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.; 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

Need more info?  Have questions?  Comments?  Information to contribute?  Contact PIER! (pier@hear.org)

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