Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)
Report on invasive plant species in the Cook Islands
Appendix 10. Invasive and potentially invasive species reported to be present on other Cook Islands
Scientific Name |
Common Names |
Family |
Habit |
Other Cook Is. Locations |
Acacia mangium | English: mangium, brown salwood, black wattle, hickory wattle; Other: ākasia (Cook Islands); tuhkehn pwelmwahu (Pohnpei) | Fabaceae | tree | Penrhyn |
Annona muricata | English: soursop, prickly custard apple; French: corossolier, cacheimantier épineux, cachiman épineux, corossol épineux; Other: kātara‘apa (Cook Islands); kātara‘apa papa‘ā (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); naponapo taratara (Cook Islands (Aitutaki)); saasaf, sasaf (Chuuk); tapotapo papaa (French Polynesia); laguana, laguaná, laguanaha, laguanaba, labuanaha (Guam); sosap (Kosrae); jojaab (Marshall Islands); syasyap (Northern Mariana Islands), talapo fotofoto (Niue), sausab (Palau); sei, sae, truka shai (Pohnpei); sasalapa (Samoa); ‘apele ‘initia (Tonga); sausau (Yap) | Annonaceae | tree | Penrhyn (cult.?) |
Annona squamosa | English: sugar apple, sweetsop, custard apple, sugar apple; French: annone écailleuse, pomme-canelle; Other: tapotapo (Cook Islands, French Polynesia); tapotapo Māori (Cook Islands); kātara‘apa Māori (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); naponapo Māori (Cook Islands (Aitutaki)); atis, ates (Guam); ngel ra ngebard (Palau), ‘apele papalangi, ‘apele Tonga (Tonga), nameana (Tuvalu) | Annonaceae | tree | Manihhiki (cult.?), Penrhyn (cult.?), Pukapuka (cult.?) |
Asparagus setaceus | English: ornamental asparagus, climbing asparagus fern, plumosa; French: asperge plumeuse; Other: remu (Cook Islands); taupo ‘ou (Tonga) | Liliaceae | vine | Palmerston |
Bryophyllum pinnatum | English: life plant, air plant, resurrection plant, Canterbury bells, cathedral bells, Mexican love plant; Spanish: hoja del aire; Other: ngāngā‘ere toka (Cook Islands); bulatawamudu (Fiji); ‘oliwa ku kahakai (Hawai'i); teang (Kiribati); kibilia (Marshall Islands); tupu he lau, tupu noa (Niue); pagi (Samoa); pipi vao (Tonga) | Crassulaceae | herb | Manihiki, Rakahanga (cult.) |
Cenchrus echinatus | English: burgrass, sand-bur, southern sandbur, Mossman River grass (Australia); French: herbe a cateaux (Mauritius); Other: tuitui, vao tuitui (American Samoa and Samoa); piripiri (Cook Islands); pārango (Cook Islands (Ngaputoru)); se mbulabula (Fiji); piri-piri, pipiri (French Polynesia); mau‘u kuku, ‘ume‘alu (Hawai'i); te anti, te kateketeke (Kiribati); cram-cram (New Caledonia); motie vihilago, mosie vihilango (Niue); lõklõk, kãlõklõk, lellik, lekelik, liklik, karmwijmwij, karumwij (Marshall Islands); cauit-cauitan (Philippines); hefa (Tonga) | Poaceae | grass | Manihiki, Manuae, Nassau, Palmerston, Penrhyn, Rakahanga, Pukapuka |
Chloris barbata | English: swollen fingergrass, purpletop chloris (Australia), airport grass (Fiji); Other: mau’u lei (Hawai'i) | Poaceae | grass | Penrhyn |
Clerodendrum buchananii var. fallax | English: red clerodendrum, pagoda-flower; Other: rākau tupopoku (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)); talufe (Niue); lau‘awa (Hawai‘i); amo’ula, amo’ule (Tonga) | Verbenaceae | shrub | Manihiki |
Commelina diffusa | English: commelina, dayflower, wandering Jew, spiderwort; Spanish: chiriyuyo; Other: mauku-vai, mauku ‘oro‘enua, mauku puakatoro (Cook Islands); semprebiban-damalong (Guam); honohono (Hawai‘i); mau‘utoga, mau‘u Tonga (American Samoa and Samoa); mohuku vai, musie matala pulu (Tonga); ai rorongi, ai rongorongo, airogorogo, cobulabula, rongomatailevu, thombulambula, matembulambula, drano,duludauwere, ndrano, ndulandauwere, luna, tho nggalonggalo (Fiji), ma‘apape (French Polynesia) | Commelinaceae | herb | Manihiki |
