A product of the Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk project (PIER)
Following are some plant species that:
These species are prospects for possible addition to PIER. If you have comments on them, pro or con, (or additional species to nominate) please let us know. If you can contribute information on any you think should be included, it would be greatly appreciated.
| Species | Comments |
| Acacia dunnii (Fabaceae) | "Widely cultivated with occasional escapees becoming established in the Northern Territory [Australia]" (Orchard & Wilson, 2001; p. 152). |
| Acanthospermum microcarpum (Asteraceae) | Probably not native to the Galápagos Islands, possibly introduced, per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Acca sellowiana (Myrtaceae) | A potential invasive species in Hawai‘i (Meyer, 2000; p. 97). |
| Aloe arborescens (Aloeaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Aloe aristata (Aloeaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Alpinia nigra (Zingiberaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Alpinia zerumbet (Zingiberaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Alternanthera albotomentosa (Amaranthaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Alternanthera ficoidea (Amaranthaceae) | A minor weed in northern Queensland (Barbara Waterhouse, pers. com.) |
| Alternanthera mexicana (Amaranthaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Alternanthera pubiflora (Amaranthaceae) | Probably not native to the Galápagos Islands, possibly introduced, per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Anthephora hermaphrodita (Poaceae) | Probably not native to the Galápagos Islands, possibly introduced, per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Aptenia cordifolia (Aizoaceae) | A minor weed in New Zealand per Melanie Newfield, pers. com. Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Artocarpus altilis (Moraceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Asparagus officinalis (Liliaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Asparagus scandens (Liliaceae) | Reported as an invasive plant in northern New Zealand (per Melanie Newfield, pers. com.). |
| Avena sativa (Poaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Begonia rex (Begoniaceae) | Invasive in La Réunion per Christophe Lavergne, pers. com. Most plants grown under this name are Begonia rex-cultorum hybrids (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 177). |
| Berchemia zeyheri (Rhamnaceae) | This species has very valuable wood and may be introduced for this purpose (it was recently proposed for planting in Hawai‘i). Given the possibility of bird and animal dispersal, it should be thoroughly evaluated before introduction. |
| Bougainvillea spectabilis (Nyctaginaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Bromelia pinguin (Bromeliaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Brugmansia versicolor (Solanaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Brunfelsia grandiflora (Solanaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Bryophyllum gastonis-bonnieri (Crassulaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. Other Bryophyllums are also invasive. |
| Bulbostylis barbata (Cyperaceae) | Reported to be an invasive species in southeast Asia per Barbara Waterhouse, pers. com. |
| Callitriche deflexa (Callitrichaceae) | Probably not native to the Galápagos Islands, possibly introduced, per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Capsicum annuum (Solanaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Carica papaya (Caricaceae) | Commonly naturalizing in disturbed areas (especially burned areas) on most Pacific Islands but usually not persisting. Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Carpobrotus acinaciformis (Aizoaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. Identification uncertain. |
| Cassia fistula (Fabaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Centrolobium paraense (Fabaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Ceratophyllum llerenae (Ceratophyllaceae) | Probably not native to the Galápagos Islands, probably introduced per Charles Darwin Research Institute. |
| Ceratopteris pteridoides (Pteridaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in southeast Asia (per Barbara Waterhouse, pers. com.). |
| Chionanthus intermedius (Oleaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Hawaiian Islands per Meyer, 2000. |
| Chrysophyllum cainito (Sapotaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Citrus aurantium (Rutaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Citrus medica (Rutaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Citrus nobilis (Rutaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Citrus sinensis (Rutaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Cnidoscolus urens (Euphorbiaceae) | |
| Cordia sebestena (Boraginaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Hawaiian Islands per Staples et al., 2000. |
| Coreopsis basalis (Asteraceae) | Reported invasive in Japan (The Research Institute for Bioresources. Okayama University. Laboratory of Wild Plant Science. Naturalized plants from foreign country into Japan). |
| Cosmos bipinnatus (Asteraceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Crescentia cujete (Bignoniaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Cupressus lusitanica (Cupressaceae) | Reported to be a potentially invasive species in Australia per Csurhes and Edwards, 1998. |
| Cupressus macrocarpa (Cupressaceae) |
Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. "A shallow-rooted tree, C. macrocarpa tends to blow over rather easily in high winds" (Staples & Herbst, 2005; p. 64). |
| Cyclanthera pedata (Cucurbitaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Cyperus odoratus (Cyperaceae) | Probably not native to the Galápagos Islands, possibly introduced, per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Descurainia sophia (Brassicaceae) | |
| Desmodium glabrum (Fabaceae) | Probably not native to the Galápagos Islands, possibly introduced, per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Dillenia indica (Dilleniaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Dioclea reflexa (Fabaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Dioscorea sansibarensis (Dioscoreaceae) | Reported to be an invasive species in Singapore per Rejmánek, 1996. |
| Dipogon lignosus (Fabaceae) | Reported to be an invasive species in Australia and New Zealand per Owen, 1997. |
| Dracaena fragrans (Agavaceae) | Reported to be an invasive species in Australia per Barbara Waterhouse, pers. com. |
| Durio zibethinus (Bombacaceae) | Reported to be a potential invader in the Solomon Islands (Wairiu and Wagatora, 2002; pp. 15-17). |
| Echium candicans (Boraginaceae) | Reported as an invasive plant in California per Nancy Vander Velde, pers. com. |
