Plant Threats to Pacific Ecosystems

PIER plant species present on Anatahan Island listed by scientific name

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

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This table lists invasive and potentially invasive plant species profiled by the Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk project (PIER) that occur on Anatahan 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 Threat only at
high elevations?
Abelmoschus moschatus   (Malvaceae) Hibiscus abelmoschus L. herb No
Abrus precatorius   (Fabaceae)   shrub No
Ageratum conyzoides   (Asteraceae)   herb No
Alocasia macrorrhizos   (Araceae) Arum macrorrhizon L., Alocasia indica Schott, Arum indicum Lour., Colocasia indica (Lour.) Kunth herb No
Amaranthus spinosus   (Amaranthaceae)   herb No
Amaranthus viridis   (Amaranthaceae) Amaranthus gracilis Desf., nom. nud. herb No
Angelonia angustifolia   (Scrophulariaceae)   herb No
Angiopteris evecta   (Marattiaceae) Polypodium evecta G. Forst. fern No
Artemisia vulgaris   (Asteraceae)   herb No
Bambusa spp.   (Poaceae)   tree No
Blechum pyramidatum   (Acanthaceae) Blechum brownei Juss., Barleria pyramidatum (Lam.) Urb. herb No
Capsicum frutescens   (Solanaceae)   herb No
Casuarina equisetifolia   (Casuarinaceae) Casuarina litorea L. var. litorea, Casuarina littorea Rumph. tree No
Catharanthus roseus   (Apocynaceae) Lochnera rosea (L.) Reichb. ex Steud., Vinca rosea L. herb No
Ceiba pentandra   (Bombacaceae)   tree No
Centella asiatica   (Apiaceae) Hydrocotyle asiatica L. herb No
Chamaesyce hirta   (Euphorbiaceae) Euphorbia hirta L. herb No
Chloris barbata   (Poaceae) Chloris inflata Link, Chloris paraguayensis Steud. grass No
Chloris radiata   (Poaceae)   grass No
Chrysopogon aciculatus   (Poaceae)   grass No
Citrus aurantiifolia   (Rutaceae)   tree No
Cleome viscosa   (Capparaceae) Polanisia viscosa DC. herb No
Colocasia esculenta   (Araceae)   herb No
Crinum asiaticum   (Liliaceae)   herb No
Cynodon dactylon   (Poaceae)   grass No
Cyperus compressus   (Cyperaceae)   sedge No
Cyperus cyperinus   (Cyperaceae) Mariscus cyperinus (Retz.) Vahl sedge No
Cyperus digitatus   (Cyperaceae)   sedge No
Delonix regia   (Fabaceae) Poinciana regia Bojer ex Hook. tree No
Desmodium gangeticum   (Fabaceae)   herb No
Desmodium incanum   (Fabaceae) Desmodium canum Schinz & Thell., nom. illeg. shrub No
Desmodium tortuosum   (Fabaceae) Desmodium purpureum (Miller) Fawcett & Rendle herb No
Digitaria ciliaris   (Poaceae) Digitaria adscendens (Kunth) Henrard grass No
Elephantopus mollis   (Asteraceae) Elephantopus scaber L. herb No
Eleusine indica   (Poaceae)   grass No
Eragrostis amabilis   (Poaceae) Eragrostis tenella (L.) P. Beauv. ex Roem. & Schult. grass 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
Lablab purpureus   (Fabaceae) Dolichos lablab L., Dolichos purpureus L. vine No
Lindernia crustacea   (Scrophulariaceae)   herb No
Mangifera indica   (Anacardiaceae)   tree No
Muntingia calabura   (Muntinginaceae)   tree No
Nicotiana tabacum   (Solanaceae)   herb No
Operculina ventricosa   (Convolvulaceae) Operculina turpethum (L.) Silva Manso var. ventricosa (Bertero) Austin & Staples vine No
Oplismenus compositus   (Poaceae) Panicum compositum L. grass No
Oplismenus hirtellus   (Poaceae) Oplismenus setarius (Lam.) Roem. & Schult. grass No
Paspalum conjugatum   (Poaceae)   grass No
Paspalum distichum   (Poaceae) Paspalum paspalodes (Michx.) Scribn. grass No
Phyllanthus amarus   (Euphorbiaceae) Phyllanthus niruri sensu various Pacific botanists. herb No
Physalis angulata   (Solanaceae) Physalis lanceifolia Nees herb No
Physalis minima   (Solanaceae) Physalis lagascae R. & S. herb No
Polygala paniculata   (Polygalaceae)   herb No
Portulaca oleracea   (Portulacaceae)   herb No
Psidium guajava   (Myrtaceae)   tree No
Ricinus communis   (Euphorbiaceae)   shrub No
Senna sophera   (Fabaceae) Cassia sophera L. herb No
Sida acuta   (Malvaceae)   herb No
Sporobolus diander   (Poaceae) Sporobolus diandrus (Retz.) P. Beauv., Sporobolus indicus (L.) R. Br. var. flaccidus (Roem. & Schult.) Veldkamp grass No
Sporobolus indicus   (Poaceae) Agrostis indica L., Axonopus poiretii Roem. & Schult., Sporobolus poiretii (Roem. & Schult.) Hitchc. grass No
Stictocardia tiliifolia   (Convolvulaceae)   vine No
Trema orientalis   (Ulmaceae) Trema cannabina Lour., Trema cannabinum Lour., Trema orientale (L.) Blume, Trema tomentosum (Roxb.) H. Hara tree No
Urena lobata   (Malvaceae) Urena sinuata L. shrub No
Vernonia cinerea   (Asteraceae) Cyanthillium cinereum (L.) H. Rob. herb No
Xanthosoma sagittifolium   (Araceae) Arum sagittifolium L., Caladium sagittifolium (L.) Vent. herb No
Zoysia matrella   (Poaceae) Agrostis matrella L., Osterdamia matrella (L.) Kuntze, Zoysia pungens Willd. grass No

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

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This page was last regenerated on 7JAN2008.