Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)
Report on invasive plant species in Kiribati
Appendix 1. Invasive Species
Table 4. Other species that are reported as invasive or weedy elsewhere and are common, weedy or cultivated on Tarawa, Abemama, Butaritari or Maiana
Scientific Name |
Common Names |
Family |
Habit |
‡Achyranthes aspera | English: chaff-flower, devil’s horsewhip; prickly chaff-flower; Other: piripiri (Cook Islands); kōpū varu (Cook Islands (‘Atiu, Ma‘uke)); tumu ‘enua (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); sono ivi (Fiji); aerofai (French Polynesia (Tahiti));chichitun, lasogado, lasocata (Guam-Chamorro); talamoa fisi (Niue); louch beluu, louch el beluu (Palau); lautafifi (Samoa); tamatama (Samoa, Tonga) | Amaranthaceae | herb |
‡Agave americana | English: American aloe, century plant; Other: maguey (Guam-Chamorro) | Agavaceae | succulent |
Agave sisalana | English: sisal, sisal hemp; Other: ndali, natali (Fiji), malina (Hawai’i), te robu, te rob’ (Kiribati) | Agavaceae | succulent |
‡Amaranthus viridis | English: green amaranth, pigweed, slender amaranth; French: amarante verte; Other: va‘ine ‘ara (Cook Islands); chauriya, chauraiya, choroiya, ndriti, ngasau ni vuaka, tumua (Fiji); kuletes apaka (Guam—Chamorro); pakai, ‘aheahea, pakaikai, pakapakai (Hawai’i); te mota (Kiribati); ‘au tasi (Samoa); spinach (Solomon Islands); tupu‘a (Tonga) | Amaranthaceae | herb |
*#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 |
Asclepias curassavica | English: bastard ipecac, blood flower, bloodflower milkweed, butterfly weed, false ipecac, milkweed; French: herbe a gendarme, ipéca sauvage; Other: tirika, tiare moko (Cook Islands); false ipiciachuana, wathiwathi, vu ni lolia, madhar (Fiji); laulele, lauhele, nu‘umela, pua ‘anuhe (Hawai’i); pepetoa, vaomumu, vao fualele (Samoa); lou pepe, tu‘ulapepe (Tonga) | Asclepiadaceae | herb |
*Asystasia gangetica | English: Chinese violet, Philippine violet, coromandel | Acanthaceae | herb |
Bambusa spp. | English: bamboo; French: terna; Other: iich (Chuuk); ko‘e papa‘ā (Cook Islands); bitu (Fiji); ‘ohe (French Polynesia, Hawai’i); ‘ofe (French Polynesia, Samoa), pi‘ao, pi‘ao palaoan (Guam and Northern Marianas-Chamorro); bwai (Guam and Northern Marianas-Carolinian); �terna (Kosrae); te kaibaba (Kiribati); bae, koba (Marshall Islands); kaho palangi (Niue); pehri en sapahn (Pohnpei); bambuu, esel (Palau); ‘ofe Fiti, ‘ofe palagi (Samoa); kofe (Tonga, Tuvalu); pitu (Tonga); pampu (Tuvalu); moor (Yap) | Poaceae | tree |
†‡Brassica juncea | English: Chinese mustard, India mustard, Indian mustard, Oriental mustard; Other: sausi (Fiji); mostaza (Guam-Chamorro); te kabiti, te kabiti n Tiaina (Kiribati) | Brassicaceae | herb |
*#Breynia disticha | English: snowbush, snowbush breynia, sweetpea bush, foliage-flower; Other: maemae (Cook Islands (Miti‘aro)) | Euphorbiaceae | shrub |
†Bryophyllum delagoense | English: chandelier plant | Crassulaceae | succulent |
*Caladium bicolor | English: caladium, elephant’s-ear, fancy-leaf caladium, heart-of-Jesus; Other: corazon de Santa Maria (Guam-Chamorro); kalo-kalakoa (Hawai’i) | Araceae | herb |
*Calotropis gigantea | English: calotrope, crown flower, madar; French: mercure �ternal, mudar; Other: pua-kalaunu (Hawai’i); tahinu (French Polynesia); te bumorimori (Kiribati | Ascelepiadaceae | shrub |
Calyptocarpus vialis | Asteraceae | herb | |
*Canna indica | English: canna, canna lily, Indian shot; French: balisier comestible, tous-les-mois; Other: fanamanu, fagamanu, fa‘I masoa (American Samoa and Samoa); nūāenga (Cook Islands); tiare papa‘ā (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); pia renga (Cook Islands (Aitutaki)); gasau ni ga (Fiji); pia-raroto‘a (French Polynesia); fagafaga (Futuna); mongos halum-tano (Guam); ali‘ipoe, li’ipoe, poloka (Hawai’i); te riti (Kiribati), luiuenwai (Pohnpei); apeellap, oruuru (Puluwat); te misimisi (Tonga) | Cannaceae | herb |
Casuarina equisetifolia | English: casuarina, ironwood, Australian pine, she-oak, horsetail tree, beefwood; French: arbe de fer; Other: toa (American Samoa, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Hawai’i, Niue, Samoa and Tonga); weeku (Chuuk); nokonoko, nokonoko ndamu, nggaro, thau, velau, nakure, qaro (Fiji); ‘aito (French Polynesia (Society Islands)); gagu, gago (Guam, CNMI-Chamorro); weighu (CNMI-Carolinian); pientri (pinetree), bû ukam (bluegum on some atolls), nidil, nidõ (needle on some atolls), te burukam, te katurina (Kiribati); mejinoki (Marshall Islands); agas, agasu, ngas, ngasu (Palau); ueuhir (Satawal); neokuk, ueoku, ueokuk (Satawan); lach (Ulithi); laash (Woleai); noc, nach (Yap); te katurina (from Ecoport, source not given) | Casuarinaceae | tree |
