Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)


Report on invasive plant species in the Cook Islands


Appendix 13. Invasive and potentially invasive species present on other southern Cook Islands but not on ‘Atiu

Scientific Name

Common Names

Present on:

Acacia aulacocarpa English: brown salwood, brush ironbark wattle, hickory wattle Mangaia
Acacia auriculiformis English: Papuan wattle, auri, earleaf acacia, northern black wattle, ear-pod wattle; Other: ākasia (Cook Islands); tuhkehn pwelmwahu (Pohnpei) Rarotonga, Mangaia
Acacia farnesiana English: Ellington curse, klu, sweet acacia; French: acacia jaune, cassie; Other: titima (Cook Islands); vaivai vaka-vatona, vaivai vakavotona, ban baburi, oki (Fiji); aroma, popinac, kandaroma (Guam, CNMI); kolu (Hawai'i); te kaibakoa (Kiribati); debena (Nauru) Rarotonga, Aitutaki
Acacia glauca redwood Ma'uke

Acacia mearnsii

English: black wattle; French: acacia noir; Other: ākasia (Cook Islands) Rarotonga
Albizia lebbeck English: siris-tree, rain tree, East Indian walnut, kokko, woman's-tongue tree, soros-tree, raom tree ; French: bois noir; Other: ‘arapitia (Cook Islands (Miti‘aro)); trongkon-mames, tronkon mames, mamis (Guam); kalaskas, trongkon-kalaskas (CNMI–Chamorro); schepil kalaskas (CNMI–Carolinian); ukall ra ngebard (Palau); gumorningabchey; ngumorrningobchey (Yap); 'ohai (Hawai‘i); vaivai, vaivai ni vavalangi, vaivai ni vavalagi (Fiji); tamaligi pa’epa’e (Samoa); kasia (Tonga) Rarotonga, Miti'aro
Annona glabra English: pond apple, alligator apple, bullock's heart, cherimoyer; French: annone des marais, corossolier des marais; Other: uto ni mbulumakau, uto ni bulumakau, kaitambo, kaitambu (Fiji) Rarotonga

Ardisia crenata

English: hen's eyes, Hilo holly, coral berry, Australian holly, scratchthroat; French: arbre à noël Rarotonga

Ardisia elliptica

English: shoebutton ardisia; Other: venevene tinitō (Cook Islands); ati popa‘a, atiu (French Polynesia); togo vao (Samoa) Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Mangaia, Ma'uke
Aristolochia littoralis English: Dutchman's pipe, calico flower; Other: mokorā (Cook Islands); fue paipa holani (Tonga) Mangaia
Arundo donax English: giant reed, Spanish reed, wild cane; French: canne de Provence, grand roseau; Other: ngasau ni vavalangi (Fiji); fiso palagi, fiso papalagi (Samoa); kaho folalahi (Tonga) Rarotonga
Asparagus densiflorus English: asparagus fern, sprengeri fern, smilax, regal fern Rarotonga

Axonopus compressus

English: blanket grass, carpetgrass; Other: kambutu ni vavalangi (Fiji) Rarotonga

Axonopus fissifolius

English: caratao grass, narrow-leaved carpetgrass Rarotonga

Azadirachta indica

English: neem, nim, margosa Rarotonga
Azolla filiculoides English: mosquito fern Rarotonga, Mangaia, Ma'uke

Bauhinia purpurea

English: purple orchid tree; purple butterfly tree, pink butterfly tree (Fiji); French: fleurs pourpres Rarotonga?

Bauhinia variegata

English: orchid tree; mountain ebony, butterfly tree (Fiji); French: bois de boeuf, sabot boeuf, arbre de Saint-Thomas Rarotonga
Bothriochloa bladhii English: blue grass, Australian beardgrass, Caucasian bluestem; Other: desum (Palau); latoka grass, thamboni grass (Fiji) Aitutaki
Bryophyllum delagoense English: chandelier plant Rarotonga

Bryophyllum pinnatum

English: life plant, air plant, resurrection plant, Canterbury bells, cathedral bells, Mexican love plant; Spanish: hoja del aire; Other: ngāngā‘ere toka (Cook Islands); bulatawamudu (Fiji); ‘oliwa ku kahakai (Hawai'i); teang (Kiribati); kibilia (Marshall Islands); tupu he lau, tupu noa (Niue); pagi (Samoa); pipi vao (Tonga) Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Mangaia

