Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)
Report on invasive plant species in Palau (2002 survey)
Appendix 1. Invasive Species of environmental concern
Table 1.
Species that are invasive elsewhere in similar ecosystems but are not known to
be present in Palau
Table 2. Species
that are subjects of eradiation programs
Table 3. Introduced species that
are invasive or potentially invasive in Palau
Table 4. Species that are reported as
invasive or weedy elsewhere and are common, weedy or cultivated in
Palau
Table 5. Native species (or Micronesian
introductions) that can exhibit aggressive behavior
|
Scientific Name |
Common Names |
Family |
Habit |
| Acacia aulacocarpa | English: brown salwood, brush ironbark wattle, hickory wattle; Other: ākasia (Cook Islands) | Fabaceae | tree |
| Acacia crassicarpa | English: northern wattle, Papua New Guinea red wattle; Other: ākasia (Cook Islands) | Fabaceae | tree |
| Acacia glauca | English: redwood; French: amourette | Fabaceae | tree |
| Acacia longifolia | English: Sydney golden wattle, golden wattle, long-leaved wattle, long-leaved acacia, sallow wattle, coast wattle, golden rods | Fabaceae | tree |
| English: black wattle; French: acacia noir; Other: ākasia (Cook Islands) | Fabaceae | tree | |
| English: Australian blackwood, blackwood acacia | Fabaceae | tree | |
| English: prickly acacia, black thorn, Egyptian thorn, Nile acacia, algaroba, babul, gum arabic tree; French: acacia à gomme; Spanish: algarrobo; Other: tiare (New Caledonia) | Fabaceae | tree | |
| Acacia spp. | English: acacia | Fabaceae | shrubs/trees |
| Ageratina riparia | English: spreading mistflower, creeping croftonweed, river eupatorium; Other: hamakua pamakani (Hawai‘i) | Asteraceae | herb |
| English: tree of heaven, varnishtree | Simaroubaceae | tree | |
| Albizia chinensis | English: Chinese albizia, silktree; Other: ‘arapitia (Cook Islands); tamaligi uliuli, tamaligi ena‘ena (Samoa) | Fabaceae | tree |
| Aleurites moluccana | English: candlenut, Indian walnut; French: bancoulier, bancoulier, noyer de bancoul, noyer des Moluques; Other: lumbang (Guam), raguar (Caroline Islands); sakan, shakan (Pohnpei); lama (American Samoa and Samoa); kukui (Hawai’i); tuitui (Cook Islands, Niue, Tonga), 'ama (Marquesas); lauci, lauthe, lauthi, toto, tuitui, tutui, waiwai, sekeci,sikethi, sikeli, nggerenggere (Fiji); tahii tiairi, ti’a’iri, tutui, tahiri (French Polynesia) | Euphorbiaceae | tree |
| Alstonia macrophylla | English: devil-tree | Apocynaceae | tree |
| English: alligator weed | Amaranthaceae | herb | |
| English: cashew, cashew nut; French: anacardier, pomme de cojou, acajou a pommes, pommier d’acajou; Other: kātū (Cook Islands); kasoi (Guam); ‘apu ‘initia (Samoa); ‘apu, kesiu (Tonga) | Anacardiaceae | tree | |
| English: gamba grass, tambuki grass | Poaceae | grass | |
| English: bush beardgrass, bushy bluestem | Poaceae | grass | |
| English: broomsedge, yellow bluestem, whisky grass | Poaceae | grass | |
| 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) | Annonaceae | tree | |
| English: Madeira vine, mignonette vine, lamb's tails; Other: tāpau (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)); ‘uala hupe (Hawai‘i); filikafa (Niue) | Basellaceae | vine | |
| English: moth plant, moth catcher, white bladder flower | Asclepiadaceae | vine | |
| English: hen's eyes, Hilo holly, coral berry, Australian holly, scratchthroat; French: arbre à noël | Myrsinaceae | shrub | |
| English: shoebutton ardisia; Other: venevene tinitō (Cook Islands); ati popa‘a, atiu (French Polynesia); togo vao (Samoa) | Myrsinaceae | shrub | |
| English: elephant creeper, Hawaiian baby woodrose , silver morning glory, woolly morning glory; French: coup d'air, liane a minguet, liane d' argent | Convolvulaceae | vine | |
| English: Dutchman's pipe, calico flower; Other: mokorā (Cook Islands); fue paipa holani (Tonga) | Aristolochiaceae | vine | |
| Arthrostemma ciliatum | English: arthrostemma, everblooming eavender | Melastomataceae | herb |
| Asparagus setaceus | English: ornamental asparagus, climbing asparagus fern, plumosa; French: asperge plumeuse; Other: remu (Cook Islands); taupo ‘ou (Tonga) | Liliaceae | vine |
| Asteraceae | herb | ||
| English: neem, nim, margosa | Meliaceae | tree | |
| Azolla filiculoides | English: azolla, large mosquito fern | Azollaceae | aquatic fern |
| Azolla pinnata | English: mosquito fern, ferny azolla, water velvet | Azollaceae | aquatic fern |
| Barleria prionitis | English: barleria, porcupine flower | Acanthaceae | shrub |
| Bocconia frutescens | English: bocconia, plume-poppy, tree poppy, tree celandine, parrotweed | Papaveraceae | shrub |
| Boerhavia coccinea | English: boerhavia, hog weed, hog feed, red spiderling, wineflower, tar vine; Other: mata pavo, patagon | Nyctaginaceae | herb |
| Acanthaceae | herb | ||
| Bryophyllum delagoense | English: chandelier plant | Crassulaceae | succulent |
| English: dog tail; Other: huelo ‘ilio (Hawai'i) | Scrophulariaceae | shrub | |
| English: orange eye, butterfly bush, summer lilac | Scrophulariaceae | shrub | |
| English: butterfly bush, smoke bush | Scrophulariaceae | shrub | |
| Caesalpinia decapetala | English: cat's claw, Mysore thorn, Mauritius thorn, wait-a-bit; French: bois sappan; Other: puakelekino (Hawai'i) | Fabaceae | shrub |
| English: Surinamese stickpea | Fabaceae | tree | |
| English: fragrant inch plant, basketplant, spironema | Commelinaceae | herb | |
| Calotropis procera | English: calotropis, rubber bush, apple of Sodom, mudar, madar, king’s crown, roostertree; French: arbre à soie | Asclepiadaceae | shrub |
| English: balloon vine; heart seed; Other: kopūpū takaviri? (Cook Islands) | Sapindaceae | vine | |
| 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) | Sapindaceae | vine | |
| Carludovica palmata | English: Panama hat plant; French: carludovique palmée; Spanish: chidra, palma de sombrero, palma jipijapa, toquilla; Other: Panamā (Cook Islands) | Cyclanthaceae | shrub |
| English: ice plant, pigface, hottentot fig | Aizoaceae | succulent | |
| Castilla elastica | English: Panama rubber tree, Mexican rubber tree, uletree; Other: pulu mamoe (American Samoa) | Moraceae | tree |
| Casuarina glauca | English: swamp oak, saltmarsh ironwood, longleaf ironwood, gray sheoak | Casuarinaceae | tree |
| English: trumpet tree, guarumo; Other: rau-māniota (Cook Islands) | Cecropiaceae | tree | |
| English: trumpet tree; French: parasolier, faux-ricin, pisse-roux, bois cannon | Cecropiaceae | tree | |
| Cedrela odorata | English: cigar box cedar, Mexican cedar, West Indian cedar, Spanish cedar, Barbados cedar; French: cèdre acajou, cèdre des barbares; Spanish: cedro cubano (Galapagos Is.); Other: sita hina (Tonga) | Meliaceae | tree |
| Cenchrus ciliaris | English: buffelgrass, African foxtail grass, anjan grass; French: cenchrus cilié | Poaceae | grass |
| 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) | Solanaceae | shrub | |
| 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) | Solanaceae | shrub | |
| Cestrum parqui | English: green cestrum, willow-leaved jessamine, Chilean cestrum, green poison-berry | Solanaceae | shrub |
| Chrysobalanus icaco | English: coco plum, icaco; French: prunier coton, icacier, icaquier, icaque, prune colon; Other: apolo (Fiji) | Chrysobalanaceae | shrub |
| Chrysophyllum oliviforme | English: satin leaf, wild star-apple, damson plum; Spanish: caimitillo | Sapotaceae | tree |
| English: quinine tree, red cinchona; French: quinquina rouge; Spanish: cascarilla | Rubiaceae | tree | |
| English: padang cassia; French: cannelier de Malaisie | Lauraceae | tree | |
| English: camphor tree, camphor laurel; French: camphre, camphrier | Lauraceae | tree | |
| English: grape ivy | Vitaceae | vine | |
| English: juniper berry | Verbenaceae | tree | |
| English: fiddlewood; Other: masese (Fiji) | Verbenaceae | tree | |
| Clausena excavata | English: clausena | Rutaceae | tree |
| 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) | Lamiaceae | shrub | |
| English: glorybower | Lamiaceae | shrub | |
| English: signature tree, autograph tree, copey, Scotch attorney, pitchapple | Clusiaceae | tree | |
| English: ivy gourd, scarlet-fruited gourd; Other: kundru (Fiji); kiuri awia (Marshall Islands); aipikohr (Pohnpei) | Cucurbitaceae | vine | |
| English: sea mulberry, buttonwood, button mangrove | Combretaceae | shrub/tree | |
| English: laurel, Ecuador laurel, salmwood, Spanish elm; French: bois de Chypre, pardillo; Other: kotia (Samoa, Tonga) | Boraginaceae | tree | |
| English: black sage | Boraginaceae | shrub | |
| English: broad-leaved cordia | Boraginaceae | tree | |
| English: jubata grass, Andean pampas grass, purple pampas grass | Poaceae | grass | |
| English: pampas grass, silver pampas grass, Uruguayan pampas grass | Poaceae | grass | |
| Corynocarpus laevigatus | English: New Zealand laurel, karakara nut | Corynocarpaceae | tree |
| Cryptostegia grandiflora | English: rubber vine, India rubber vine, Palay rubbervine; Other: liane de gatope (New Caledonia) | Asclepiadaceae | vine |
| English: carrotwood, tuckeroo | Sapindaceae | tree | |
| 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) | Cuscutaceae | vine | |
