This table lists invasive and potentially invasive plant species profiled by the Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk project (PIER) that occur on Swain's Island. It includes those of environmental concern (including those that are probably of threat only to islands with high elevations) as well as agricultural and ruderal weeds. Each species is linked by its scientific name to an individual write-up containing relevant information.
The information in this table is based on the supporting data and may not represent the current situation. Note also there may be discrepancies among data presented at geographic resolutions (e.g., island vs. island group vs. country-territory-state levels), depending upon the reliability of the data at each level.
Species are listed in alphabetic order. You can browse this list or use the "find" function on your web browser to search by scientific name.
Can't find it here? Check the list of synonyms for other names (the more common synonyms are included below) or search other lists and databases available on the Internet.
Stumped by botanical terms? Here are links to a brief glossary and a search engine for botanical terms.
| Scientific name (+Family) | Often-used other Latin names | Habit |
Primarily a threat
at high elevations? |
| Adenanthera pavonina (Fabaceae) | tree | No | |
| Annona muricata (Annonaceae) | tree | No | |
| Axonopus compressus (Poaceae) | grass | No | |
| Capsicum frutescens (Solanaceae) | herb | No | |
| Catharanthus roseus (Apocynaceae) | Lochnera rosea (L.) Reichb. ex Steud.; Vinca rosea L. | herb | No |
| Cenchrus echinatus (Poaceae) | grass | No | |
| Chrysopogon aciculatus (Poaceae) | Andropogon acicularis Retz. ex Roem. & Schult.; Andropogon aciculatus Retz.; Rhaphis acicularis (Retz. ex Roem. & Schult.) Desv.; Rhaphis aciculata (Retz.) Honda | grass | No |
| Citrus aurantium (Rutaceae) | Citrus bigarradia Loisel.; Citrus vulgaris Risso | tree | No |
| Colocasia esculenta (Araceae) | Arum esculentum L.; Caladium esculentum (L.) Vent.; Colocasia antiquorum Schott | herb | No |
| Commelina diffusa (Commelinaceae) | herb | No | |
| Crinum asiaticum (Amaryllidaceae) | Crinum amabile Donn ex Ker Gawl. | herb | No |
| Cyanthillium cinereum (Asteraceae) | Blumea chinensis (L.) DC.; Conyza chinensis L.; Conyza cinerea L.; Senecioides cinerea (L.) Kuntze ex Britt. & Wilson; Serratula cinerea (L.) Roxb.; Vernonia cinerea (L.) Less.; Vernonia cinerea var. parviflora (Reinw.) DC. | herb | No |
| Cynodon dactylon (Poaceae) | grass | No | |
| Cyperus compressus (Cyperaceae) | sedge | No | |
| Cyperus rotundus (Cyperaceae) | Chlorocyperus rotundus (L.) Palla; Cyperus tetrastachyos Desf. | sedge | No |
| Delonix regia (Fabaceae) | Poinciana regia Bojer | tree | No |
| Digitaria ciliaris (Poaceae) | Digitaria adscendens (Kunth) Henrard | grass | No |
| Eleocharis geniculata (Cyperaceae) | sedge | No | |
| Eleusine indica (Poaceae) | Cynosurus indicus L.; Eleusine japonica Steud. | grass | No |
| Eragrostis amabilis (Poaceae) | Eragrostis plumosa (Retz.) Link; Eragrostis tenella (L.) P. Beauv. ex Roem. & Schult.; Poa tenella L. | grass | No |
| Euphorbia hirta (Euphorbiaceae) | Chamaesyce hirta (L.) Millsp.; Euphorbia pilulifera L. | herb | No |
| Euphorbia prostrata (Euphorbiaceae) | Chamaesyce prostrata (Aiton) Small | herb | No |
| Hemigraphis alternata (Acanthaceae) | Hemigraphis colorata (Blume) Hallier fil.; Ruellia alternata Burm. f. | herb | No |
| Ipomoea batatas (Convolvulaceae) | Convolvulus batatas L. | vine | No |
| Ipomoea violacea (Convolvulaceae) | Convolvulus tuba Schlechtend.; Ipomoea macrantha Roem. & Schult.; Ipomoea tuba (Schlechtend.) G. Don | vine | No |
| Kalanchoe pinnata (Crassulaceae) | Bryophyllum calycinum Salisb.; Bryophyllum pinnatum (Lam.) Oken; Crassula pinnata L. f. | succulent | No |
| Kyllinga brevifolia (Cyperaceae) | Cyperus brevifolius (Rottb.) Endl. ex Hassk. | sedge | No |
| Kyllinga nemoralis (Cyperaceae) | Cyperus kyllingia Endl.; Kyllinga monocephala Rottb. | sedge | No |
| Ludwigia octovalvis (Onagraceae) | Jussiaea erecta sensu various authors; Jussiaea suffruticosa L. | herb | No |
| Mangifera indica (Anacardiaceae) | tree | No | |
| Mirabilis jalapa (Nyctaginaceae) | herb | No | |
| Paspalum conjugatum (Poaceae) | grass | No | |
| Phyllanthus amarus (Phyllanthaceae) | Phyllanthus niruri sensu various Pacific botanists | herb | No |
| Physalis angulata (Solanaceae) | Physalis lanceifolia Nees | herb | No |
| Plectranthus scutellarioides (Lamiaceae) | Coleus blumei Benth.; Coleus scutellarioides (L.) Benth.; Ocimum scutellarioides (L.); Solenostemon scutellarioides (L.) Codd | herb | No |
| Polygala paniculata (Polygalaceae) | herb | No | |
| Portulaca oleracea (Portulacaceae) | herb | No | |
| Sida rhombifolia (Malvaceae) | Sida microphylla Cav. | shrub | No |
| Spermacoce remota (Rubiaceae) | Borreria laevis sensu various authors; Spermacoce assurgens Ruiz & Pav. | herb | No |
| Stachytarpheta cayennensis (Verbenaceae) | Stachytarpheta dichotoma (Ruiz & Pav.) Vahl.; Stachytarpheta urticaefolia (Salisb.) Sims; Stachytarpheta urticifolia (Salisb.) Sims | herb | No |
| Synedrella nodiflora (Asteraceae) | herb | No |