Plant Threats to Pacific Ecosystems

Common names of PIER plants by language (Tongarevan (spoken))

A product of the Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk project (PIER)

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This page lists common names of species profiled on PIER by common name in the Tongarevan (spoken) language. 
Browse this list or use the "find" function on your web browser to search by common name, then use the link provided to access the species information via its scientific name.  If we have omitted or misspelled a common name, please contact us at pier@hear.org.
Common name(s) Scientific name (+Family) Often-used other Latin names Habit Primarily a threat
at high elevations?
kāpaiē Polyscias cumingiana   (Araliaceae) Aralia filicifolia C. Moore ex E. Fourn.; Polyscias filicifolia (C. Moore ex E. Fourn.) L. H. Bailey; Polyscias rumphiana Harms shrub/tree No
lēmene Citrus limon   (Rutaceae) Citrus limonum Risso tree No
lili vaevae mokolā Gloriosa superba   (Colchicaceae) Gloriosa abyssinica A. Rich.; Gloriosa simplex auct.; Gloriosa speciosa (Hochst.) Engl.; Gloriosa virescens Lindl. herb No
melēni Citrullus lanatus   (Cucurbitaceae) Citrullus aedulis Pangalo; Citrullus vulgaris Schrad. vine No
melikō Tagetes patula   (Asteraceae) Tagetes lunulata Ortega herb No
mili Ocimum basilicum   (Lamiaceae)   herb No
‘ōpolo Capsicum frutescens   (Solanaceae)   herb No
pālapōtini Passiflora quadrangularis   (Passifloraceae)   vine No
pōkai kula Gomphrena globosa   (Amaranthaceae)   herb No
tala pī Talinum paniculatum   (Portulacaceae) Portulaca paniculatum Jacq. herb No
talo Colocasia esculenta   (Araceae) Arum esculentum L.; Caladium esculentum (L.) Vent.; Colocasia antiquorum Schott herb No
tiale akapisipisi Spathodea campanulata   (Bignoniaceae)   tree No
tiale akāu Hoya australis   (Apocynaceae) Hoya dalrympliana F. Muell. vine No
tiale lenga Allamanda cathartica   (Apocynaceae) Allamanda cathartica var. hendersonii (W. Bull ex Dombrain) L. H. Bailey & Raffill; Allamanda hendersonii Bull ex Dombrain; Allamanda nobilis T. Moore vine No
tiale sina Catharanthus roseus   (Apocynaceae) Lochnera rosea (L.) Reichb. ex Steud.; Vinca rosea L. herb No
tiale sina Pentas lanceolata   (Rubiaceae) Mussaenda luteola Delile; Ophiorrhiza lanceolata Forssk. herb No
tiale valeau Catharanthus roseus   (Apocynaceae) Lochnera rosea (L.) Reichb. ex Steud.; Vinca rosea L. herb No
tiare tālona Nerium oleander   (Apocynaceae) Nerium indicum Mill.; Nerium odorum Aiton shrub No
tiare vareau Pentas lanceolata   (Rubiaceae) Mussaenda luteola Delile; Ophiorrhiza lanceolata Forssk. herb No
tīpolo Citrus aurantiifolia   (Rutaceae) Citrus acida Roxb.; Citrus lima Lunan; Limonia aurantiifolia Christm. tree No


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This page was last regenerated on 26FEB2019.