| Cyathea cooperi | English: Australian tree fern; French: fougère arborescente d’Australia | Cyatheaceae | fern |
| English: Indian dalbergia, Indian rosewood, sissoo, shisham; French: ébénier juane | Fabaceae | tree | |
| English: German ivy, Italian ivy, cape ivy | Asteraceae | vine | |
| Derris malaccensis | English: New Guinea creeper; Other: ‘ava niukini (American Samoa and Samoa); ‘ora pāpua, rakau papua (Cook Islands); nduva, tuva, nduva ni niukini (Fiji); hora papua (French Polynesia); akau niukini (Niue); kava fisi (Tonga) | Fabaceae | vine |
| Desmodium nicaraguense | Spanish: engorda-caballo, vara de arco, pie de paloma, vara larga, vara blanca, Juana de Arco, gutao, Juana Larga | Fabaceae | shrub |
| Dichrostachys cinerea | English: aroma, Kalahari Christmas tree, Chinese lantern tree, sickle bush, marabou-thorn, marabú, Sen Domeng, Saint Domingue, acacia Saint Domingue | Fabaceae | shrub |
| Digitaria insularis | English: cottongrass, sourgrass, feather-top grass | Poaceae | grass |
| Dillenia suffruticosa | English: shrubby dillenia, shrubby simpoh | Dilleniaceae | shrub/tree |
| English: aleman grass, carib grass, creeping rivergrass | Poaceae | grass | |
| English: egeria, leafy elodea, dense waterweed | Hydrocharitaceae | aquatic herb | |
| Erigeron karvinskianus | English: Mexican daisy, seaside daisy, daisy fleabane | Asteraceae | herb |
| Eugenia uniflora | English: Surinam cherry, red Brazil cherry; French: cerisier carré, cerisier de Cayenne; Other: venevene (Cook Islands); menemene (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); kafika, kafika palangi (Niue), pitanga (Brazil) | Myrtaceae | shrub/tree |
| English: lofty fig, false banyan, council tree | Moraceae | tree | |
| English: banyan, Indian banyan, vada tree; French: figuier des pagodes; Other: pulu (Samoa) | Moraceae | tree | |
| English: weeping fig, baka, Java fig, weeping fig, Benjamin tree; Other: ‘ovava Fisi (Tonga) | Moraceae | tree | |
| Ficus macrophylla | English: Moreton Bay fig | Moraceae | tree |
| English: tibig | Moraceae | tree | |
| English: rusty-leaved fig, Port Jackson fig, littleleaf fig | Moraceae | tree | |
| Flacourtia jangomas | English: Indian-plum, runeala-plum; French: prunier d'Inde; Spanish: ciruela forastera; Other: venevene pāma (Cook Islands); palamu (Niue) | Flacourtiaceae | tree |
| Flindersia brayleyana | English: Queensland maple, silkwood | Rutaceae | tree |
| English: African rubber tree, silkrubber; French: arbre à caoutchouc; Other: pulu vao (Samoa) | Apocynaceae | tree | |
| 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) | Agavaceae | succulent | |
| English: Cuban hemp, hemp; Other: cubuya (Galapagos Islands) | Agavaceae | succulent | |
| Gmelina arborea | English: gmelina, white teak, white beech; Spanish: melina; Other: yemane (Fiji, Philippines) | Lamiaceae | tree |
| Gmelina asiatica | English: badhara bush, Asiatic beechberry, oval-leafed gmelina | Lamiaceae | shrub |
| English: balloon plant, balloon cottonbush, bladderbush, wild cotton | Asclepiadaceae | shrub | |
| English: kahili flower, Banks grevillea; Other: ha‘iku, kahili (Hawai‘i); ‘oka pua ‘ula‘ula (Hawai‘i (Ni‘ihau)) | Proteaceae | tree | |
| English: silk oak, silky oak, he oak, silver oak, spider flower; Other: ‘oka kilika, ha‘iku ke‘oke‘o (Hawai'i), oke‘ (Tonga) | Proteaceae | tree | |
| English: phalsa | Tiliaceae | tree | |
| English: Senegal tea, temple plant | Asteraceae | herb | |
| English: logwood, bloodwood tree, campeachy wood, campeche | Fabaceae | tree | |
| English: harungana | Clusiaceae | tree | |
| English: yellow ginger, cream ginger; French: longoze; Other: teuila (American Samoa and Samoa); kōpī rengarenga, re‘a rengarenga (Cook Islands); opuhi rea rea (French Polynesia); ‘awapuhi melemele (Hawai'i) | Zingiberaceae | herb | |
| English: kahili ginger; Other: kōpī (Cook Islands); cevuga dromodromo (Fiji); kahili, ‘awapuhi kahili (Hawai‘i); sinter weitahta (Pohnpei) | Zingiberaceae | herb | |
| Heliocarpus popayanensis | English: moho, white moho | Tiliaceae | tree |
| Hiptage benghalensis | English: hiptage; French: liane de cerf | Malpighiaceae | shrub |
| English: hydrilla, Florida elodea, water thyme | Hydrocharitaceae | herb | |
| 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) | Cactaceae | succulent | |
| English: hymenachne, trompetilla, West Indian marsh grass | Poaceae | grass | |
| English: jaragua grass, thatching grass | Poaceae | grass | |
| Hypochoeris radicata | English: hairy cat’s ear, gosmore | Asteraceae | herb |
| Hyptis suaveolens | English: wild spikenard, chan; French: gros baume, hyptis à odeur; Other: mumutun (Guam) | Lamiaceae | herb |
| Indigofera suffruticosa | English: indigo; Other: ‘initiko (Cook Islands); aniles (Guam); ‘iniko, inikoa, kolu (Hawai'i); la‘au mageso (Samoa); ‘akau veli (Tonga) | Fabaceae | shrub |
| Jasminum fluminense | English: Brazilian jasmine | Oleaceae | vine |
| Juncus spp. | English: rush | Juncaceae | rush |
| English: pink plume-flower, pink jacobinia | Acanthaceae | shrub | |
| Kunzea ericoides | English: tree manuka, tree manuba, kanuka (New Zealand), burgan, white teatree | Myrtaceae | tree |
| Kyllinga polyphylla | English: Navua sedge; Other: tuise tele, tuise fiti (Samoa) | Cyperaceae | sedge |
| 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) | Fabaceae | vine |
| English: duckweed; Other: fala‘o‘oto (Samoa) | Lemnaceae | herb | |
| English: lion’s tail, lion’s ear, Christmas candlestick; French: gros bouton, gros tête | Lamiaceae | herb | |
| Leptospermum scoparium | English: New Zealand tea; manuka (New Zealand) | Myrtaceae | tree |
| English: ruffled fan palm; French: palmier-cuillère | Arecaceae | tree (palm) | |
Ligustrum spp. |
English: privet | Oleaceae | shrubs/small trees |
| English: brush box, Brisbane box, vinegar tree | Myrtaceae | tree | |
| English: ludwigia, Peruvian primrose, water primrose | Onagraceae | herb | |
| Macfadyena unguis-cati | English: cat's-claw climber | Bignoniaceae | vine |
| English: umbrella tree, musizi | Rhamnaceae | tree | |
| English: chandelier tree, showy melastome, showy medinilla, Malaysian orchid | Melastomataceae | shrub | |
| English: holdtight | Melastomataceae | shrub | |
| English: Asian melastome, Indian rhododendron, Malabar melastome | Melastomataceae | tree | |
| English: fox-tongued melastoma, red melastome | Melastomataceae | shrub/tree | |
| Melicoccus bijugatus | English: Spanish lime | Sapindaceae | tree |
| Melinis repens | English: Natal redtop, Natal grass, red Natal grass, Holme's grass, blanketgrass; French: herbe du Natal, herbe rose, herbe pappangue; tricholène (New Caledonia); Other: salapona (Tonga) | Poaceae | grass |
| Memecylon floribundum | Melastomataceae | shrub | |
| English: wood rose, Spanish arborvine, yellow morning-glory; French: liane-à-tonelle, liane-jaune; Other: alarrak (Saipan); pilikai (Hawai‘i) | Convolvulaceae | vine | |
| English: miconia, velvetleaf, purple plague, bush currant | Melastomataceae | tree | |
| Microlaena stipoides | English: meadow ricegrass, weeping grass | Poaceae | grass |
| Mimosa pigra | English: catclaw mimosa, thorny sensitiveplant, giant mimosa, giant sensitive plant, black mimosa, zaraz, dormilona, bashful plant, amourette violet; French: amourette riviére | Fabaceae | shrub |
| English: montanoa, tree daisy, Anzac flower | Asteraceae | shrub | |
| Morella faya | English: fayatree, firetree, firebush | Myricaceae | tree |
| Mucuna pruriens | English: cow itch, velvet bean, Bengal bean, Mauritius bean; French: pois pouilleux, poil à gratter; Other: akangkang dangkulo (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam) | Fabaceae | vine |
| English: parrot's feather, water feather, Brazilian water milfoil | Haloragidaceae | aquatic herb | |
| Neonotonia wightii | English: glycine; French: soja pérenne | Fabaceae | vine |
| kirkii | English: Micky Mouse plant, bird’s-eye bush | Ochnaceae | shrub |
| English: ochna, Mickey-Mouse plant, bird’s-eye bush | Ochnaceae | shrub | |
| English: balsa, corkwood, down tree | Bombacaceae | tree | |
| English: fire spike, cardinal flower; Other: totoe (American Samoa and Samoa) | Acanthaceae | shrub | |
| English: olive; Other: ‘oliwa, ‘oliwa haole (Hawai'i) | Oleaceae | tree | |
| English: paper rose, St. Thomas lidpod; Other: alalag (Guam); palulu (Samoa); fue hina (Tonga) | Convolvulaceae | vine | |
| Melastomataceae | shrub | ||
| English: oxyspora, bristletips | Melastomataceae | shrub | |
| English: stink vine, skunk vine; Other: maile pilau, maile ka kahiki (Hawai'i). | Rubiaceae | vine | |
| English: brush wattle, plume albizia, plume acacia, stink bean | Fabaceae | shrub/tree | |
| English: parkinsonia, Jerusalem thorn, horse-bean, retama; French: arrêtenègre; Spanish: palo verde | Fabaceae | tree | |
| English: Vasey grass; French: herbe de Vasey, paspalum d'Urville; Other: tinikarāti (Cook Islands (Mangaia)) | Poaceae | grass | |
| English: wild passion fruit, wingstem passionflower | Passifloraceae | vine | |
| English: blue passion flower | Passifloraceae | vine | |
| English: scarlet passion flower, red passion flower, red granadilla | Passifloraceae | vine | |
| English: yellow granadilla, belle apple, yellow water-lemon; French: pomme-liane, pomme d'or; Other: pasio vao (Samoa); vaine 'ae kuma (Tonga) | Passifloraceae | vine | |
