Plant Threats to Pacific Ecosystems

PIER plant species present on Maug 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 Maug 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?
Abutilon indicum   (Malvaceae) Sida indica L. shrub No
Abutilon theophrasti   (Malvaceae) Abutilon avicennae Gaertn.; Sida abutilon L. herb No
Ageratum conyzoides   (Asteraceae)   herb No
Amaranthus spinosus   (Amaranthaceae)   herb No
Capsicum frutescens   (Solanaceae)   herb No
Casuarina equisetifolia   (Casuarinaceae) Casuarina litorea L. ex Fosberg & Sachet tree 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
Cyperus cyperinus   (Cyperaceae) Kyllinga cyperina Retz.; Mariscus cyperinus (Retz.) Vahl sedge No
Eclipta prostrata   (Asteraceae) Eclipta alba (L.) Hassk.; Eclipta erecta L.; Eclipta punctata L.; Verbesina alba L.; Verbesina prostrata L. herb No
Emilia sonchifolia   (Asteraceae) Emilia javanica (Burm. f.) C. B. Rob. herb No
Euphorbia hirta   (Euphorbiaceae) Chamaesyce hirta (L.) Millsp.; Euphorbia pilulifera L. herb No
Gossypium barbadense   (Malvaceae) Gossypium brasiliense Macfad.; Gossypium peruvianum Cav. shrub No
Gossypium hirsutum   (Malvaceae) Gossypium punctatum Schumach.; Gossypium religiosum L.; Gossypium taitense Parl. shrub No
Heliotropium foertherianum   (Boraginaceae) Argusia argentea (L. f.) Heine; Messerschmidia argentea (L. f.) I.M. Johnst.; Tournefortia argentea Linnaeus filius shrub/tree No
Hyptis pectinata   (Lamiaceae) Mesosphaerum pectinatum (L.) Kuntze; Nepeta pectinata L. herb No
Lindernia crustacea   (Linderniaceae) Capraria crustacea L.; Vandellia crustacea (L.) Benth. herb No
Operculina ventricosa   (Convolvulaceae) Operculina turpethum (L.) Silva Manso var. ventricosa (Bertero) Austin & Staples vine No
Oxalis corniculata   (Oxalidaceae) Oxalis repens Thunb. herb No
Panicum maximum   (Poaceae) Megathyrsus maximus (Jacq.) B. K. Simon & S. W. L. Jacobs; Urochloa maxima (Jacq.) R. Webster grass No
Phyllanthus amarus   (Phyllanthaceae) Phyllanthus niruri sensu various Pacific botanists herb No
Physalis minima   (Solanaceae) Physalis lagascae R. & S. herb No
Portulaca oleracea   (Portulacaceae)   herb No
Ruellia blechum   (Acanthaceae) Barleria pyramidata Lam.; Blechum brownei Juss.; Blechum pyramidatum (Lam.) Urb.; Ruellia blechum f. puberulum herb No
Stictocardia tiliifolia   (Convolvulaceae)   vine No
Trema orientalis   (Cannabaceae) Trema cannabina Lour.; Trema cannabinum Lour.; Trema orientale (L.) Blume; Trema tomentosum (Roxb.) H. Hara tree No
Urochloa reptans   (Poaceae) Brachiaria reptans (L.) C. A. Gardner & C. E. Hubb.; Panicum reptans L. grass 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 26FEB2019.