Plant Threats to Pacific Ecosystems

PIER plant species present on Maloelap Atoll listed by scientific name

A product of the Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk project (PIER)

Maloelap Atoll ]   [ Ratak Chain ]   [ Marshall Islands ]   [ Pacific region ]

This table lists invasive and potentially invasive plant species profiled by the Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk project (PIER) that occur on Maloelap Atoll. 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 Threat only at
high elevations?
Bidens alba   (Asteraceae) Bidens pilosa L. var. radiata Shultz-Bip. herb No
Bothriochloa bladhii   (Poaceae) Andropogon bladhii Retz., Andropogon intermedius R. Br., Bothriochloa caucasica (Trin.) C.E. Hubbard, Dichanthium bladhii (Retz.) Clayton grass No
Buchnera americana   (Orobanchaceae) Buchnera breviflora Pennell, Buchnera floridana Gandog. herb No
Catharanthus roseus   (Apocynaceae) Lochnera rosea (L.) Reichb. ex Steud., Vinca rosea L. herb No
Cenchrus echinatus   (Poaceae)   grass No
Chamaesyce hirta   (Euphorbiaceae) Euphorbia hirta L. herb No
Chamaesyce thymifolia   (Euphorbiaceae) Euphorbia rubicunda Steud., Euphorbia thymifolia L. herb No
Conyza canadensis   (Asteraceae) Erigeron canadensis L. herb No
Cyperus rotundus   (Cyperaceae) Cyperus purpuro-variegatus Boeckeler, Cyperus stoloniferum pallidus Boeckeler, Cyperus tetrastachyos Desf., Cyperus tuberosus Roxb, Chlorocyperus rotundus (L.) Palla sedge No
Desmodium incanum   (Fabaceae) Desmodium canum Schinz & Thell., nom. illeg. shrub No
Digitaria ciliaris   (Poaceae) Digitaria adscendens (Kunth) Henrard grass No
Digitaria violascens   (Poaceae) Digitaria hinensis sensu auct. Micr. non Hornem., pro maxima parte grass No
Eleocharis geniculata   (Cyperaceae)   sedge No
Eleusine indica   (Poaceae)   grass No
Eragrostis amabilis   (Poaceae) Eragrostis tenella (L.) P. Beauv. ex Roem. & Schult. grass No
Eragrostis scabriflora   (Poaceae) Eragrostis brownii sensu Fosberg et al. 1987; non (Kunth) Nees in H. & A. grass No
Euphorbia cyathophora   (Euphorbiaceae)   herb No
Eustachys petraea   (Poaceae) Chloris petraea Swartz grass No
Heliotropium procumbens   (Boraginaceae)   herb No
Lantana camara   (Verbenaceae)   shrub No
Ludwigia octovalvis   (Onagraceae) Jussiaea suffruticosa L., Jussiaea erecta sensu various authors. herb No
Moringa oleifera   (Moringaceae) M. pterygospera C. F. Gaertn. tree No
Paspalum setaceum   (Poaceae)   grass No
Phyllanthus amarus   (Euphorbiaceae) Phyllanthus niruri sensu various Pacific botanists. herb No
Physalis angulata   (Solanaceae) Physalis lanceifolia Nees herb No
Pseuderanthemum carruthersii   (Acanthaceae) Pseuderanthemum atropurpureum (W. Bull) Radlk., Pseuderanthemum reticulatum Radlk. shrub No
Senna occidentalis   (Fabaceae) Cassia occidentalis L. shrub No
Spermacoce ovalifolia   (Rubiaceae) Borreria ovalifolia M. Martens & Galeotti, Spermacoce ernstii Fosberg & D. Powell herb No
Tecoma stans   (Bignoniaceae) Bignonia stans L., Stenolobium stans Seem. tree No
Tridax procumbens   (Asteraceae)   herb No
Urochloa mutica   (Poaceae) Brachiaria mutica (Forssk.) Stapf, Panicum muticum Forssk., Panicum purpurascens Raddi, Panicum barbinode Trin., Panicum guadeloupense Steudel, Brachiaria purpurascens Henr. grass No
Vernonia cinerea   (Asteraceae) Cyanthillium cinereum (L.) H. Rob. herb No

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

Maloelap Atoll ]   [ Ratak Chain ]   [ Marshall Islands ]   [ Pacific region ] [  PIER home  ]

This page was last regenerated on 7JAN2008.