| English: sweet granadilla, yellow passionfruit; French: granadille, grenadille douce, barbadine; French: granadille, grenadille douce, barbadine; Other: lemi wai, lani wai, lemona (Hawai‘i) | Passifloraceae | vine | |
| English: hard-shelled passionfruit, sweet calabash, sweet cup; French: pomme calabas; Other: pārapōutini ‘enua, pārapōutini Maori (Cook Islands); ka‘atene Maori, katinga Maori (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); pasio (Samoa), vaine kai (Tonga) | Passifloraceae | vine | |
| Passiflora pulchella | English: two-lobed passion flower, wingleaf passionfruit | Passifloraceae | vine |
| Passiflora rubra | English: red passionfruit, Dutchman's laudanum; Other: pōkutekute (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)) | Passifloraceae | vine |
| English: banana poka, banana passionfruit, bananadilla | Passifloraceae | vine | |
| English: paulownia, princess-tree, Chinese empress tree, karri-tree | Scrophulariaceae | tree | |
| Pennisetum clandestinum | English: kikuyu grass, kikuyo | Poaceae | grass |
| English: philadelphus, evergreen mock orange, syringa | Saxifragaceae | shrub | |
| English: New Zealand flax, New Zealand hemp, bush flax | Agavaceae | herb | |
| Phyllostachys bissetii | Poaceae | shrub | |
| English: black bamboo; French: bambou noir | Poaceae | shrub | |
| English: pimento, allspice; Other: sipaisi (Tonga) | Myrtaceae | tree | |
| English: bay tree, bay rum tree, bay oil tree, malagueta; Other: sinamoni (Tonga) | Myrtaceae | tree | |
| English: Caribbean pine, Bahamas pine; Other: paina papa‘ā (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); paina (Samoa); paini (Tonga) | Pinaceae | tree | |
| English: spiked pepper; Other: yaqona ni Onolulu, yanggona ni Onolulu (Fiji) | Piperaceae | shrub/tree | |
| English: eared pepper, anise piper, Veracruz pepper; Spanish: hoja santa, anisillo, hinojo, sabalero, hoja de la estrella; Other: Hawaiian sakau, false sakau, false kava (Pohnpei); ‘ava Tonga (Samoa), kava Hawai‘i (Tonga) | Piperaceae | shrub | |
| English: water lettuce, tropical duckweed; French: laitue d'eau, pistie; Spanish: lechuguita de agua, repollo de agua | Araceae | aquatic herb | |
| English: pittosporum, Taiwanese cheesewood, mamalis | Pittosporaceae | shrub/tree | |
| English: tobira, Japanese pittosporum, Japanese cheesewood, mock orange, Australian laurel | Pittosporaceae | shrub/tree | |
| English: Victorian box, Victorian laurel, Australian cheesewood, mock orange, sweet pittosporum, orange pittosporum | Pittosporaceae | tree | |
| Pittosporum viridiflorum | English: cape pittosporum | Pittosporaceae | tree |
| Platycerium bifurcatum | English: elkhorn fern, staghorn fern | Selaginellaceae | fern |
| English: praxelis | Asteraceae | herb | |
Prosopis spp. |
English: mesquite, algaroba; Spanish: algarrobo | Fabaceae | tree |
| Psidium guineense | English: Brazilian guava, Guinea guava; French: goyavier du Brésil | Myrtaceae | shrub/tree |
| Pyrostegia venusta | English: flame vine, flame flower, golden shower, orange trumpet vine | Bignoniaceae | vine |
| English: rose myrtle, downy myrtle, Isenberg bush; French: myrte-groseille, feijoa | Myrtaceae | shrub | |
| Rhynchospora caduca | Cyperaceae | herb | |
| English: baby pepper, bloodberry, coral berry, rouge plant; Other: polo (Tonga) | Phytolaccaceae | herb | |
| English: giant bramble | Rosaceae | shrub | |
| Rubus argutus | English: prickly Florida blackberry; Other: ōhelo ‘ele ‘ele (Hawai‘i) | Rosaceae | shrub |
| Rubus glaucus | English: Andean blackberry, Andean black raspberry; French: mûre des Andes; Spanish: mora, mora blanca, mora de Castilla, zarzamora azul | Rosaceae | shrub |
| English: Molucca raspberry, broad leafed bramble, Molucca bramble, eelkek; French: piquant lou-lou (Mauritius); Other: kohkihl (Kosrae); soni, wa sori, wa ngandrongandro, wa votovotoa, (Fiji) | Rosaceae | shrub | |
| Rubus niveus | English: Ceylon raspberry, hill raspberry, Mysore raspberry; Spanish: frambuesa | Rosaceae | shrub |
| English: roseleaf raspberry, thimbleberry, Mauritius raspberry; French: framboisier; Spanish: frambueso de Africa; Other: ōla‘a, ākala, ākalakala (Hawai‘i) | Rosaceae | shrub | |
| Rubus sieboldii | English: Molucca raspberry | Rosaceae | shrub |
Rubus spp. |
English: raspberries, blackberries, brambles | Rosaceae | shrub |
| Ruellia brevifolia | Acanthaceae | herb | |
| English: black weed, bell weed; Other: vao uli (American Samoa and Samoa); tītā ‘aruru (Cook Islands (Miti‘aro)) | Acanthaceae | herb | |
| Salvinia molesta | English: salvinia, water fern, kariba weed, African payal | Salviniaceae | fern |
| Sanchezia speciosa | English: sanchezia. | Acanthaceae | shrub |
| English: pepper tree, California pepper tree, Peruvian peppertree, pepperina; French: faux poivrier, molée des jardins, poivrier d'Amérique | Anacardiaceae | tree | |
| English: Christmas-berry, Brazilian pepper, Brazilian holly, Florida holly; French: faux poivrier, poivre du Brésil, poivre rose; Other: warui (Fiji); wilelaiki (Hawai‘i), naniohilo (Hawai‘i (Moloka‘i)) | Anacardiaceae | tree | |
| English: little bluestem, bush beardgrass | Poaceae | grass | |
| Senecio madagascariensis | English: fireweed | Asteraceae | herb |
| Senna septemtrionalis | English: buttercup bush, yellow shower, laburnum; Other: mosimosi, naseni karakarawa, winivinikau (Fiji); kolomona, kalamona (Hawai'i) | Fabaceae | shrub/tree |
| 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); pī ‘aungakino (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke)); kaumoce, kaumothe, pini, tarota (Fiji); mumutun admelon, mumutun palaoan, amot-tumaga carabao (Guam), te’epulu, tengafefeka (Tonga) | Fabaceae | shrub |
| Sesbania punicea | English: red sesbania, coffee weed, rattle-pod, sesban, red seine bean, Brazil rattlebox, coffee of the coast, tame acacia, false poinciana, black acacia, purple sesbane | Fabaceae | shrub |
| Setaria palmifolia | English: palmgrass, short pitpit, hailans pitpit, broadleaved bristlegrass; Other: vao ‘ofe‘ofe (Samoa) | Poaceae | grass |
| English: golden cup, cup of gold, chalice vine; Spanish: copa de oro | Solanaceae | vine | |
| Solanum capsicoides | English: cockroach berry, devil’s apple, soda apple; Other: poro‘iti taratara (Cook Islands); kikania kei, akaaka, akaka (Hawai'i) | Solanaceae | herb |
| English: bugweed, wild tobacco, tree tobacco; Other: rau ‘ava‘ava (Cook Islands); pua nana honua (Hawai'i); pula (Tonga) | Solanaceae | shrub | |
| English: potato creeper, Brazilian nightshade | Solanaceae | vine | |
| English: wetland nightshade, aquatic soda apple | Solanaceae | aquatic herb | |
| Solanum viarum | English: tropical soda apple | Solanaceae | herb? |
| Sporobolus elongatus | English: wiregrass, rat-tail dropseed | Poaceae | grass |
| Syncarpia glomulifera | English: turpentine tree, lustre wood | Myrtaceae | tree |
| Terminalia myriocarpa | English: hollock, jhalna | Combretaceae | tree |
| English: Florida clover ash | Melastomataceae | shrub/tree | |
| English: black-eyed susan vine; French: suzanne aux yeux noirs | Acanthaceae | vine | |
| English: white lady, white thunbergia, sweet clock-vine; Other: fue hina (Tonga) | Acanthaceae | vine | |
| English: purple allamanda, laurel-leaved thunbergia, laurel clock vine | Acanthaceae | vine | |
| English: glorybush, cane ti, tibouchina | Melastomataceae | shrub | |
| English: glorybush, lasiandra, princess flower | Melastomataceae | shrub | |
| Toona ciliata | English: Australian red cedar, toon, surian, Indian mahogany; Other: wood pikake (Hawai‘i); tuna (Samoa); sita kula (Tonga) | Meliaceae | tree |
| English: Chinese tallow tree, popcorn tree, vegetable tallow, white wax berry, chicken tree, Florida aspen; French: arbre à suif, boiré | Euphorbiaceae | tree | |
| English: puncture vine, caltrop, burrnut, Jamaican feverplant, goat’s head; Spanish: cacho de chivo; Other: nohu, nohunohu (Hawai‘i); te maukinikini (Kiribati) | Zygophyllaceae | herb | |
| English: puncture vine, goat head; French: tribule terrestre | Zygophyllaceae | herb | |
| English: limeberry, lemon China; Other: limon-China, lemon de china, limoncito (Guam) | Rutaceae | shrub | |
| English: long john, long jack | Polygonaceae | tree | |
| Tripsacum latifolium | English: wideleaf gamagrass | Poaceae | grass |
| English: Sacramento bur; Other: dadangsi, masiksik lahe (Guam) | Tiliaceae | shrub | |
| English: turbina, Christmas vine, ololiuqui | Convolvulaceae | vine | |
| Ulex europaeus | English: gorse, furze, whin; French: ajonc, bois jonc, jonc marin, vigneau | Fabaceae | shrub |
| Waterhousea floribunda | English: weeping lilly pilly, weeping myrtle | Myrtaceae | tree |
| English: calla lily, arum lily | Araceae | herb | |
| English: Indian jujube, Chinese date, Chinee apple; Other: manzanas, manzanita, jujube (Guam); baer, bahir, baher (Fiji) | Rhamnaceae | tree |
NOTE: The common names in this and the following tables in Appendix 1 are from the PIER data base and Internet site and include names in use at various locations throughout the Pacific. Additional information on these species can be found in the individual species summaries at the PIER Internet site, http://www.hear.org/pier, or on the PIER CD.