| Enteropogon mollis (Poaceae) | Probably not native to the Galápagos Islands, possibly introduced, per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Etlingera elatior (Zingiberaceae) | Escaped from cultivation in Hawai‘i (Kaua‘i) per David Lorence, pers. com.; cultivated in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Eulophia graminea (Orchidaceae) | Reported as an invasive species in Australia per Barbara Waterhouse, pers. com., and Smith, 2002. |
| Euphorbia lactea (Euphorbiaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Euphorbia milii (Euphorbiaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. The plant is poisonous and the sap can cause blistering of the skin (McMullen, 1999; p. 134). |
| Euphorbia tirucalli (Euphorbiaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Ficus carica (Moraceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Galium canescens (Rubiaceae) | Probably not native to the Galápagos Islands, possibly introduced, per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Geoffroea spinosa (Fabaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Gnaphalium viravira (Asteraceae) | Probably not native to the Galápagos Islands, possibly introduced, per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Guazuma ulmifolia (Sterculiaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Gynerium sagittatum (Poaceae) | |
| Hedychium coccineum (Zingiberaceae) | Reported as an invasive species in Jamaica. |
| Hypericum japonicum (Clusiaceae) | |
| Ichnanthus nemorosus (Poaceae) | Probably not native to the Galápagos Islands, possibly introduced, per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Inga sapindoides (Fabaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Inga striata (Fabaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Ipomoea lobata (Convolvulaceae) | Reported invasive in Tanzania (Rejmánek, 1996). |
| Ixophorus unisetus (Poaceae) | |
| Kalanchoe blossfeldiana (Crassulaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Kalanchoe grandiflora (Crassulaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Koanophyllon solidaginoides (Asteraceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Lampranthus amoenus (Aizoaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Lansium domesticum (Meliaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Lepidium densiflorum (Brassicaceae) | |
| Leptochloa virgata (Poaceae) | |
| Lindernia anagallidea (Scrophulariaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Lonicera x americana (Caprifoliaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Luffa sepium (Cucurbitaceae) | Probably not native to the Galápagos Islands, possibly introduced, per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Matisia cordata (Bombacaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Mentha arvensis (Lamiaceae) | Reported invasive in southeast Asia (Barbara Waterhouse, pers. com.). |
| Mollugo verticillata (Molluginaceae) | |
| Myroxylon balsamum (Fabaceae) | Reported to be invasive in wet and intermediate zones, sub-montane forest in Sri Lanka (Pallawatta et al., 2003; p. 93). |
| Nasturtium officinale (Brassicaceae) | Naturalized and more or less invasive in La Réunion per Christophe Lavergne, pers. com. |
| Oryza rufipogon (Poaceae) | Reported to be an invasive plant in southeast Asia (Barbara Waterhouse, pers. com.). |
| Panicum trichoides (Poaceae) | |
| Paspalum racemosum (Poaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Pedilanthus tithymaloides (Euphorbiaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Peltophorum pterocarpum (Fabaceae) | Planted as an ornamental tree. Some naturalizing reported in Hawai‘i (Starr, pers. com.). |
| Phyllanthus emblica (Euphorbiaceae) | A potentially invasive species in Australia (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 123). |
| Phytelephas aequatorialis (Arecaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Polygala myrtifolia (Polygalaceae) | Reported to be an invasive species in New Zealand (Owen, 1997; p. 86). |
| Polygonum hydropiperoides (Polygonaceae) | Probably not native to the Galápagos Islands, possibly introduced, per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Polyscias guilfoylei (Araliaceae) | Introduced and cultivated in the Galápagos Islands. |
| Pouteria caimito (Sapotaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Pseuderanthemum bicolor (Acanthaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in Fiji (Meyer, 2000; p. 92). |
| Pseudosamanea guachapele (Fabaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Ranunculus flagelliformis (Ranunculaceae) | Probably not native to the Galápagos Islands, possibly introduced, per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Rhamnus alaternus (Rhamnaceae) | Reported as an invasive plant in New Zealand (Owen, 1996). |
| Schoenoplectus juncoides (Cyperaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in southeast Asia (Barbara Waterhouse, pers. com.). |
| Sinapis arvensis (Brassicaceae) | |
| Solanum betaceum (Solanaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Solanum sisymbriifolium (Solanaceae) | Reported invasive in Spain. A noxious weed in South Africa (Henderson, 1995; p. 177). |
| Spondias mombin (Anacardiaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Tamarindus indica (Fabaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Terminalia catappa (Combretaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. Native in the eastern Pacific region. |
| Thalia geniculata (Marantaceae) | |
| Thaumatococcus daniellii (Marantaceae) | A potential invasive species in Australia (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998; p. 131). |
| Thuja orientalis (Cupressaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Tibouchina heteromalla (Melastomataceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Tradescantia pallida (Commelinaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Trema micranthum (Ulmaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Triplaris americana (Polygonaceae) | A declared noxious weed in South Africa. |
| Typha angustifolia (Typhaceae) | |
| Urera caracasana (Urticaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Urochloa fusca (Poaceae) | |
| Valeriana chaerophylloides (Valerianaceae) | Probably not native to the Galápagos Islands, possibly introduced, per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Wisteria sinensis (Fabaceae) | |
| Zingiber officinale (Zingiberaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Zornia piurensis (Fabaceae) | Probably not native to the Galápagos Islands, possibly introduced, per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
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This page was last updated on 15 Dec 2008.