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). |
| 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 per Meyer, 2000. |
| 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). |
| 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.). |
| Cereus peruvianus (Cactaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| 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) | Reported as an invasive species in the book "Tropical Weeds" (Cardenas et al., 1972; p. 173). |
| Cocos nucifera (Arecaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Cordia sebestena (Boraginaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Hawaiian Islands per Staples et al., 2000. |
| Coreopsis basalis (Asteraceae) | Reported to be invasive in Japan; present (at least at one time) on Jaluit, Marshall Islands |
| 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. |
| 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) | Reported as an invasive species in the book "Dicot Weeds" (Hafliger & Wolf, 1988; p. 165) and collections at high elevation sites in Hawai‘i. |
| 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) |
| 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). |
| 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) | Reported as an invasive species in the book "Tropical Weeds" (Cardenas et al., 1972; p. 23). |
| Hedychium coccineum (Zingiberaceae) | Reported as an invasive species in Jamaica. |
| Hypericum japonicum (Clusiaceae) | Reported as an invasive species present in the Pacific in the book "Dicot Weeds" (Hafliger & Wolf, 1988; p. 251). |
| 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) | Possibly naturalized or invasive in Hawaii (Herbst & Wagner, 1999) |
| 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) | Reported as an invasive species in the book "Dicot Weeds" (Hafliger & Wolf, 1988; p. 180) and collections on the island of Hawai‘i. |
| Leptochloa virgata (Poaceae) | Wagner et al. report three collections but that its status needs further study. |
| 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. |
| Melampodium divaricatum (Asteraceae | Reported as an invasive species in the book "Tropical Weeds" (Cardenas et al., 1972; p. 133); reported naturalized in Myanmar (GRIN). |
| Mentha arvensis (Lamiaceae) | Reported invsive in southeast Asia per Barbara Waterhouse, pers. com. |
| Mollugo verticillata (Aizoaceae) | Reported as an invasive species in the book "Tropical Weeds" (Cardenas et al., 1972; p. 93). |
| Myoporum laetum (Myoporaceae) | Reported as an invasive species in California per California Invasive Plant Council. |
| Myroxylon balsamum (Fabaceae) | Reported to be invasive in wet and intermediate zones, sub-montane forest in Sri Lanka (Pallawatta et al., 2003). |
| Nasturtium officinale (Brassicaceae) | Naturalized and more or less invasive in La Réunion per Christophe Lavergne, pers. com. |
| Oryza rufipogon (Poaceae) | Reported as an invasive plant in southeast Asia per Barbara Waterhouse, pers. com. |
| Panicum trichoides (Poaceae) | Reported as an invasive species in the book "Tropical Weeds" (Cardenas et al., 1972; p. 43). |
| 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 et al., 2002). |
| Phyllanthus emblica (Euphorbiaceae) | A potentially invasive species in Australia (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998). |
| 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). |
| 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. Weed risk assessment "accept". |
| 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 per Meyer, 2000. |
| Pseudosamanea guachapele (Fabaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Pteris cretica (Pteridaceae) | Reported to be an invasive species in Peru per Rejmánek, 1996. |
| 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 per Barbara Waterhouse, pers. com. |
| Sinapis arvensis (Brassicaceae) | Reported as an invasive species in the book "Dicot Weeds" (Hafliger & Wolf, 1988; pp. 198-200) and a collection on the island of Moloka‘i. |
| 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 per Henderson, 1995. |
| 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) | Reported as an invasive species in the book "Tropical Weeds" (Cardenas et al., 1972; p. 233). |
| Thaumatococcus daniellii (Marantaceae) | A potential invasive species in Australia (Csurhes & Edwards, 1998). |
| 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) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in southeast Asia per Barbara Waterhouse, pers. com. |
| Urera caracasana (Urticaceae) | Reported as possibly an invasive plant in the Galápagos Islands per Charles Darwin Research Station. |
| Urochloa fusca (Poaceae) | Reported as an invasive species in the book "Tropical Weeds" (Cardenas et al., 1972; p. 39). |
| 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 updated 4 January 2008