Table 2. Species that are subjects of eradiation programs
|
Scientific Name |
Common Names |
Family |
Habit |
| Imperata cylindrica | English: blady grass, cogon grass, satintail; French: paille de dys, paillotte, impérata cylindrique, impérate; Other: gi, ngi (Fiji); alang-alang, lalang (Indonesia, Malaysia); kasoring (Palau) | Poaceae | grass |
| Mikania micrantha | English: mile-a-minute weed, Chinese creeper, American rope, bittervine; French: liane américaine, liane-serpent; Other: fue saina (American Samoa, Samoa and Niue); pōkutekute (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)); wa mbosuthu, wa mbosuvu, wa mbutako, wa ndamele, ovaova, wa bosucu, usuvanua (Fiji); fou laina (Niue), teb el yas (Palau); kwalo koburu, (from Ecoport, no source given) | Asteraceae | vine |
| *Schefflera actinophylla | English: octopus tree, umbrella tree, ivy palm; French: arbre-pieuvre, arbre ombelle | Araliaceae | tree |
| *Spathodea campanulata | English: African tulip tree, fireball, fountain tree; French: tulipier du Gabon, pisse-pisse; Spanish: tulipan africano; Other: kō‘ī‘ī, mimi, pātītī vai (Cook Islands); mata kō‘ī‘ī (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); apär (CNMI); taga mimi (Fiji); orsachel kui (Palau); tuhke dulip (Pohnpei); fa‘apasi (Samoa); tiulipe (Tonga); rarningobchey (Yap) | Bignoniaceae | tree |
*Cultivated
Table 3. Introduced species that are invasive or potentially invasive in Palau
|
Scientific Name |
Common Names |
Family |
Habit |
| *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) | Fabaceae | shrub |
| Adenanthera pavonina | English: coral bean tree, red sandalwood tree, red bead tree, lopa, bead tree, false wiliwili, peacock flower-fence, Polynesian peanut; Other: lopa (American Samoa, French Polynesia, Samoa and Tonga); mata kōviriviri (Cook Islands); kōviriviri, tavara (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); pitipiti‘ō (Cook Islands ('Atiu)); lera, lere ndamu, vaivai, vaivai ni vavalangi (Fiji), pomea (Fiji, Niue), la‘au paina, pitipitio (French Polynesia); colales, culalis, kolales, kulales, kulalis (Guam, CNMI); hua‘ula‘ula (Hawai‘i); (metekam, metkam, metkem, mwetkwem (Kosrae); telengtúngd, telentundalel (Palau); kaikes (Pohnpei) | Fabaceae | tree |
| Allamanda cathartica | English: yellow trumpet vine, golden trumpet, allamanda, brownbud allamanda, golden allamanda, golden cup;: pua taunofo (American Samoa and Samoa), tiare rengarenga, pua (Cook Islands); lani-ali‘i (Hawai‘i) | Apocynaceae | vine |
| Alternanthera brasiliana | Brazilian joyweed, Joseph’s coat | Amaranthaceae | herb |
| Antigonon leptopus | English: Mexican creeper, mountain rose, Confederate vine, chain-of-love, hearts on a chain, love-vine, coral bells, coral vine, queen’s jewels, kadena de amor, corallita; Other: flores ka’dena (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands); dilngau (Palau); rohsapoak (Pohnpei) | Polygonaceae | vine |
| Arundo donax | English: giant reed, Spanish reed, wild cane; roseau; Other: ngasau ni vavalangi (Fiji); fiso palagi (Samoa); kaho folalahi (Tonga) | Poaceae | grass |
| *Asparagus densiflorus | English: asparagus fern, sprengeri fern, smilax, regal fern | Liliaceae | herb |
| Chromolaena odorata | English: Siam weed, triffid weed, bitter bush, Jack in the bush; Other: kesengesil, masigsig (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam); otuot (Chuuk), ngesngesil (Palau); wisolmatenrehwei (Pohnpei); mahsrihsrihk (Kosrae); hagonoy, agonoi, huluhagonoi (Philippines) | Asteraceae | shrub |
| ††Cinnamomum verum | English: cinnamon tree; Other: ochod ra ngebard (Palau). tinamoni, tigamoni (American Samoa and Samoa) | Lauraceae | tree |
| Clerodendrum quadriloculare | English: bronze-leaved clerodendrum; Other: tirooj in belle (Marshall Islands); kleuang (Palau); tuhkehn palau (Pohnpei); bagauac (Philippines); losa, losa Fiti (American Samoa and Samoa) | Lamiaceae | shrub |
| Clidemia hirta | English: Koster’s curse, soap bush; Other: kauresinga, kaurasinga, roinisinga, ndraunisinga, mara na bulumakau, mbona na mbulamakau, vuti (Fiji); kui, kúi (Palau); la‘au lau mamoe (Samoa) | Melastomataceae | shrub |
| *Cyperus involucratus | English: umbrella sedge, umbrella plant, dwarf papyrus grass; Other: ‘ahu‘awa haole, pu‘uka‘a haole (Hawai‘i), deus (Palau) | Cyperaceae | sedge |
| Dieffenbachia seguine | English: dieffenbachia, dumb cane; Other: yalu ni vavalagi (Fiji) | Araceae | herb |
| Dissotis rotundifolia | English: dissotis, Spanish shawl, pink lady | Melastomataceae | herb |
| *Eichhornia crassipes | English: water hyacinth; Other: riri vai (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); mbekambekairanga, ndambendambe ni nga, jal khumbe, bekabekairaga, dabedabe ne ga (Fiji); bung el ralm (Palau) | Pontederiaceae | aquatic herb |
| ††Elaeocarpus angustifolius | English: blue fig, blue marble tree, quandong (Australia); Other: sapatua, siapoatua, siapatua (American Samoa and Samoa) | Elaeocarpaceae | tree |
| Epipremnum pinnatum cv. 'Aureum' | English: pothos, money plant; Other: ‘ara (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke)); yalu, wa yalu, wa lu, halu, waloa, matha, nanggalanggala, nanggalinggali, tonga, tanga (Fiji); alu (Fiji, Tonga) | Araceae | vine |
| Falcataria moluccana | English: Molucca albizia; Other: tamaligi palagi (American Samoa); ‘ārapitia (Cook Islands); tuhke kerosene, tuhkehn karisihn (Pohnpei); ukall ra ngebard (Palau); tamaligi paepae (Samoa) | Fabaceae | tree |
| *Flemingia macrophylla | Fabaceae | tree | |
| Hedychium coronarium | English: white ginger, butterfly lily, ginger lily, garland flower; Other: teuila paepae (American Samoa and Samoa); tunun, sinser (Chuuk); kōpī teatea, re‘a teatea (Cook Islands); ndrove, cevuga vula, dalasika (Fiji); thevunga (Fiji, Tonga); ‘awapuhi ke‘oke‘o (Hawai‘i); sinter pwetepwet (Pohnpei); tolon (Puluwat) | Zingiberaceae | herb |
| †Hevea brasiliensis | English: hevea, Brazilian rubber tree, Para rubber tree; Other: rapa (Fiji) | Euphorbiaceae | tree |
| Hyptis pectinata | English: comb hyptis, comb bushmint, mint weed, purple top; Other: miri tītā (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)); tamole ni veikau, tamoli ni vavalangi, timothi ni vavalangi, wavuwavu, ndamoli, ben tulsia (Fiji); mumutun lahe, mumutun palaoan, mumutan ademelon (Guam); vao mini (Samoa) | Lamiaceae | herb |
| Hyptis pectinata | English: ice cream bean | Fabaceae | tree |
| Ipomoea hederifolia | English: ivy-leaf morning glory, star ipomoea, trompillo; French: liseron hallier, liseron rouge | Convolvulaceae | vine |
| Lantana camara | English: lantana; Other: latana (American Samoa and Samoa); tātarāmoa papa‘ā (Cook Islands); tātarāmoa (Cook Islands, French Polynesia); kauboica, kaumboitha, mbonambulumakau, mbona ra mbulumakau, tokalau, waiwai, lanitana (Fiji); tarataramoa, taratara hamoa (French Polynesia); latora moa (French Polynesia (Tahiti)); lakana, la‘au kalakala, lanakana (Ni‘ihau), mikinolia hihiu, mikinolia hohono, mikinolia kuku (Hawai‘i); ros fonacni (Kosrae); te kaibuaka, te kaibuaja (Kiribati); migiroa (Nauru), landana, rantana, rahndana, tukasuweth (Pohnpei); talatala, talatala talmoa (Tonga) | Verbenaceae | shrub |
| Leucaena leucocephala | English: leucaena, wild tamarind, lead tree; Other: fua pepe (American Samoa and Samoa); nītō, mara‘inu (Cook Islands); vaivai, vaivai ni vavalangi, vaivai dina, balori (Fiji); atiku (French Polynesia (Marquesas)); ipel-ipel (Galapagos); tangantangan, tangan-tangan, talantayan (Guam, CNMI, Marshall Islands); talntangan (CNMI); koa haole, lili-koa, ekoa (Hawai‘i); te kaitetua (Kiribati); tuhngantuhngan, rohbohtin (Kosrae); tavahi kaku (Niue); pepe (Niue and Samoa); telengtungd (Palau); lusina (Samoa); siale mohemohe (Tonga); cassis (Vanuatu); ganitnityuwan tangantan (Yap) | Fabaceae | tree |