Calliandra haematocephala

English: red powder puff; French: pompon Rarotonga

Calliandra surinamensis

English: Surinamese stickpea Rarotonga

Calotropis gigantea

English: calotrope, crown flower, madar; French: mercure végétal, mudar; Other: pua-kalaunu (Hawai'i); tahinu (French Polynesia) Rarotonga

Cardiospermum grandiflorum

English: balloon vine; heart seed; Other: kopūpū takaviri? (Cook Islands) Rarotonga

Cardiospermum halicacabum

English: balloon vine, heart pea, love-in-a-puff; Other: wa niu, vo niu (Fiji); vinivinio (French Polynesia), poniu, haleakai‘a, ‘inalua, pohuehue uka (Hawai‘i) Miti'aro
Cecropia obtusifolia English:  trumpet tree, guarumo; Other: rau-māniota (Cook Islands) Rarotonga

Cestrum diurnum

English: inkberry, day jessamine, day cestrum, China berry; Other: ariki-va‘ine (Cook Islands); thauthau (Fiji); tinta ‘n-China, tentanchinu, tintan China (Guam, CNMI); makahala (Hawai‘i); sugi vao, suni vao (Samoa); vaitohi (Tonga) Rarotonga, Mangaia

Cestrum nocturnum

English: night-flowering cestrum, night-flowering jasmine, queen (or lady) of the night; Other: teine o le po, ali‘i o le po (American Samoa and Samoa); tiare ariki-va‘ine, ariki-va‘ine (Cook Islands); thauthau, thauthau ni mbongi, kara (Fiji); dama-de-noche (Guam); ‘ala aumoe, kupaoa, onaona Iapana (Hawai‘i); joñoul ru awa (Marshall Islands); iki he po (Niue); lakau po‘uli (Tonga) Rarotonga, Mangaia
Chloris barbata English: swollen fingergrass, purpletop chloris (Australia), airport grass (Fiji); Other: mau’u lei (Hawai'i) Rarotonga

Cinnamomum camphora

English: camphor tree, camphor laurel; French: camphre, camphrier Rarotonga

Cinnamomum verum

English: cinnamon tree; French: cannelier de Ceylan; Other: ochod ra ngebard (Palau). tinamoni, tigamoni (American Samoa and Samoa) Rarotonga, Miti'aro
Clerodendrum chinense English: Honolulu rose, stickbush, glory bower; Other: losa Honolulu, losa Onolulu (American Samoa and Samoa); pītate māma‘o, tiare tupapaku? (Cook Islands); pikake hohono, pikake wauke (Hawai'i) Rarotonga
Clitoria ternatea English: butterfly pea, Asian pigeonwings; French: honte; Other: buikike, bukike, paokeke, bukike paokeke, capa de la reina, kapa de la raina (Guam); putitainubia (CNMI); pepe (Niue); latoela, nawa (Fiji), paipa (Tonga) Rarotonga
Cortaderia selloana English: pampas grass, silver pampas grass, Uruguayan pampas grass Rarotonga
Crotalaria micans English: crotalaria; Other: pine kotalelia, pile (Niue) Mangaia, Ma'uke
Cuscuta campestris English: golden dodder, field dodder, five-angled dodder; Other: tiaea (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); navereverelangi, wa vereverelangi, wa lawala, wa mbosuthu, wa ndanga, wa tikaivu, ndithangi (Fiji) Rarotonga, Mangaia
Cyperus involucratus English: umbrella sedge, umbrella plant, dwarf papyrus grass; Other: ‘ahu‘awa haole, pu‘uka‘a haole (Hawai‘i) Rarotonga, Aitutaki
Derris elliptica English: derris; Other: tuba, bagin (Guam); oop, op (Kosrae); dub (Palau); up (Chuuk, Pohnpei); peinuhp, uhp, upanai, upanyap, upkesetik (Pohnpei); yuub (Yap); nduva, duva ni vavalagi, nduva ni vavalangi (Fiji) Rarotonga
Desmodium tortuosum English: Florida beggarweed, Spanish clover, dixie ticktrefoil Mangaia
Digitaria violascens English: smooth crabgrass, violet crabgrass; Other: sau (Palau) Rarotonga
Dissotis rotundifolia English: dissotis, Spanish shawl, pink lady Rarotonga, Ma'uke
Duranta erecta English: duranta, golden dewdrop, pigeon-berry, sky-flower; Other: ‘olive (Tonga) Rarotonga