Cryptostegia madagascariensis | English: Madagascar rubber vine | Asclepiadaceae | vine | Penrhyn (cult.) |
Cynodon dactylon | English: Bermuda grass, giant Bermuda grass, bahama grass, devil's grass, couch grass, Indian doab, grama, devilgrass, couchgrass, balama grass; French: chiendent, petit chiendent, chiendent pied-de-poule; Other: matie (Cook Islands); manini, manienie (Hawai‘i); motie molulu (Niue); kambuta, kabuta (Fiji); mosie molulu (Niue); herbe de couverture (New Caledonia); pasto bermuda, zacate bermuda, grama dulce, gramón, hierba fina, grama-seda, (from Ecoport, no source given) | Poaceae | grass | Manihiki, Penrhyn |
Cyperus rotundus | English: nut grass, nutsedge, purple nutsedge, cocograss; French: souchet rond, souchet à tubercules, herbe à oignon; Other: mauku ‘ōniāni, ‘ōniāni (Cook Islands); soro na kambani, sora na kambani, soro ni kabani, ivako, malanga, vucesa, motha, vuthesa mot ha (Fiji); chaguan humatag (Guam); kili'o'opu, mau‘u mokae (Hawai‘i); te mumute (Kiribati); tuteoneon (Marshall Islands); mumuta (Samoa, Tokelau); pakopako (Tonga) | Cyperaceae | sedge | Penrhyn |
Dieffenbachia seguine | English: dieffenbachia, dumb cane; Other: yalu ni vavalagi (Fiji) | Araceae | herb | Penrhyn (cult.) |
Digitaria ciliaris | English: Henry's crabgrass, smooth crabgrass, tropical crab grass, large crab grass, southern crabgrass, fingergrass, summer grass; French: digitaire ciliée; Other: kukaepua'a (Hawai'i); Saulangi (Niue) | Poaceae | grass | Manihiki, Manuae, Palmerston, Penrhyn, Pukapuka, Rakahanga |
Eleusine indica | English: goosegrass, wiregrass, goose foot, crow's foot, bullgrass; French: pied de poule; Other: fahitalo, lau ta‘a ta‘a, ta‘a ta‘a (American Samoa and Samoa); mauku mārōki‘aki‘a (Cook Islands); kavoronaisivi, vorovoroisivi, ghoraya (Fiji); tamamau (French Polynesia), umog (Guam); manienie ali‘i (Hawaii); mahkwekwe (Kosrae); katejukjuk (Marshall Islands); mosie fahitalo (Niue); deskim, keteketarmalk (Palau); reh takai (Pohnpei); takataka, takataka ‘a leala, mohuku siamane (Tonga); te uteute (from Ecoport, source not given) | Poaceae | grass | Manihiki, Nassau, Palmerston, Penrhyn, Pukapuka, Rakahanga |
Eugenia uniflora | English: Surinam cherry, red Brazil cherry; French: cerisier carré, cerisier de Cayenne; Other: venevene (Cook Islands); menemene (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); kafika, kafika palangi (Niue), pitanga (Brazil) | Myrtaceae | shrub/tree | Manihiki, Palmerston |
Kyllinga brevifolia | English: green kyllinga, green water sedge; Other: tumu ‘enua (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke)); kili‘o‘opu, kaluha, manunene, mau‘u mokae (Hawai‘i); tuise (Samoa); pakopako (Tonga) | Cyperaceae | sedge | Pukapuka, Rakahanga |
English: white kyllinga, whitehead spikesedge, whitewater sedge; Other: neke ‘enua (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke, Ngaputoru?)); chaguan lemae, botoncillo (Guam—Chamorro); kili‘o‘opu (Hawai‘i), ta‘a ta‘a, ta‘a ta‘a vili taliga, matie upo‘o, matie Tahiti, mo‘u upo‘onui, mo‘u upo‘o, tuise (Samoa); pakopako, pakopako ‘ae kuma (Tahiti); tuise (Tonga) | Cyperaceae | sedge | Penrhyn, Rakahanga | |
Mimosa pudica | English: sensitive plant, sleeping grass; French: sensitive; Other: la‘au fefe, vao fefe, vao tuitui, tuitui (American Samoa and Samoa); pikika‘a, rākau pikika‘a, rākau ‘avare, rākau ‘avarevare, tiare pikika‘a, tītā pikika‘a, rākau pikika (Cook Islands); paope ‘āvare (Cook Islands (Ngaputoru)); tho ngandrongandro, tho kandrodandro, cogadrogadro (Fiji); pohe ha‘avare, pope ha‘avare (French Polynesia); betguen sosa (Guam); pua hilahila (Hawai‘i); memege (Niue); mechiuaiu (Palau); limemeihr (Pohnpei); mateloi (Tonga) | Fabaceae | herb | Palmerston |