| Macroptilium lathyroides | English: cow pea, phasey bean, wild bean; Spanish: frijolito de los arrozales, pico de aura; Other: pini (Tonga) | Fabaceae | herb |
| ‡Melaleuca quinquenervia | English: melaleuca, cajeput, paper bark tree, punk tree; Other: niaouli (New Caledonia) | Myrtaceae | tree |
| Melia azedarach | English: Chinaberry, pride-of-India, indian lilac, Persian lilac, white cedar, margosa tree, tira; Other: tīra (Cook Islands); dake, bakain (Fiji), paraiso, para'isu (Guam); ‘inia, ‘ilinia (Hawai‘i); sili, tili (Niue); lelah (Pohnpei); sita (Tonga); prais (Yap) | Meliaceae | tree |
| †‡Melinis minutiflora | English: melinis, molasses grass; French: mélinis, herbe molasses, herbe à miel; Other: puakatau (Tonga) | Poaceae | grass |
| Mimosa diplotricha | English: giant sensitive plant, nila grass; Other: vao fefe palagi (American Samoa and Samoa); singbiguin sasa (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands); pikika‘a papa‘ā (Cook Islands (Aitutaki)); wa ngandrongandro levu, wa ngandrongandro ni wa ngalelevu, co gadrogadro (Fiji); mechiuaiu (Palau); limemeihr laud (Pohnpei); la'au fefe palagi (Samoa) | Fabaceae | shrub |
| Mimosa pudica | Fabaceae | herb | |
| Panicum maximum | English: Guinea grass, green panic, buffalograss; French: herbe de Guinéa, panic élevé, capime guiné, fataque; Other: vao kini (American Samoa and Samoa); tinikarāti (Cook Islands); talapi? (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke); saafa (Tonga) | Poaceae | grass |
| Pennisetum polystachion | English: mission grass, feathery pennisetum; French: queue de chat; Other: mechen katu (Chuuk), desum (Palau); pwokso, dipw rais (Pohnpei), o tamata (Fiji) | Poaceae | grass |
| *Pennisetum setaceum | English: fountain grass | Poaceae | grass |
| Pluchea carolinensis | English: sour bush | Asteraceae | shrub |
| †Psidium cattleianum | English: strawberry guava, cherry guava, Cattley guava, Chinese guava; Other: tūava papa‘ā (Cook Islands); ngguava (Fiji), tuava tinito, tuvava tinito (French Polynesia); waiawi ‘ula‘ula (Hawai'i); kuahpa (Pohnpei); ku‘ava (Samoa) | Myrtaceae | tree |
| Psidium guajava | English: guava; Other: ku‘ava (American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Fiji, Samoa); kuafa (Chuuk); tūava, tūvava (Cook Islands, French Polynesia); abas guayaba (Galapagos); abas, abas guayaba (Guam, Saipan-Chamorro, Yap); kuawa, kuawa ke‘oke‘o, kuawa lemi, kuawa momona, pauwa (Hawai‘i); kuhfahfah (Kosrae); te kuava, te kuawa (Kiribati); kuwawa (Nauru); kautoga, kautonga, kautoga tane, kautonga tane (Niue); guabang, kuabang (Palau); guahva, kuahpa (Pohnpei); apas (Saipan); abwas (Saipan-Carolinian) | Myrtaceae | tree |
| *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, Palau); ohai ke‘oke‘o (Hawai‘i); sepania (Samoa) | Fabaceae | small tree |
| Solanum torvum | English: prickly solanum, devil's fig, turkeyberry, terongan; French: fausse aubergine, aubergine sauvage épineuse; Other: piko (Vanuatu); tisaipale (Tonga); kausoni, soni, kauvoto-votua, kaisurisuri, katai, bhankatiya, soni ni vavalagi (Fiji), lapiti (Samoa) | Solanaceae | shrub |
| Sphagneticola trilobata | English: wedelia, trailing daisy, Singapore daisy, creeping ox-eye; Other: rosrangrang (Kosrae); ut mõkadkad, ut telia (Marshall Islands); ngesil ra ngebard (Palau); dihpw ongohng, tuhke ongohng (Pohnpei); atiat (Puluwat); ate (Tonga) | Asteraceae | herb |
| Stachytarpheta cayennensis | English: blue rat's tail, dark-blue snakeweed, false verbena, nettleleaf velvetberry; Other: mautofu tai, mautofu vao, mautofu fualanumoana (American Samoa and Samoa);ouchung, sakura (Chuuk); tiāki (Cook Islands (Miti‘aro)); turulakaka, tumbutumbu, serakawa, lavenia, se karakarawa (Fiji), te uti (Kiribati); mautofu Samoa, motofu Samoa (Niue); louch beluu (Palau); hiku ‘i kuma, hiku‘kuma, ‘iku ‘i kuma, iku ‘ikuma (Tonga) | Verbenaceae | herb |
| Syngonium angustatum | English: arrowhead plant, goosefoot plant | Araceae | vine |
| †Syzygium cumini | English: Java plum; jambolan plum; French: faux-pistachier, jamelonguier, jamélongue, jambolanier; Other: duhat (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam); pistati, ka‘ika (Cook Islands); paramu (Cook Islands (Aitutaki)); mesegerak, mesekerrak, mesekerrák, mesigerak (Palau); jamelonguier (New Caledonia); kavika ni India, jammun (Fiji) | Myrtaceae | tree |
| Tecoma stans | English: yellow bells, yellow-elder, yellow trumpetbush; Other: tekoma (Cook Islands); piti (French Polynesia, Tonga); peeal (Puluwat) | Bignoniaceae | small tree |
| Tephrosia candida | English: white tephrosia, white hoary-pea; French: indigo sauvage, indigo blanc | Fabaceae | shrub |
| Thunbergia grandiflora | English: Bengal trumpet, blue trumpet vine, clock vine, skyvine, large-flowerd thunbergia; Other: bung el etiu (Palau); palulu (Samoa) | Acanthaceae | vine |
| Timonius timon | English: liberal (Palau); Other: sakosia (from Ecoport, no source given) | Rubiaceae | tree |
| English: oyster plant, boat plant, boat lily, moses in a boat; Other: riri mangio (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke)); riri raei (Cook Islands (Miti‘aro)); talotalo, laupapaki (Niue); kobesos (Palau); faina kula (Tonga) | Commelinaceae | herb | |
| English: wandering zebrina, wandering jew, inchplant; Other: mauku papa‘ā (Cook Islands (Mangaia)) | Commelinaceae | herb | |
| *Turnera subulata | English: white alder | Turneraceae | shrub |
| Turnera ulmifolia | English: yellow alder, sage rose, West Indian holly, ramgoat dashalong; Other: nõr in jiboñ (Marshall Islands) | Turneraceae | shrub |
| †Vitex parviflora | English: small-leaved vitex, smallflower chastetree; Other: lagundi (Guam); molauin, molave (Philippines); molave (Hawai'i) | Verbenaceae | shrub/tree |
*Cultivated
†Reported present by Fosberg et al. (1979)
†† Reported to be present by Fosberg et al. (1979), no location given
‡Reported present by Raulerson et al. (1996)
|
Scientific Name |
Common Names |
Family |
Habit |
| †Abelmoschus moschatus | English: fautia, musk mallow, musk okra; French: ambrette, gombo musqué, ketmie musquée, graine de musc; Other: ‘aute toga, fau tagaloa, fua samasama (American Samoa and Samoa); karereon, karereon nikapwerik nik, kareron, likonokon (Chuuk); vavai tara (Cook Islands); ta‘uri‘au (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); wakiwaki, wakewake, wakeke, vakeke, aukiki, okeoke, o‘e‘e (Fiji);kamang, ka‘mang (Guam); fou ingo (Niue), gongul (Palau); metei, mety, methey (Pohnpei); loa, fau‘ingo (Tonga); fau ingo (Wallis and Futuna); hathongethong, kamwayang, nikapwerik, setmwechin, sotumo (Yap) | Malvaceae | herb |
| Acacia auriculiformis | English: Papuan wattle, auri, earleaf acacia, northern black wattle, ear-pod wattle; Other: ākasia (Cook Islands); tuhkehn pwelmwahu (Pohnpei) | Fabaceae | tree |
| *Acacia confusa | English: Formosa koa, Formosa acacia; Other: sosigi, shoshigi, sosugi, boiffuring (Guam and CNMI–Chamorro); serepa, soschghi (CNMI–Carolinian); pilampwoia (Pohnpei); ianángi, yanangi (Palau) | Fabaceae | tree |
| Acacia mangium | English: mangium, brown salwood, black wattle, hickory wattle; Other: ākasia (Cook Islands); tuhkehn pwelmwahu (Pohnpei) | Fabaceae | tree |
| Agave sp. | English: century plant | Agavaceae | succulent |
| Agave sisalana | English: sisal, sisal hemp; Other: ndali, natali (Fiji), malina (Hawai'i) | Agavaceae | succulent |
| *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); kalaska, trongkon-kalaska (CNMI–Chamorro); schepil kalaska (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) | Fabaceae | tree |
| Alpinia purpurata | English: red ginger; Other: kōpī muramura (Cook Islands); thevunga (Fiji); ‘awapuhi ‘ula‘ula (Hawai‘i); teuila (Samoa); tevunga (Tonga) | Zingiberaceae | herb |
