This table lists invasive and potentially invasive plant species profiled by the Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk project (PIER) that occur in the Phoenix Islands. 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? |
| Amaranthus dubius (Amaranthaceae) | herb | No | |
| Amaranthus viridis (Amaranthaceae) | Amaranthus gracilis Desf., nom. nud. | herb | No |
| Calotropis gigantea (Apocynaceae) | tree | No | |
| Casuarina equisetifolia (Casuarinaceae) | Casuarina litorea L. var. litorea; Casuarina littorea Rumph. | tree | No |
| Casuarina glauca (Casuarinaceae) | tree | No | |
| Catharanthus roseus (Apocynaceae) | Lochnera rosea (L.) Reichb. ex Steud.; Vinca rosea L. | herb | No |
| Cenchrus ciliaris (Poaceae) | Pennisetum cenchroides (L.)Rich.; Pennisetum ciliare (L.) Lk. | grass | No |
| Cenchrus echinatus (Poaceae) | grass | No | |
| Chamaesyce hirta (Euphorbiaceae) | Euphorbia hirta L. | herb | No |
| Chamaesyce hypericifolia (Euphorbiaceae) | Euphorbia glomifera Millsp.; Euphorbia hypericifolia L. | herb | No |
| Chamaesyce prostrata (Euphorbiaceae) | Euphorbia prostrata Aiton | herb | No |
| Chloris barbata (Poaceae) | Chloris inflata Link; Chloris paraguayensis Steud. | grass | No |
| Citrullus lanatus (Cucurbitaceae) | Citrullus aedulis Pangalo; Citrullus vulgaris Schrad. | vine | No |
| Conocarpus erectus (Combretaceae) | Terminalia erecta (L.)Baill. | shrub/tree | No |
| Crinum asiaticum (Amaryllidaceae) | Crinum amabile Donn ex Ker Gawl. | 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 rotundus (Cyperaceae) | Chlorocyperus rotundus (L.) Palla; Cyperus purpuro-variegatus Boeckeler; Cyperus stoloniferum pallidus Boeckeler; Cyperus tetrastachyos Desf.; Cyperus tuberosus Roxb | sedge | No |
| Digitaria ciliaris (Poaceae) | Digitaria adscendens (Kunth) Henrard | grass | No |
| Digitaria henryi (Poaceae) | grass | No | |
| Eleusine indica (Poaceae) | grass | No | |
| Emilia sonchifolia (Asteraceae) | Emilia javanica (Burm. f.) C. B. Rob. | herb | No |
| Eragrostis amabilis (Poaceae) | Eragrostis tenella (L.) P. Beauv. ex Roem. & Schult. | grass | No |
| Euphorbia cyathophora (Euphorbiaceae) | herb | No | |
| Heliotropium procumbens (Boraginaceae) | herb | No | |
| Ipomoea quamoclit (Convolvulaceae) | Quamoclit pennata Bojer | vine | No |
| Ipomoea violacea (Convolvulaceae) | Convolvulus tuba Schlechtend.; Ipomoea macrantha Roem. & Schult.; Ipomoea tuba (Schlechtend.) G. Don | vine | No |
| Lantana camara (Verbenaceae) | shrub | No | |
| Leucaena leucocephala (Fabaceae) | Leucaena glauca (L. ex Willd.) Benth. | tree | No |
| Merremia tuberosa (Convolvulaceae) | Ipomoea tuberosa L. | vine | No |
| Nerium oleander (Apocynaceae) | Nerium indicum Mill. | shrub | No |
| Pedilanthus tithymaloides (Euphorbiaceae) | Euphorbia tithymaloides L. | herb | No |
| Phyllanthus amarus (Phyllanthaceae) | Phyllanthus niruri sensu various Pacific botanists. | herb | No |
| Physalis angulata (Solanaceae) | Physalis lanceifolia Nees | herb | No |
| Pluchea carolinensis (Asteraceae) | Conyza carolinensis Jacq.; Pluchea symphytifolia auct. | shrub | No |
| Pluchea indica (Asteraceae) | shrub | No | |
| Portulaca oleracea (Portulacaceae) | herb | No | |
| Pseuderanthemum carruthersii (Acanthaceae) | Pseuderanthemum atropurpureum (W. Bull) Radlk.; Pseuderanthemum reticulatum Radlk. | shrub | No |
| Setaria verticillata (Poaceae) | Panicum verticillatum L.; Pennisetum verticillatum R. Br. | grass | No |
| Stachytarpheta cayennensis (Verbenaceae) | Stachytarpheta dichotoma (Ruiz & Pav.) Vahl.; Stachytarpheta urticaefolia (Salisb.) Sims; Stachytarpheta urticifolia (Salisb.) Sims | herb | No |
| Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (Verbenaceae) | herb | No | |
| Syngonium angustatum (Araceae) | vine | No | |
| Tamarix aphylla (Tamaricaceae) | shrub/tree | No | |
| Tribulus cistoides (Zygophyllaceae) | herb | No | |
| Tridax procumbens (Asteraceae) | herb | No | |
| Waltheria indica (Malvaceae) | Waltheria americana L. | shrub | No |