Plant Threats to Pacific Ecosystems

PIER plant species present on Rotuma 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 Rotuma 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?
Abelmoschus moschatus   (Malvaceae) Abelmoschus sagittifolius (Kurz) Merr. [=Abelmoschus moschatus subsp. tuberosus]; Hibiscus abelmoschus L.; Hibiscus sagittifolius Kurz [=Abelmoschus moschatus subsp. tuberosus] herb No
Alpinia purpurata   (Zingiberaceae)   herb No
Antigonon leptopus   (Polygonaceae)   vine No
Asparagus plumosus   (Asparagaceae)   vine No
Asparagus setaceus   (Asparagaceae)   vine No
Bambusa spp.   (Poaceae)   tree No
Bauhinia monandra   (Fabaceae)   tree No
Casuarina equisetifolia   (Casuarinaceae) Casuarina litorea L. var. litorea; Casuarina littorea Rumph. tree No
Ceiba pentandra   (Malvaceae)   tree No
Cenchrus echinatus   (Poaceae)   grass No
Cestrum nocturnum   (Solanaceae)   shrub No
Chrysopogon aciculatus   (Poaceae)   grass No
Clerodendrum chinense   (Lamiaceae) Clerodendrum fragrans (Hort. ex Vent.) Willd.; Clerodendrum philippinum Schauer shrub No
Commelina diffusa   (Commelinaceae)   herb No
Cuscuta campestris   (Convolvulaceae)   vine No
Cynodon dactylon   (Poaceae)   grass No
Derris elliptica   (Fabaceae) Paraderris elliptica (Wall.) F. Adema; Pongamia elliptica Wallich vine No
Elaeocarpus angustifolius   (Elaeocarpaceae) Elaeocarpus grandis F. Muell.; Elaeocarpus parkinsonii Warb. tree No
Eleusine indica   (Poaceae)   grass No
Ficus benghalensis   (Moraceae)   tree No
Flacourtia rukam   (Salicaceae)   tree No
Hedychium coronarium   (Zingiberaceae)   herb No
Hedychium flavescens   (Zingiberaceae)   herb No
Heliconia spp.   (Heliconiaceae)   herb No
Jatropha curcas   (Euphorbiaceae)   shrub 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
Leucaena leucocephala   (Fabaceae) Leucaena glauca (L. ex Willd.) Benth. tree No
Lonicera japonica   (Caprifoliaceae)   vine Yes
Melia azedarach   (Meliaceae)   tree No
Merremia peltata   (Convolvulaceae) Ipomoea peltata (L.) Choisy; Merremia nymphaeifolia (Dietr.) Hall. fil.; Operculina peltata (L.) Hall. fil. vine No
Mimosa pudica   (Fabaceae)   herb No
Oldenlandia corymbosa   (Rubiaceae) Hedyotis corymbosa (L.) Lam. herb No
Paspalum conjugatum   (Poaceae)   grass No
Passiflora maliformis   (Passifloraceae)   vine No
Passiflora quadrangularis   (Passifloraceae)   vine No
Psidium guajava   (Myrtaceae)   tree No
Samanea saman   (Fabaceae) Albizia saman (Jacaq.) F. v. Muell.; Pithecellobium saman (Jacq.) Benth. tree No
Senna tora   (Fabaceae) Cassia tora L. herb No
Sporobolus indicus   (Poaceae) Agrostis indica L.; Axonopus poiretii Roem. & Schult.; Sporobolus fertilis (Steud.) Clayton [= Sporobolus indicus var. major]; Sporobolus poiretii (Roem. & Schult.) Hitchc. grass 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
Tradescantia zebrina   (Commelinaceae) Zebrina pendula Schnitzl. herb No
Trema orientalis   (Cannabaceae) Trema cannabina Lour.; Trema cannabinum Lour.; Trema orientale (L.) Blume; Trema tomentosum (Roxb.) H. Hara tree No
Triumfetta rhomboidea   (Malvaceae) Triamfetta bartramia L. shrub No
Urena lobata   (Malvaceae) Urena sinuata L. shrub No
Urochloa subquadripara   (Poaceae) Brachiaria subquadripara (Trin.) Hitchc.; Panicum subquadriparum Trin.; Urochloa distachya (L.) T. Q. Nguyen 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 17MAR2012.