| *Asystasia gangetica subsp. gangetica | English: Chinese violet, Philippine violet, coromandel | Acanthaceae | herb |
| Bambusa spp. | English: bamboo; French: bambou; Other: iich (Chuuk); ko‘e papa‘ā (Cook Islands); bitu (Fiji); ‘ohe (French Polynesia, Hawai‘i); ‘ofe (French Polynesia, Samoa), pi‘ao, pi‘ao palaoan (Guam and Northern Marianas-Chamorro); bwai (Guam and Northern Marianas-Carolinian); bambu (Kosrae); te kaibaba (Kiribati); bae, koba (Marshall Islands); kaho palangi (Niue); pehri en sapahn (Pohnpei); bambuu, esel (Palau); ‘ofe Fiti, ‘ofe palagi (Samoa); kofe (Tonga, Tuvalu); pitu (Tonga); pampu (Tuvalu); moor (Yap) | Poaceae | tree |
| Barleria lupulina | English: hophead, Philippine violet | Acanthaceae | shrub |
| *Bauhinia purpurea | English: dwarf white bauhinia | Fabaceae | tree |
| *Bauhinia monandra | English: orchid-tree, St. Thomas-tree, Napoleon's plume; flamboyant (Pohnpei), mariposa (Guam); pink butterfly tree (Fiji); Other: vae povi (American Samoa and Samoa); flores mariposa (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands); pine (Cook Islands (Rarotonga), French Polynesia); pīpīpipi (Cook Islands (Aitu)); pī pi (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke and Miti‘aro)); pine fua loloa (Niue) | Fabaceae | tree |
| *Bauhinia purpurea | English: purple orchid tree; purple butterfly tree, pink butterfly tree (Fiji); French: fleurs pourpres | Fabaceae | tree |
| *Bauhinia variegata | English: orchid tree; mountain ebony, butterfly tree (Fiji); French: bois de boeuf, sabot boeuf, arbre de Saint-Thomas | Fabaceae | tree |
| Bothriochloa bladhii | English: blue grass, Australian beardgrass, Caucasian bluestem; Other: desum (Palau); latoka grass, thamboni grass (Fiji) | Poaceae | grass |
| 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) | Crassulaceae | succulent |
| ‡Calamus spp. | English: rattan; Other: rotan, bejuko-n-halumtano, rotan bejuro-n-halumtan (Guam); bangerenguis ra ngebard (Palau) | Arecaceae | shrub (palm) |
| *Calliandra calothyrsus | English: powderpuff red calliandra; Other: kaliana (Samoa) | Fabaceae | shrub |
| *Calliandra haematocephala | English: red powder puff; French: pompon | Fabaceae | shrub |
| Calopogonium mucunoides | English: calopo; Other: akankan-guakag (Guam) | Fabaceae | vine |
| *Calotropis gigantea | English: calotrope, crown flower, madar; French: mercure végétal, mudar; Other: pua-kalaunu (Hawai'i); tahinu (French Polynesia) | Ascelepiadaceae | shrub |
| Canna indica | English: canna, canna lily, Indian shot; French: balisier comestible, tous-les-mois; Other: fanamanu, fagamanu, fa‘i masoa (American Samoa and Samoa); nūāenga (Cook Islands); tiare papa‘ā (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); pia renga (Cook Islands (Aitutaki)); gasau ni ga (Fiji); pia-raroto‘a (French Polynesia); fagafaga (Futuna); mongos halum-tano (Guam); ali‘ipoe, li'ipoe, poloka (Hawai'i); riti (Kiribati), luiuenwai (Pohnpei); apeellap, oruuru (Puluwat); te misimisi (Tonga) | Cannaceae | herb |
| *Ceiba pentandra | English: kapok, kapok tree, silk-cotton tree, pacae; French: kapokier, capoc, bois coton; Spanish: ceibo; Other: vavae (American Samoa, Samoa, Niue, Tonga); koton (Chuuk); algodon de Manila, atgodon di Manila, algidon, atgidon de Manila (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam); vavai (Cook Islands and French Polynesia); vavai mama‘u, vavai maori (Cook Islands); mama‘u (Cook Islands (Mangaia, Aitutaki?)); vauvau ni vavalangi, semar (Fiji); algodon de Manila, atgodon di Manila, algidon, atgidon de Manila (Guam); kuhtin, cutin (Kosrae); koatoa, atagodon, bulik, kotin (Marshall Islands); kalngebard, kalngebárd, kerrekar ngebard (Palau); cottin, koatun, koatoa (Pohnpei); arughuschel (Saipan), batte ni gan' ken (Yap); vavau ni lokoloko (from Ecoport, source not given) | Bombacaceae | tree |
| Cenchrus brownii | English: burr grass, burr grass, sand-bur, slimbristle sandbur | Poaceae | grass |
| Cenchrus echinatus | English: burr grass, sand-bur, southern sandbur, Mossman River grass (Australia); French: herbe a cateaux (Mauritius); Other: tuitui, vao tuitui (American Samoa and Samoa); piripiri (Cook Islands); pārango (Cook Islands (Ngaputoru)); se mbulabula (Fiji); piri-piri, pipiri (French Polynesia); mau‘u kuku, ‘ume‘alu (Hawai'i); te anti, te kateketeke (Kiribati); cram-cram (New Caledonia); motie vihilago, mosie vihilango (Niue); lõklõk, kãlõklõk, lellik, lekelik, liklik, karmwijmwij, karumwij (Marshall Islands); cauit-cauitan (Philippines); hefa (Tonga) | Poaceae | grass |
| Centrosema pubescens | English: centro, butterfly-pea; French: fleur-languette, pois bâtard; Other: piriarero (Cook Islands (Miti‘aro)); pi ni ndola (Fiji) | Fabaceae | vine |
| Chamaecrista mimosoides | English: Japanese tea | Fabaceae | herb |
| Chamaecrista nictitans | English: partridge pea, Japanese tea senna; Other: lauki (Hawai‘i); kobo-cha, nemu-cha (Japan) | Fabaceae | shrub |
| Chloris barbata | English: swollen fingergrass, purpletop chloris (Australia), airport grass (Fiji); Other: mau’u lei (Hawai'i) | Poaceae | grass |
| Chloris radiata | English: plush-grass, radiate fingergrass | Poaceae | grass |
| Clerodendrum buchananii var. fallax | English: red clerodendrum, pagoda-flower; Other: rākau tupopoku (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)); talufe (Niue); lau‘awa (Hawai‘i); butcherechár, butecherechar (Palau); amo’ula, amo’ule (Tonga) | Lamiaceae | shrub |
| Clerodendrum paniculatum | English: pagoda plant, pagoda flower; Other: butcherechár, butecherechar (Palau); tukehn sousou (Pohnpei) | Lamiaceae | shrub |
| 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); kles (Palau); latoela, nawa (Fiji), paipa (Tonga) | Fabaceae | vine |
| *Coffea arabica | English: coffee; French: café, caféier d’ Arabie; Spanish: café, cafeto; Other: kaope, kaope Maori (Cook Islands); kove (Fiji); kofe (Fiji, Niue, Samoa), kafe (French Polynesia – Marquesas); kohi (Palau); kofi (Tonga); taofe (Tahiti) | Rubiaceae | tree |
| Commelina diffusa | English: commelina, dayflower, wandering Jew, spiderwort; Spanish: chiriyuyo; Other: mau‘u toga, mau‘u Tonga (American Samoa and Samoa); mauku-vai, mauku ‘oro‘enua, mauku puakatoro (Cook Islands); ai rorongi, ai rongorongo, airogorogo, cobulabula, rongomatailevu, thombulambula, matembulambula, drano,duludauwere, ndrano, ndulandauwere, luna, tho nggalonggalo (Fiji), ma‘apape (French Polynesia); semprebiban-damalong (Guam); honohono (Hawai‘i); mohuku vai, musie matala pulu (Tonga) | Commelinaceae | herb |
| Crotalaria micans | English: crotalaria; Other: pine kotalelia, pile (Niue) | Fabaceae | shrub |
| *Cryptostegia madagascariensis | English: Madagascar rubbervine | Asclepiadaceae | vine |
| Cynodon dactylon | English: Bermuda grass, giant Bermuda grass, bahama grass, devil's grass, couch grass, Indian doab, grama, devilgrass, couchgrass, balama grass; French: chiendent, petit chiendent, chiendent pied-de-poule; Other: matie (Cook Islands); manini, manienie (Hawai‘i); motie molulu (Niue); kambuta, kabuta (Fiji); mosie molulu (Niue); herbe de couverture (New Caledonia); pasto bermuda, zacate bermuda, grama dulce, gramón, hierba fina, grama-seda, (from Ecoport, no source given) | Poaceae | grass |
| Cyperus rotundus | English: nut grass, nutsedge, purple nutsedge, cocograss; French: souchet rond, souchet à tubercules, herbe à oignon; Other: mauku ‘ōniāni, ‘ōniāni (Cook Islands); soro na kambani, sora na kambani, soro ni kabani, ivako, malanga, vucesa, motha, vuthesa mot ha (Fiji); chaguan humatag (Guam); kili'o'opu, mau‘u mokae (Hawai‘i); te mumute (Kiribati); tuteoneon (Marshall Islands); mumuta (Samoa, Tokelau); pakopako (Tonga) | Cyperaceae | sedge |