Egeria densa

English: egeria, leafy elodea, dense waterweed Rarotonga
Eichhornia crassipes English: water hyacinth; French: jacinthe d'eau; Other: riri vai (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); mbekambekairanga, ndambendambe ni nga, jal khumbe, bekabekairaga, dabedabe ne ga, jal khumbe (Fiji); bung el ralm (Palau) Rarotonga, Mangaia
Erigeron karvinskianus English: Mexican daisy, seaside daisy, daisy fleabane Rarotonga

Ficus benjamina

English: weeping fig, baka, Java fig, weeping fig ; Other: ‘ovava fisi (Tonga) Rarotonga
Ficus macrophylla English: Moreton Bay fig Rarotonga
Flacourtia jangomas English: Indian-plum, runeala-plum; French: prunier d'Inde; Spanish: ciruela forastera Rarotonga, Mangaia, Ma’uke

Flacourtia rukam

English: Indian plum, Indian prune, governor’s plum; French: prunier café, prunier de Chine, prunier malgache; Other: filimoto (Fiji, Futuna, Samoa and American Samoa, Tonga) Rarotonga
Flemingia macrophylla Rarotonga, Mangaia, Ma'uke
Furcraea foetida English: Mauritius hemp, sisal, maguey, giant cabuya; French: aloès vert, chanvre de Maurice; Other: piāni, rōpiāni (Cook Islands); malina (Hawai‘i (Ni‘ihau)); toua (Niue); faumalila, fau malila (Tonga) Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Mangaia

Gomphocarpus physocarpus

English: balloon plant, bladderbush Rarotonga

Grevillea banksii

English: kahili flower, Banks grevillea; Other: ha‘iku, kahili (Hawai‘i); ‘oka pua ‘ula‘ula (Hawai‘i (Ni‘ihau)) Rarotonga
Hedychium gardnerianum English: kahili ginger; Other: kōpī (Cook Islands); cevuga dromodromo (Fiji); kahili, ‘awapuhi kahili (Hawai‘i); sinter weitahta (Pohnpei) Rarotonga, Mangaia
Hippobroma longiflora English: star of Bethlehem, fetia, madamfate; Other: pua hōkū (Hawai'i) Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Mangaia
Hylocereus undatus English: night-blooming cereus, strawberry pear, red pitaya, dragon fruit, pitahaya; French: pitaya, pitahaya rouge; Spanish: flor de Caliz; Other: paniniokapunahou, papipi pua (Hawai'i) Rarotonga
Ipomoea aquatica English: aquatic morning glory, swamp cabbage, water spinach, ung-choi, kang kong; French: liseron d'eau, patate aquatique; Other: aseri, seeri, seri (Chuuk); rukau taviri? (Cook Islands); ota karisa, ota karisi, wa kumala, ndrinikava, luve ne tombithi (Fiji), akankong, cancon, kangkun, kangkung, kankan (Guam); te kang kong (Kiribati); lorenzo (Nauru), kangum, kangkum (Palau); ‘umala vai (Samoa); kangkong (Ulithi, Yap); kangking, kongkong (Yap) Rarotonga
Jacaranda mimosifolia English: jacaranda Rarotonga
Justicia carnea English: pink plume-flower, pink jacobinia Rarotonga
Kyllinga brevifolia English: green kyllinga, green water sedge; Other: tumu ‘enua (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke)); kili‘o‘opu, kaluha, manunene, mau‘u mokae (Hawai‘i); tuise (Samoa); pakopako (Tonga) Rarotonga, Mangaia, Ma'uke, Miti’aro
