This table lists invasive and potentially invasive plant species profiled by the Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk project (PIER) that occur on Palmyra 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 |
Primarily a threat
at high elevations? |
Casuarina equisetifolia (Casuarinaceae) | Casuarina litorea L. ex Fosberg & Sachet | tree | No |
Cenchrus echinatus (Poaceae) | grass | No | |
Chloris barbata (Poaceae) | Chloris inflata Link; Chloris paraguayensis Steud. | grass | No |
Conyza bonariensis (Asteraceae) | Erigeron bonariensis L.; Erigeron crispus Pourr. | herb | No |
Crotalaria incana (Fabaceae) | shrub | 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 |
Cyperus rotundus (Cyperaceae) | Chlorocyperus rotundus (L.) Palla; Cyperus tetrastachyos Desf. | sedge | No |
Eleusine indica (Poaceae) | Cynosurus indicus L.; Eleusine japonica Steud. | grass | No |
Emilia sonchifolia (Asteraceae) | Emilia javanica (Burm. f.) C. B. Rob. | herb | No |
Epipremnum pinnatum 'Aureum' (Araceae) | vine | No | |
Eragrostis scabriflora (Poaceae) | grass | No | |
Erechtites hieraciifolius (Asteraceae) | Senecio hieraciifolius L. | herb | No |
Euphorbia cyathophora (Euphorbiaceae) | Poinsettia cyathophora (Murray) Klotzsch & Garcke | herb | No |
Euphorbia hirta (Euphorbiaceae) | Chamaesyce hirta (L.) Millsp.; Euphorbia pilulifera L. | herb | No |
Euphorbia hypericifolia (Euphorbiaceae) | Chamaesyce glomerifera Millsp.; Chamaesyce hypericifolia (L.) Millsp.; Euphorbia glomifera Millsp. | herb | No |
Ipomoea violacea (Convolvulaceae) | Convolvulus tuba Schlechtend.; Ipomoea macrantha Roem. & Schult.; Ipomoea tuba (Schlechtend.) G. Don | vine | No |
Kyllinga brevifolia (Cyperaceae) | Cyperus brevifolius (Rottb.) Endl. ex Hassk. | sedge | No |
Leucaena leucocephala (Fabaceae) | Acacia glauca Willd.; Leucaena glauca auct.; Mimosa leucocephala Lam. | tree | No |
Ludwigia octovalvis (Onagraceae) | Jussiaea erecta sensu various authors; Jussiaea suffruticosa L. | herb | No |
Paspalum fimbriatum (Poaceae) | grass | No | |
Paspalum scrobiculatum (Poaceae) | Paspalum cartilagineum Presl.; Paspalum orbiculare G. Forst. | grass | No |
Paspalum setaceum (Poaceae) | grass | No | |
Phyllanthus amarus (Phyllanthaceae) | Phyllanthus niruri sensu various Pacific botanists | herb | No |
Pilea microphylla (Urticaceae) | 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 |
Pteris vittata (Pteridaceae) | fern | No | |
Ruellia blechum (Acanthaceae) | Barleria pyramidata Lam.; Blechum brownei Juss.; Blechum pyramidatum (Lam.) Urb.; Ruellia blechum f. puberulum | herb | No |
Schefflera actinophylla (Araliaceae) | Brassaia actinophylla Endlicher | tree | No |
Spermacoce remota (Rubiaceae) | Borreria laevis sensu various authors; Spermacoce assurgens Ruiz & Pav. | 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 |
Stachytarpheta jamaicensis (Verbenaceae) | herb | No | |
Synedrella nodiflora (Asteraceae) | herb | No |