Muntingia calabura | English: jam tree, strawberry tree, Jamaican cherry, Singapore cherry, Panama cherry, Panama berry, ornamental cherry, calabura, sirsen; French: bois ramier; Other: venevene (Cook Islands (Penrhyn)); capulin (Fiji, French Polynesia); manzanilla, mansanita, manzanita (Guam, CNMI), budo (Palau, Yap) | Tiliaceae | tree | Manihiki, Penrhyn, Pukapuka, Rakahanga |
Paspalum conjugatum | English: T grass, ti grass, sour grass; sour palpalum, buffalo grass, carabao grass, Hilo grass (Hawai'i); French: herbe sure, herbe créole; herbe de tauère (New Caledonia); Other: vaolima, (American Samoa, Samoa, Tonga, Niue); fetin wumwune (Chuuk); mauku taravao, mauku katini (Cook Islands); mau‘u Hilo (Hawai‘i), muhsrasre (Kosrae); moise vaolima, motie vaolima (Niue and Tonga); udel ra ngebei (Palau); rehn wai (Pohnpei); vaolima matafao, vaolima papalagi (Samoa) | Poaceae | grass | Palmerston, Rakahanga |
English: sour bush | Asteraceae | shrub | Penrhyn | |
English: Indian fleabane, Indian pluchea, Indian camphorweed | Asteraceae | shrub | Penrhyn | |
English: strawberry guava, cherry guava, Cattley guava, Chinese guava; French: goyavier de Chine; Other: tūava papa‘ā (Cook Islands); ngguava (Fiji), tuava tinito, tuvava tinito (French Polynesia); waiawi ‘ula‘ula (Hawai'i); kuahpa (Pohnpei); ku‘ava (Samoa) | Myrtaceae | tree | Manihiki | |
English: guava; French: goyavier; Spanish: guayaba, guayabo; Other: ku‘ava (American Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Fiji, Samoa); kuafa (Chuuk); tūava, tūvava (Cook Islands, French Polynesia); quwawa, nguava, ngguava ni India, amrut (Fiji); tumu tuava (French Polynesia); abas guayaba (Galapagos); abas (Guam, Saipan-Chamorro, Yap); kuawa, kuawa ke‘oke‘o, kuawa lemi, kuawa momona, pauwa (Hawai‘i); kuhfahfah (Kosrae); te kuava, te kuawa (Kiribati); kuwawa (Nauru); kautoga, kautonga, kautoga tane, kautonga tane (Niue); guabang, kuabang (Palau); guahva, kuahpa (Pohnpei); apas (Saipan); abwas (Saipan-Carolinian) | Myrtaceae | tree | Manihiki, Palmerston, Penrhyn, Pukapuka, Rakahanga | |
Sansevieria trifasciata | English: bowstring hemp, mother-in-law’s tongue; French: chanvre d'Afrique; Other: riri (Cook Islands); tigre (Guam), kitelel (Palau) | Agavaceae | herb | Manihiki, Nassau, Palmerston, Penrhyn, Pukapuka, Rakahanga |
Spathodea campanulata | English: African tulip tree, fireball, fountain tree; French: tulipier du Gabon, pisse-pisse; Spanish: tulipan africano; Other: kō‘ī‘ī, mimi, pātītī vaipatiti vai, pititi vai (Cook Islands); mata kō‘ī‘ī ko‘i‘i (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); apär (CNMI); taga mimi (Fiji); orsachel kui (Palau); tuhke dulip (Pohnpei); fa‘apasi (Samoa); tiulipe (Tonga); rarningobchey (Yap) | Bignoniaceae | tree | Manihiki |
Stachytarpheta cayennensis | English: blue rat's tail, dark-blue snakeweed, false verbena, nettleleaf velvetberry; French: herbe bleue; Other: ouchung, sakura (Chuuk), tiāki (Cook Islands (Miti‘aro)); louch beluu (Palau); mautofu tai, mautofu vao, matofu fualanumoana (American Samoa and Samoa); te uti (Kiribati); mautofu Samoa, motofu Samoa (Niue); hiku ‘i kuma, hiku‘kuma, ‘iku ‘i kuma, iku ‘ikuma (Tonga); turulakaka, tumbutumbu, serakawa, lavenia, se karakarawa (Fiji) | Verbenaceae | herb | Manihiki, Palmerston, Pukapuka |
Syngonium angustatum | English: arrowhead plant, goosefoot plant | Araceae | vine | Penrhyn |
Tradescantia spathacea | English: oyster plant, boat plant, boat lily, moses in a boat; Other: riri mangio (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke)); riri raei (Cook Islands (Miti‘aro)); talotalo, laupapaki (Niue); faina kula (Tonga) | Commelinaceae | herb | Manihiki, Rakahanga |
Tribulus cistoides | English: puncture vine, caltrop, burrnut, Jamaican feverplant, goat’s head; Spanish: cacho de chivo; Other: nohu, nohunohu (Hawai‘i); te maukinikini (Kiribati) | Zygophyllaceae | herb | Penrhyn |
Source: Cook Islands Natural Heritage Project and Bill Sykes (pers. com.)
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