| Derris elliptica | English: derris; Other: tuba, bagin (Guam); oop, op (Kosrae); up (Chuuk, Pohnpei); dub (Palau); peinuhp, uhp, upanai, upanyap, upkesetik (Pohnpei); yuub (Yap); nduva, duva ni vavalagi, nduva ni vavalangi (Fiji) | Fabaceae | vine |
| Desmanthus virgatus | English: slender mimosa, virgate mimosa; French: sensitive de montravel (New Caledonia); Other: anil, jureminha (Brazil) | Fabaceae | shrub |
| Desmodium tortuosum | English: Florida beggarweed, Spanish clover, dixie ticktrefoil | Fabaceae | herb |
| Digitaria ciliaris | English: Henry's crabgrass, smooth crabgrass, tropical crab grass, large crab grass, southern crabgrass, fingergrass, summer grass; French: digitaire ciliée; Other: kukaepua'a (Hawai'i); Saulangi (Niue) | Poaceae | grass |
| Digitaria violascens | English: smooth crabgrass, violet crabgrass; Other: sau (Palau) | Poaceae | grass |
| Eleusine indica | English: goosegrass, wiregrass, goose foot, crow's foot, bullgrass; French: pied de poule; Other: fahitalo, lau ta‘a ta‘a, ta‘a ta‘a (American Samoa and Samoa); mauku mārōki‘aki‘a (Cook Islands); kavoronaisivi, vorovoroisivi, ghoraya (Fiji); tamamau (French Polynesia), umog (Guam); manienie ali‘i (Hawaii); mahkwekwe (Kosrae); katejukjuk (Marshall Islands); mosie fahitalo (Niue); deskim, kelelamalk, keteketarmalk (Palau); reh takai (Pohnpei); takataka, takataka ‘a leala, mohuku siamane (Tonga); te uteute (from Ecoport, source not given) | Poaceae | grass |
| Episcia cupreata | English: episcia, flame violet | Gesneriaceae | herb |
| *Ficus elastica | English: India rubber tree, rubber plant; Other: rapa (Cook Islands); komunokí (Palau); rapah (Pohnpei); gak‘iynigoma (Yap) | Moraceae | tree |
| Flemingia strobilifera | English: luck plant, wild hops; French: sainfoin du bengale; Other: besungelaiei (Palau) | Fabaceae | shrub |
| *Gliricidia sepium | English: mother of cacao, quickstick, Mexican lilac; Spanish: madre de cacao; Other: rechesengel (Palau) | Fabaceae | tree |
| *Heliconia spp. | English: heliconia, parrot's-flower, parrot's-plantain, crab claw, lobster claw; Other: tiare pārata‘ito (Cook Islands), vae paa (Samoa) | Heliconiaceae | herb |
| Hemigraphis alternata | English: metal leaf; red ivy, cemetery plant (Fiji); Other: suipi (American Samoa and Samoa) | Acanthaceae | herb |
| Hyptis capitata | English: knobweed; Other: botones, batunes (Guam); t'aiegarabao, pathpath (Yap), maa uupo (French Polynesia) | Lamiaceae | herb |
| 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), kankum, kangum, kangkum (Palau); lili vai (Samoa); kangkong (Ulithi, Yap); kangking, kongkong (Yap) | Convolvulaceae | aquatic herb |
| *Jacaranda mimosifolia | English: jacaranda | Bignoniaceae | tree |
| *Jatropha curcas | English: physic nut, purging nut, Barbados nut; French: médicinier, pignon d'Inde, purghère; Other: tuitui pakarangi, pakarani (Cook Islands); fiki (Cook Islands, Fiji, Tonga); wiriwiri, wiriwiri ni vavalangi, uto ni vavalangi, banidakai, mbanindakai, manggele, maqele, ndrala (Fiji); tuba-tuba (Guam); kuku‘ihi (Hawai‘i), kuikui Pake (Hawai‘i (Ni‘ihau), laupata (Samoa) | Euphorbiaceae | shrub |
| †Jatropha gossypiifolia | English: bellyache bush, cotton-leaved physic nut | Euphorbiaceae | shrub |
| Kyllinga brevifolia | English: green kyllinga, green water sedge; Other: tuise (American Samoa and Samoa); tumu ‘enua (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke)); kili‘o‘opu, kaluha, manunene, mau‘u mokae (Hawai‘i); esechesiding (Palau); pakopako (Tonga) | Cyperaceae | sedge |
| †Leonurus japonicus | English: lion’s tail, Chinese motherwort; Other: vavai tara (Cook Islands (Miti‘aro) | Lamiaceae | herb |
| Macroptilium atropurpureum | English: siratro, purple bushbean | Fabaceae | vine |
| 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) | Tiliaceae | tree |
| *Murraya paniculata | English: orange jessamine, satin-wood, Chinese box, Hawaiian mock orange; Other: tiare ‘ānani (Cook Islands, French Polynesia) | Rutaceae | shrub/tree |
| *Nymphaea spp. | English: water lily; Other: riri vai (Cook Islands) | Nymphaeaceae | herb |
| Ocimum gratissimum | English: wild basil, clove basil, tree basil; French: basilic, menthe gabonaise; Other: miri tītā, miri tūtae puaka, miri nganga‘ere, miri tūpāpaku (Cook Islands); miri papa‘ā, miri taratoni (Cook Islands, French Polynesia); la’au sauga (Samoa) | Lamiaceae | herb |
| Panicum repens | English: torpedo grass, couch panicum, creeping panic; French: panic rampant, millet rampant; Other: wainaku grass (Hawai'i) | Poaceae | grass |
| Paspalum conjugatum | English: T grass, ti grass, sour grass; sour palpalum, buffalo grass, carabao grass, Hilo grass (Hawai'i); French: herbe sure, herbe créole; herbe de tauère (New Caledonia); Other: vaolima, (American Samoa, Samoa, Tonga, Niue); fetin wumwune (Chuuk); mauku taravao, mauku katini (Cook Islands); mau‘u Hilo (Hawai‘i), muhsrasre (Kosrae); moise vaolima, motie vaolima (Niue and Tonga); udel ra ngebei (Palau); rehn wai (Pohnpei); vaolima matafao, vaolima papalagi (Samoa) | Poaceae | grass |
| Paspalum paniculatum | English: Russell river grass, galmarra grass; Other: matie manutai (Cook Islands); taravao ‘uru‘uru (Cook Islands (Mangaia)) | Poaceae | grass |
| *Passiflora edulis | English: passion fruit, yellow passion fruit, purple passion fruit, qarandila, purple granadilla; French: grenadille; Spanish: maracuya (Galapagos Is.); Other: pārapōutini papa‘ā (Cook Islands); ka‘atene papa‘ā, katinga papa‘ā (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); liliko‘i (Hawai‘i), kudamono (Palau); pompom (Pohnpei); pasio (Samoa); vaine (Tonga) | Passifloraceae | vine |
| 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) | Passifloraceae | vine |
| †Passiflora quadrangularis | English: granadilla, giant granadilla; French: barbadine; Spanish: badea (Galapagos Is.); Other: papatini, pārapōtini, pārapōtini maata? (Cook Islands); kūukuma (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)); maratini (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke, Miti‘aro)); para pautini (French Polynesia); palasini, palatini, vine fua lalahi, vine palasini, tinitini (Niue); kudamono (Palau); pasio (Samoa); pasione (Tonga) | Passifloraceae | vine |
| Passiflora suberosa | English: wild passionfruit, devil's pumpkin, indigo berry, corky passionflower, corkstem passionflower; French: passiflore, grenadille; Spanish: uvilla (Galapagos Is.); Other: huehue haole (Hawai'i) | Passifloraceae | vine |
| Pennisetum purpureum | English: elephant grass, napier grass, merker grass; French: herbe éléphant, fausse canne à sucre; Spanish: pasto elefante; Other: ‘erepani (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)); acfucsracsracsr (Kosrae); bokso (Palau); puk-soh (Pohnpei); vao povi (Samoa) | Poaceae | grass |
| †Pithecellobium dulce | English: Madras thorn, Manila tamarind, sweet inga; French: pois sucré; Other: kamachuri (Chuuk); camachili, kamachile, kamachiles, kamachili (Guam); kamachili, kamatire (CNMI Chamorro), ghamasiligh (CNMI-Carolinian); kamatsiri, kamatsíri, opiuma (Palau): 'opiuma (Hawai'i); kataiya (Fiji) | Fabaceae | tree |
| *Plectranthus amboinicus | English: Mexican mint, Spanish thyme, Cuban oregano; French: oreille; Other: rhaivoki, sage (Fiji); pasiole (Niue, Tonga); la‘au tai‘e, militini (Samoa); kaloni (Tonga) | Lamiaceae | herb |
| Pluchea indica | English: Indian fleabane, Indian pluchea, Indian camphorweed | Asteraceae | shrub |
| ‡Pueraria phaseoloides | English: tropical kudzu, puero; Other: kūkū (Cook Islands (‘Aitu)) | Fabaceae | vine |
| *Quisqualis indica | English: Rangoon creeper | Combretaceae | vine |