Lablab purpureus English: hyacinth bean, lablab, bonavist, Egyptian kidney bean, dolichos; French: dolique, dolique d'Egypte, pois nourrice; Other: ndralawa, natomba, tomba (Fiji); cheribilla apaka, chuchumeko (Guam--Chamorro); papapa, pi (Hawai'i); pini lae puaka (Tonga) Rarotonga
Leonurus japonicus English: lion’s tail, Chinese motherwort; Other: vavai tara (Cook Islands (Miti‘aro) Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Mangaia, Ma'uke, Miti'aro
Leptospermum scoparium English: New Zealand tea; manuka (New Zealand) Rarotonga
Licuala grandis English: ruffled fan palm; French: palmier-cuillère Rarotonga?
Macfadyena unguis-cati English: cat's-claw climber Rarotonga
Merremia tuberosa English: wood rose, Spanish arborvine, yellow morning-glory; French: liane-à-tonelle, liane-jaune; Other: alarrak (Saipan); pilikai (Hawai‘i) Rarotonga
Mimosa diplotricha English: giant sensitive plant, nila grass; French: grande sensitive, sensitive gèante; Other: pikika‘a papa‘ā (Cook Islands (Aitutaki)); vao fefe palagi (American Samoa and Samoa), wa ngandrongandro levu, wa ngandrongandro ni wa ngalelevu, co gadrogadro (Fiji); mechiuaiuu (Palau); limemeihr laud (Pohnpei); singbiguin sasa (Saipan); la'au fefe tele, la'au fefe palagi (Samoa); Aitutaki
Muntingia calabura English: jam tree, strawberry tree, Jamaican cherry, Singapore cherry, Panama cherry, Panama berry, ornamental cherry, calabura, sirsen; French: bois ramier; Other: venevene (Cook Islands (Penrhyn)); capulin (Fiji, French Polynesia); manzanilla, mansanita, manzanita (Guam, CNMI), budo (Palau, Yap) Rarotonga
Odontonema tubaeforme English: fire spike, cardinal flower; Other: totoē (American Samoa and Samoa) Rarotonga, Mangaia
Opuntia spp. English: prickly pear; Other: lengua de vaca (Guam) Rarotonga, Aitutaki
Paraserianthes lophantha English: brush wattle, plume albizia, plume acacia, stink bean Rarotonga
Paspalum dilatatum English: paspalum, dallis grass, water grass; French: paspalum dilaté, herbe sirop, herbe de miel, herbe de dallis, millet bâtard; Other: hiku nua (Niue) Rarotonga, Ma'uke, Miti'aro
Paspalum urvillei English: Vasey grass; French: herbe de Vasey, paspalum d'Urville; Other: tinikarāti (Cook Islands (Mangaia)) Rarotonga, Mangaia
Passiflora foetida English: love-in-a-mist, wild passion fruit, passionflower, stinking passionflower; French: passiflore; Spanish: bedoca (Galapagos Is.); Other: pasio vao (American Samoa and Samoa); bombom (Chuuk), sou, loliloli ni kalavo, qaranidila (Fiji); pohapoha (Hawai‘i); lani wai (Hawai‘i (Ni‘ihau)); tea biku (Kiribati); vine vao (Niue); kudamono (Palau); pompom, pwomwpwomw (Pohnpei); kinahulo‘ atdao, dulce (Saipan); vaine ‘initia (Tonga); tomates (Yap) Rarotonga

