Plant Threats to Pacific Ecosystems

PIER plant species present on Manihiki Atoll 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 Manihiki Atoll. 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
Annona squamosa   (Annonaceae)   tree No
Bidens pilosa   (Asteraceae)   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
Cenchrus echinatus   (Poaceae)   grass No
Chamaesyce hirta   (Euphorbiaceae) Euphorbia hirta L. herb No
Chamaesyce prostrata   (Euphorbiaceae) Euphorbia prostrata Aiton herb No
Citrus aurantiifolia   (Rutaceae)   tree No
Citrus limon   (Rutaceae) Citrus limonum Risso tree No
Clerodendrum buchananii var. fallax   (Lamiaceae) Clerodendrum speciosissimum van Geert ex Morren (although there is disagreement as to whether or not these species are synonymous per Smith, 1985). shrub No
Colocasia esculenta   (Araceae)   herb No
Commelina diffusa   (Commelinaceae)   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 difformis   (Cyperaceae)   sedge 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
Eugenia uniflora   (Myrtaceae)   shrub/tree No
Ficus carica   (Moraceae)   tree No
Gloriosa superba   (Colchicaceae)   herb No
Ipomoea batatas   (Convolvulaceae)   vine No
Ipomoea violacea   (Convolvulaceae) Convolvulus tuba Schlechtend.; Ipomoea macrantha Roem. & Schult.; Ipomoea tuba (Schlechtend.) G. Don vine No
Mirabilis jalapa   (Nyctaginaceae)   herb No
Muntingia calabura   (Muntinginaceae)   tree No
Nerium oleander   (Apocynaceae) Nerium indicum Mill. shrub No
Ocimum basilicum   (Lamiaceae)   herb No
Pedilanthus tithymaloides   (Euphorbiaceae) Euphorbia tithymaloides L. herb No
Phyllanthus amarus   (Phyllanthaceae) Phyllanthus niruri sensu various Pacific botanists. herb No
Pilea microphylla   (Urticaceae)   herb No
Pseuderanthemum carruthersii   (Acanthaceae) Pseuderanthemum atropurpureum (W. Bull) Radlk.; Pseuderanthemum reticulatum Radlk. shrub No
Psidium guajava   (Myrtaceae)   tree No
Sansevieria trifasciata   (Asparagaceae)   herb No
Sida rhombifolia   (Malvaceae) Sida microphylla Cav. shrub No
Solanum lycopersicum   (Solanaceae) Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.; Lycopersicon lycopersicum (L.) Karst. herb No
Solenostemon scutellarioides   (Lamiaceae) Coleus blumei Benth.; Coleus scutellarioides (L.) Benth.; Ocimum scutellarioides (L.); Plectranthus scutellarioides(L.) R. Br. herb No
Spathodea campanulata   (Bignoniaceae)   tree No
Stachytarpheta cayennensis   (Verbenaceae) Stachytarpheta dichotoma (Ruiz & Pav.) Vahl.; Stachytarpheta urticaefolia (Salisb.) Sims; Stachytarpheta urticifolia (Salisb.) Sims herb No
Tradescantia spathacea   (Commelinaceae) Rhoeo discolor Hance ex Walp.; Rhoeo spathacea (Sw.) Stearn; Tradescantia discolor L'Hér. herb 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 24AUG2011.