| Ricinus communis | English: castor bean, castor-oil plant; French: ricin; Spanish: higuerilla; Other: lama palagi, lama papalagi (American Samoa and Samoa); tuitui papa‘ā (Cook Islands); mbele ni vavalagi, toto ni vavalagi, utouto (Fiji); agaliya (Guam); koli, pa‘aila, ka‘apeha, kamakou, la‘au, ‘aila (Hawai‘i); tuitui, tuitui fua ikiiki (Niue); gelug, maskerekur, uluchula skoki (Palau); lepo, lepohina (Tonga) | Euphorbiaceae | shrub |
| *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) | Fabaceae | tree |
| †Sambucus mexicana | English: elderberry, Mexican elder | Caprifoliaceae | small tree |
| *Sanchezia parvibracteata | English: sanchezia | Acanthaceae | shrub |
| Sansevieria trifasciata | English: bowstring hemp, mother-in-law’s tongue; French: chanvre d'Afrique; Other: riri (Cook Islands); tigre (Guam), kitelel (Palau) | Agavaceae | herb |
| *Schefflera arboricola | English: dwarf brassia, dwarf schefflera, Hawaiian elf schefflera | Araliaceae | shrub |
| 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); iult, 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) | Fabaceae | shrub |
| Senna obtusifolia | English: habucha, coffeeweed, sicklepod | Fabaceae | herb |
| Senna siamea | English: cassod tree, kassod tree, Siamese cassia, pheasantwood, Thailand shower; French: bois perdrix; Other: kasia (Tonga) | Fabaceae | tree |
| Sorghum halepense | English: Johnson grass, Aleppo grass, Aleppo milletgrass; French: sorgho d' Alep, sorgo de Alepo, herbe de Cuba; Spanish: cañuela, Don Carlos; Other: kola (Tonga) | Poaceae | grass |
| Stylosanthes guianensis | English: stylo, Brazilian lucerne, tropical lucerne, Nigerian stylo; Other: mauku puakatoro (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)) | Fabaceae | herb |
| *Syzygium jambos | English: malabar plum, rose apple, Malay apple; French: jambosier, pomme-rose, pommier rose; Spanish: pomarosa; Other: ka‘ika papa‘ā (Cook Islands except Ma‘uke), ka‘ika takataka (Cook Islands); ka‘ika varani (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); ka‘ika (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)); kavika, kavika ni vavalangi, kavika ni India (Fiji), ahi‘a papa‘a, ahi‘a popa‘a (French Polynesia), ‘ohi‘a loke (Hawai‘i); iouen wai, youenwai, apel en wai (Pohnpei); seasea papalagi (Samoa); fekika papalangi (Tonga) | Myrtaceae | tree |
| *Tabebuia heterophylla | English: pink tecoma, pink trumpet tree, white cedar; Other: calice du pape | Bignoniaceae | tree |
| *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) | Apocynaceae | small tree |
| *Tithonia diversifolia | English: tree marigold, shrub sunflower, Mexican sunflower, Japanese sunflower; Other: pua renga (Cook Islands); tiare rengarenga (Cook Islands (Aitutaki)); kavakava, pua renga (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke)); matala (Niue) | Asteraceae | shrub |
| Triumfetta rhomboidea | English: Chinese burr, paroquet burr, burr bush; Other: mautofu, mautofu vao (American Samoa and Samoa); vavai tara tītā (Cook Islands); piripiri (Cook Islands (Aitutaki)); qatima (Fiji), urio (French Polynesia); dadangsi, masiksik lahe (Guam); mosipo (Niue); mo‘osipo (Tonga) | Tiliaceae | shrub |
| English: California grass, para grass, buffalo grass, Mauritius grass, signal grass; French: herbe de Para; Other: mauku puakatoro (Cook Islands); puakatau (Tonga) | Poaceae | grass | |
| English: brachiaria, green summer grass, tropical signalgrass, cori grass | Poaceae | grass |
*Cultivated
†Reported present by Fosberg et al. (1979)
‡Reported present by Raulerson et al. (1996)
Table 5. Native species (or Micronesian introductions) that can exhibit aggressive behavior
|
Scientific Name |
Common Names |
Family |
Habit |
| Casuarina equisetifolia | English: casuarina, ironwood, Australian pine, she-oak, horsetail tree, beefwood; Other: toa (American Samoa, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Hawai‘i, Niue, Samoa and Tonga); weeku (Chuuk); ‘aito (French Polynesia (Society Islands)); gagu, gago (Guam, CNMI-Chamorro); weighu (CNMI-Carolinian); pientri (pinetree), nidil, bû ukam (bluegum on some atolls), nidõ (needle" on some atolls) burukam (Kiribati); mejinoki (Marshall Islands); agas, agasu, ngas, ngasu (Palau); ueuhir (Satawal); neokuk, ueoku, ueokuk (Satawan); lach (Ulithi); laash (Woleai); noc, nach (Yap) | Casuarinaceae | tree |
| Chrysopogon aciculatus | English: Mackie's pest, lovegrass, seed grass, golden beardgrass, seedy grass (Solomon Islands); Other: matie ‘enua, mauku ko‘eko‘e (Cook Islands); tuakura (Cook Islands (Ngaputoru)); papapa (French Polynesia); inifuk, palaii (Guam); manienie ‘ula, pi‘ipi‘i, pilipili ‘ula (Hawai‘i); mosie fisi (Niue); iul (Palau); mutia tai, mutia vao (Samoa); matapekepeke, matapekapeka matapekepeka (Tonga); herbe plate (Vanuatu) | Poaceae | grass |
| Gmelina ellilptica | Other: kalngebard ra belau (Palau) | Lamiaceae | shrub |
| Ischaemum polystachyum | English: paddle grass; Other: mah (Kosrae); reh padil (Pohnpei) | Poaceae | grass |
| †Ischaemum rugosum | English: muraina grass, wrinkle duck-beak, saramatta grass; Other: tho muraina, co muraina (Fiji) | Poaceae | grass |
| †Ischaemum timorense | English: centipede grass, stalkleaf murainagrass, lucuntu grass; Other: waidoi grass (Fiji) | Poaceae | grass |
| ‡Kyllinga nemoralis | English: white kyllinga, whitehead spikesedge, whitewater sedge; Other: neke ‘enua (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke, Ngaputoru?)); chaguan lemae, botoncillo (Guam—Chamorro); kili‘o‘opu (Hawai‘i), ta‘a ta‘a, ta‘a ta‘a vili taliga, matie upo‘o, matie Tahiti, mo‘u upo‘onui, mo‘u upo‘o, tuise (Samoa); pakopako, pakopako ‘ae kuma (Tahiti); tuise (Tonga) | Cyperaceae | sedge |
| Merremia peltata | English: merremia; Other: fue vae (American Samoa), fue lautetele (American Samoa and Samoa); fidau, fitau, fitaw, fitay (Chuuk); kūrima (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)); pohue (French Polynesia); lagon, lagoun, lagun (Guam); pala, pul, para, puhlah (Kosrae); fue, fue vao, fue kula (Niue); kebeas (Palau); ceul, lohl, iol, yol, yool (Pohnpei); abui, grobihi, arosumou (Solomon Islands); fue mea (Tonga); wachathal (Yap) | Convolvulaceae | vine |
| Operculina turpethum | Other: ongucheta rekung (Palau) | Convolvulaceae | vine |
| Pueraria montana var. lobata | English: kudzu, Japanese arrowroot; Other: aka (American Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Wallis and Futuna); a‘a (American Samoa and Samoa); yaka , wa yaka, nggariaka (Fiji); akataha, fue‘aepuaka (Tonga); deday (Yap); acha, nepalem | Fabaceae | vine |
| Saccharum spontaneum | English: wild cane, false sugarcane; Other: to aheo (French Polynesia); ac (Kosrae); banga ruchel (Palau); tebu salah; ahlek, ahlec, (Pohnpei); vao tolo (Samoa) | Poaceae | grass |
| †Sacciolepis indica | English: glenwood grass | Poaceae | grass |
| †Setaria pumila | English: foxtail, garden bristle grass, hairy-tail grass, yellow bristlegrass, Queensland pigeon grass (Australia), cat's tail grass (Fiji); French: sétaire glauque | Poaceae | grass |
| Sporobolus indicus | English: smutgrass, wiregrass, Indian dropseed; Other: fisihina (Tonga) | Poaceae | grass |
| †Urena lobata | English: hibiscus burr, aramina, caesarweed, pink Chinese burr, urena burr, bur mallow; Other: mautofu (American Samoa and Samoa); nognuk, ocher (Chuuk); qatima, gataya, nggatima (Fiji); vavai tara tītā (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke)); piripiri (Cook Islands, French Polynesia); dadangsi, dadangsi apaka, dadangsi machingat, dádangse (Guam); motipo, mosipo (Niue); chosuched e kui, osuched a rechui (Palau); karap, korop (Pohnpei); mo'osipo Tonga (Tonga) | Malvaceae | shrub |
†Reported present by Fosberg et al. (1979)
‡Reported present by Raulerson et al. (1996)
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This page revised 7 April 2007