Plant Threats to Pacific Ecosystems

PIER plant species present on Swain's Island listed by scientific name

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

Swain's Island ]   [ Swain's Island ]   [ American Samoa ]   [ Pacific region ]

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
Bryophyllum pinnatum   (Crassulaceae) Kalanchoë pinnata Pers. succulent 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
Chamaesyce hirta   (Euphorbiaceae) Euphorbia hirta L. herb No
Chamaesyce prostrata   (Euphorbiaceae) Euphorbia prostrata Aiton herb No
Chrysopogon aciculatus   (Poaceae)   grass No
Citrus aurantium   (Rutaceae) Citrus bigarradia Loisel.; Citrus vulgaris Risso tree No
Colocasia esculenta   (Araceae)   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 purpuro-variegatus Boeckeler; Cyperus stoloniferum pallidus Boeckeler; Cyperus tetrastachyos Desf.; Cyperus tuberosus Roxb sedge No
Delonix regia   (Fabaceae) Poinciana regia Bojer ex Hook. tree No
Digitaria ciliaris   (Poaceae) Digitaria adscendens (Kunth) Henrard grass No
Eleocharis geniculata   (Cyperaceae)   sedge No
Eleusine indica   (Poaceae)   grass No
Eragrostis amabilis   (Poaceae) Eragrostis tenella (L.) P. Beauv. ex Roem. & Schult. grass No
Hemigraphis alternata   (Acanthaceae) Hemigraphis colorata (Blume) Hallier fil.; Ruellia alternata Burm. f. herb No
Ipomoea batatas   (Convolvulaceae)   vine No
Ipomoea violacea   (Convolvulaceae) Convolvulus tuba Schlechtend.; Ipomoea macrantha Roem. & Schult.; Ipomoea tuba (Schlechtend.) G. Don vine No
Kyllinga brevifolia   (Cyperaceae) Cyperus brevifolius (Rottb.) Endl. ex Hassk. sedge No
Kyllinga nemoralis   (Cyperaceae) Cyperus kyllingia Endl.; Kyllinga cephalotes (Jacq.) Druce; 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
Polygala paniculata   (Polygalaceae)   herb No
Portulaca oleracea   (Portulacaceae)   herb No
Sida rhombifolia   (Malvaceae) Sida microphylla Cav. shrub No
Solenostemon scutellarioides   (Lamiaceae) Coleus blumei Benth.; Coleus scutellarioides (L.) Benth.; Ocimum scutellarioides (L.); Plectranthus scutellarioides(L.) R. Br. herb 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

Need more info?  Have questions?  Comments?  Information to contribute?  Contact PIER! (pier@hear.org)

Swain's Island ]   [ Swain's Island ]   [ American Samoa ]   [ Pacific region ] [  PIER home  ]

This page was last regenerated on 24AUG2011.