Passiflora laurifolia

English: yellow granadilla, belle apple, yellow water-lemon; French: pomme-liane, pomme d'or; Other: pasio vao (Samoa); vaine 'ae kuma (Tonga) Ma‘uke

Passiflora ligularis

English: sweet granadilla, yellow passionfruit; French: granadille, grenadille douce, barbadine; French: granadille, grenadille douce, barbadine; Other: lemi wai, lani wai, lemona (Hawai‘i) Ma'uke

Pennisetum setaceum

English: fountain grass Rarotonga
Phyllostachys bissetii English: running bamboo Mangaia

Phyllostachys nigra

English: black bamboo; French: bambou noir Rarotonga
Pistia stratiotes English: water lettuce, tropical duckweed; French: laitue d'eau, pistie; Other: lechuguita de agua, repollo de agua , apon-apon, apoe-apoe, beo-cai, chawk Rarotonga
Platycerium bifurcatum English: elkhorn fern, staghorn fern Rarotonga

Pyrostegia venusta

English: flame vine, flame flower, golden shower, orange trumpet vine Rarotonga

Quisqualis indica

English: Rangoon creeper Rarotonga
Samanea saman English: monkeypod, rain tree, saman; French: arbre de pluie; Other: tronkon mames, trongkon-mames (CNMI-Chamorro); filinganga (CNMI-Carolinian); gumor ni spanis (Yap); 'ohai, pu ‘ohai (Hawai'i); vaivai ni vavalangi, vaivai ni vavalagi (Fiji), malapa (Samoa); kasia (Tonga) Rarotonga, Mangaia, Ma'uke, Miti'aro
Sanchezia speciosa English: sanchezia. Rarotonga
Schefflera actinophylla English: octopus tree, umbrella tree, ivy palm; French: arbre-pieuvre, arbre ombelle Rarotonga
Senna alata English: candle bush; candelabra bush, Roman candle tree, emperor's candlesticks, ringworm bush (Australia), alcapulco; French: epis d’or, bois dartre, dartres; Other: fa‘i lafa, la‘au fai lafa (American Samoa, Samoa and Tonga); arakak (Chuuk); mbai ni thangi (Fiji); akapuku, andadose, candalaria, take-biha (Guam); mulamula (Niue); kerula besokel, yult (Palau); rakau honuki, truke-n-kili-n-wai, tuhkehn kilin wai, tirakahonuki (Pohnpei); bakau plant (Solomon Islands); te‘elango (Tonga); flay-n-sabouw (Yap) Rarotonga
Senna tora English: foetid cassia, stinking cassia, Java-bean, sickle senna, sicklepod, Chinese senna, peanut weed, sickle senna; French: cassier sauvage, pois puant, séné; Other: vao pinati (American Samoa and Samoa); kaumoce, kaumothe, pini, tarota (Fiji); mumutun admelon, mumutun palaoan, amot-tumaga carabao (Guam), te’epulu, tengafefeka (Tonga) Ma'uke
Sesbania grandiflora English: sesbania, hummingbird tree, sesban, scarlet wisteria tree, corkwood tree; French: agati a grandes fleurs; Other: agati, agathi (Fiji); oufai, ofai, ouai (French Polynesia); katurai (Guam); ohai ke‘oke‘o (Hawai‘i); sepania (Samoa) Rarotonga, Mangaia
Setaria palmifolia English: palmgrass, short pitpit, hailans pitpit, broadleaved bristlegrass; Other: vao ‘ofe‘ofe (Samoa)
Solandra maxima English: golden cup, cup of gold, chalice vine; Spanish: copa de oro Rarotonga, Mangaia
Solanum mauritianum English: bugweed, wild tobacco, tree tobacco; Other: rau ‘ava‘ava (Cook Islands); pua nana honua (Hawai'i); pula (Tonga) Rarotonga, Aitutaki
Sporobolus indicus English: smutgrass, wiregrass, Indian dropseed; Other: fisihina (Tonga) Rarotonga, Aitutaki
Stenotaphrum secundatum English: buffalo grass, St. Augustine grass; French: chiendent de boeuf; Spanish: pasto San Augustín; Other: ‘aki‘aki haole, mānienie ‘aki‘aki, mānienie ‘aki‘aki haole, mānienie māhikihiki (Hawai‘i) Rarotonga
Tabebuia heterophylla English: pink tecoma, pink trumpet tree, white cedar; Other: calice du pape Rarotonga

Thevetia peruviana

English: yellow oleander, be-still tree, lucky nut; French: oléandre jaune; Other: koneta (Chuuk); venevene (Cook Islands (Mangaia)), ‘enere (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke, Miti‘aro)); nohomalie (Hawai'i); irelepsech (Yap) Rarotonga, Mangaia, Miti'aro

Thunbergia alata

English: black-eyed susan vine; French: suzanne aux yeux noirs Rarotonga

Thunbergia fragrans

English: white lady, white thunbergia, sweet clock-vine; Other: fue hina (Tonga) Rarotonga, Mangaia

Thunbergia grandiflora

English: Bengal trumpet, blue trumpet vine, clock vine, skyvine, large-flowerd thunbergia; Other: bung el etiu (Palau) Rarotonga

Thunbergia laurifolia

English: purple allamanda, laurel-leaved thunbergia, laurel clock vine Rarotonga
Tibouchina urvilleana English: glorybush, lasiandra, princess flower Rarotonga
Toona ciliata English: Australian red cedar, toon, surian, Indian mahogany; Other: wood pikake (Hawai‘i); tuna (Samoa);, sita kula (Tonga) Mangaia
Tradescantia zebrina English:  wandering zebrina, wandering jew, inchplant; Other: mauku papa‘ā (Cook Islands (Mangaia)) Rarotonga, Mangaia, Ma'uke
Trema orientalis English: charcoal tree, gunpowder tree; Other: agaunai, banahl, tal amama (CNMI); elodechoel (Palau); uanin (Yap); ndrou, ndroundrou, ndrikanaithembe (Fiji); aere (French Polynesia), mangele, manele, magele (Niue, Samoa, Tonga) Mangaia
Triumfetta semitriloba English: Sacramento bur; Other: dadangsi, masiksik lahe (Guam) Rarotonga, Aitutaki

Urochloa mutica

English: California grass, para grass, buffalo grass, Mauritius grass, signal grass; French: herbe de Para; Other: mauku puakatoro (Cook Islands); puakatau (Tonga) (Swarbrick, 1997) Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Miti'aro

Urochloa subquadripara

English: brachiaria, green summer grass, tropical signalgrass, cori grass Ma'uke, Miti'aro

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This page revised 22 April 2006