Plant Threats to Pacific Ecosystems

PIER plant species present on Nassau 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 Nassau 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?
Alocasia macrorrhizos   (Araceae) Alocasia indica (Lour.) Spach; Alocasia plumbea Van Houtte; Arum indicum Lour.; Arum macrorrhizon L.; Colocasia indica (Lour.) Kunth herb No
Alternanthera brasiliana   (Amaranthaceae) Alternanthera dentata (Moench) Stuchlik ex R. E. Fr.; Gomphrena brasiliana L. herb No
Casuarina equisetifolia   (Casuarinaceae) Casuarina litorea L. ex Fosberg & Sachet tree No
Cenchrus echinatus   (Poaceae)   grass No
Citrus aurantiifolia   (Rutaceae) Citrus acida Roxb.; Citrus lima Lunan; Limonia aurantiifolia Christm. tree No
Colocasia esculenta   (Araceae) Arum esculentum L.; Caladium esculentum (L.) Vent.; Colocasia antiquorum Schott 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 difformis   (Cyperaceae)   sedge No
Eclipta prostrata   (Asteraceae) Eclipta alba (L.) Hassk.; Eclipta erecta L.; Eclipta punctata L.; Verbesina alba L.; Verbesina prostrata L. herb No
Eleocharis geniculata   (Cyperaceae)   sedge No
Eleusine indica   (Poaceae) Cynosurus indicus L.; Eleusine japonica Steud. grass No
Emilia sonchifolia   (Asteraceae) Emilia javanica (Burm. f.) C. B. Rob. herb No
Eragrostis amabilis   (Poaceae) Eragrostis plumosa (Retz.) Link; Eragrostis tenella (L.) P. Beauv. ex Roem. & Schult.; Poa tenella L. grass No
Heliotropium foertherianum   (Boraginaceae) Argusia argentea (L. f.) Heine; Messerschmidia argentea (L. f.) I.M. Johnst.; Tournefortia argentea Linnaeus filius shrub/tree 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
Ludwigia octovalvis   (Onagraceae) Jussiaea erecta sensu various authors; Jussiaea suffruticosa L. herb No
Ocimum basilicum   (Lamiaceae)   herb No
Paspalum vaginatum   (Poaceae) Palspalum distichum sensu auct. non L. grass 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
Plectranthus scutellarioides   (Lamiaceae) Coleus blumei Benth.; Coleus scutellarioides (L.) Benth.; Ocimum scutellarioides (L.); Solenostemon scutellarioides (L.) Codd herb No
Sansevieria trifasciata   (Asparagaceae)   herb No
Solanum lycopersicum   (Solanaceae) Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.; Lycopersicon lycopersicum (L.) Karst. herb No
Urochloa glumaris   (Poaceae) Brachiaria paspaloides (Presl) Hubbard; Panicum glumare Trin.; Urochloa paspaloides Presl 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.