Stanford.

You are welcome to download and use the information found in this page, acknowledging its source.

This page should be cited as follows:

"Galapagos Species Database, Gouania polygama", dataZone. Charles Darwin Foundation, https://datazone.darwinfoundation.org/en/checklist/?species=695. Accessed 31 October 2026.