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.; Hibiscus abelmoschus L.; Hibiscus sagittifolius Kurz | herb | No |
Alpinia purpurata (Zingiberaceae) | Guillainia purpurata Vieill. | herb | No |
Amaranthus tricolor (Amaranthaceae) | Amaranthus gangeticus L.; Amaranthus mangostanus L.; Amaranthus polygamus L. | herb | No |
Antigonon leptopus (Polygonaceae) | vine | No | |
Asparagus plumosus (Asparagaceae) | Asparagus comorensis hort.; Asparagus setaceus auct. nonn.; Protasparagus plumosus (Baker) Oberm. | vine | No |
Asparagus setaceus (Asparagaceae) | Asparagopsis setacea Kunth; Protasparagus setaceus (Kunth) Oberm. | vine | No |
Bambusa spp. (Poaceae) | tree-like grass | No | |
Bambusa vulgaris (Poaceae) | (no species-level synonyms found) | tree-like grass | No |
Bauhinia monandra (Fabaceae) | Bauhinia kappleri Sagot; Bauhinia krugii Urb. | tree | No |
Calendula officinalis (Asteraceae) | herb | Yes | |
Casuarina equisetifolia (Casuarinaceae) | Casuarina litorea L. ex Fosberg & Sachet | tree | No |
Ceiba pentandra (Malvaceae) | Bombax pentandrum L.; Ceiba casearia Medik.; Eriodendron anfractuosum DC. | tree | No |
Cenchrus echinatus (Poaceae) | grass | No | |
Cestrum nocturnum (Solanaceae) | shrub | No | |
Chrysopogon aciculatus (Poaceae) | Andropogon acicularis Retz. ex Roem. & Schult.; Andropogon aciculatus Retz.; Rhaphis acicularis (Retz. ex Roem. & Schult.) Desv.; Rhaphis aciculata (Retz.) Honda | grass | No |
Clerodendrum chinense (Lamiaceae) | Clerodendrum fragrans (Hort. ex Vent.) Willd.; Clerodendrum philippinumSchauer | shrub | No |
Commelina diffusa (Commelinaceae) | herb | No | |
Cuscuta campestris (Convolvulaceae) | vine | No | |
Cynodon dactylon (Poaceae) | grass | No | |
Derris elliptica (Fabaceae) | Deguelia elliptica (Roxb.) Taub.; Paraderris elliptica (Wall.) F. Adema; Pongamia elliptica Wallich | vine | No |
Elaeocarpus angustifolius (Elaeocarpaceae) | Elaeocarpus ganitrus Roxb. ex G. Don; Elaeocarpus grandis F. Muell.; Elaeocarpus sphaericus (Gaertn.) K. Schum. | tree | No |
Eleusine indica (Poaceae) | Cynosurus indicus L.; Eleusine japonica Steud. | grass | No |
Ficus benghalensis (Moraceae) | Ficus indica L. | tree | No |
Flacourtia rukam (Salicaceae) | Flacourtia euphlebia Merr. | tree | No |
Hedychium coronarium (Zingiberaceae) | herb | No | |
Hedychium flavescens (Zingiberaceae) | herb | No | |
Heliconia spp. (Heliconiaceae) | herb | No | |
Hibiscus cannabinus (Malvaceae) | Hibiscus henriquesii P. Lima; Hibiscus sabdariffa sensu Mendonça & Torre, tom. cit.: 11 (1950); Hibiscus sp.‐Garcia, torn. cit.: 41 (1946) quoad specim. coll. Dr. Braga. | 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 monocephala Rottb. | sedge | No |
Leucaena leucocephala (Fabaceae) | Acacia glauca Willd.; Leucaena glauca auct.; Mimosa leucocephala Lam. | tree | No |
Lonicera japonica (Caprifoliaceae) | vine | Yes | |
Melia azedarach (Meliaceae) | Melia candollei A. Juss.; Melia floribunda Carrière; Melia toosendan Siebold & Zucc. | tree | No |
Merremia peltata (Convolvulaceae) | Convolvulus peltatus L.; Ipomoea nymphaeifolia Blume; Ipomoea peltata (L.) Choisy | 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. | grass | No |