Catharanthus roseus | English: Cape periwinkle, Madagascar periwinkle, old-maid, rose periwinkle, rosy periwinkle; French: pervenche de Madagascar; Other: tiare tāpau (Cook Islands), tiare mākaru (Cook Islands (Mangaia, Oneroa Village)); tiare mākurūta (Cook Islands (Ngaputou)); tiare kimo (Cook Islands (eastern Rarotonga)); tiare akiaki (northern Cook Islands); taramea, tiara taramea (Cook Islands (Aitutaki?)); kātini (Cook Islands (Mangaia, Tamarua Villiage)); kihapai (Hawai’i)); te buraroti (Kiribati) | Apocynaceae | herb |
†Cenchrus ciliaris | English: buffelgrass, African foxtail grass, anjan grass; French: cenchrus cilié | Poaceae | grass |
‡Chamaecrista nictitans | English: partridge pea, Japanese tea senna; Other: lauki (Hawai’i); kobo-cha, nemu-cha (Japan) | Fabaceae | shrub |
†Chamaesyce thymifolia | English: red caustic creeper, thyme-leafed spurge | Euphorbiaceae | herb |
†‡Chloris barbata | English: swollen fingergrass, purpletop chloris (Australia), airport grass (Fiji); Other: mau’u lei (Hawai’i) | Poaceae | grass |
Cleome viscosa | English: tickweed, spider flower; Other: monggos-paluma, mongos-paloma (Chamorro-Guam) | Capparaceae | herb |
*Clitoria ternatea | English: butterfly pea, Asian pigeonwings; French: honte; Other: buikike, bukike, paokeke, bukike paokeke, capa de la reina, �tern de la raina (Guam); putitainubia (CNMI); pepe (Niue); kles (Palau); latoela, nawa (Fiji), paipa (Tonga) | Fabaceae | vine |
†‡Conyza bonariensis | English: flax-leaf fleabane, hairy fleabane, hairy horseweed, wavy-leaf fleabane; Other: lani wela (Hawai’i) | Asteraceae | herb |
‡Crotalaria incana | English: fuzzy rattlepod, woolly rattlepod; Other: kūkaehoki, kolomona (Hawai’i); kuroteraria (Palau) | Fabaceae | shrub |
‡Crotalaria retusa | English: devil-bean, wedge-leaf crotalaria, wedge-leaf rattlepod; Other: piini? (Tonga) | Fabaceae | herb |
†‡Crotalaria spectabilis | English: rattlebox, showy crotalaria, showy rattlebox, showy rattlepod; French: crotalaire remarquable; Other: kolomona (Hawai’i); ha’apai (Tonga) | Fabaceae | herb |
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 �ternal, zacate �ternal, grama dulce, gramón, hierba fina, grama-seda, (from Ecoport, no source given) | Poaceae | grass |
Dactyloctenium aegyptium | English: beach wiregrass, button grass, coast button grass, comb fringe grass, crowfoot grass, duck grass, finger comb grass; Other: te uteute (Kiribati) | Poaceae | grass |
Delonix regia | English: flame tree, flamboyant, �ternal�i; French: pacayer; Other: pātai (Cook Islands (Rarotonga, Mangaia, Aitutaki, Penrhyn, Manihiki, Rakahanga)); raākau taāmarumaru, taāmarumaru, (Cook Islands (Atiu)); pukakai (Cook Islands (Aitutaki)); puū piī (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke)); marumaru (Cook Islands (Miti‘aro)); fayarbaw, nfayarbaw (CNMI–Carolinian); sekoula (Fiji); pakai, puke (Tahiti, French Polynesia); arbol del fuego, atbot, atbot det fuegu, atbut (Guam and CNMI–Chamorro); ‘ohai ‘ula (Hawai’i); te kaitetua (Kiribati); pine (Niue); nangiosákura, nangiosikura, nangyo (Palau); pilampwoia weitahta (Pohnpei); tamaligi (Samoa); ‘ohai (Tonga); fua tausaga (Tuvalu); sakuranirow (Yap) | Fabaceae | tree |
Desmodium incanum | English: kaimi clover, Spanish clover; Other: ngātoro (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke)); ka‘imi (Hawai’i) | Fabaceae | shrub |
Desmodium tortuosum | English: Florida beggarweed, Spanish clover, �tern ticktrefoil | Fabaceae | herb |
‡Desmodium triflorum | English: creeping tick trefoil, three-flower beggarweed, tropical trefoil; Other: olmud (Palau); konikoni, vakathengu (Fiji); kihikihi (Tonga) | Fabaceae | herb |
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); te uteute, te uteute na banabana (Kiribati); mahkwekwe (Kosrae); katejukjuk (Marshall Islands); mosie fahitalo (Niue); deskim, kelelamalk, keteketarmalk (Palau); reh takai (Pohnpei); takataka, takataka ‘a leala, mohuku siamane (Tonga) | Poaceae | grass |
‡Eleutheranthera ruderalis | Other: pakaka (Tonga) | Asteraceae | herb |
‡Emilia sonchifolia | English: Cupid’s shaving-brush, emilia, Flora’s paint brush, purple sow thistle, sow thistle; French: émilie; Other: pupu lele (Niue); pualele (Niue, Samoa); fua lele, fua lele lili‘I (Samoa); longlongo‘uha (Tonga)) | Asteraceae | herb |
Euphorbia cyathophora | English: dwarf poinsettia, fire-on-the-mountain, Mexican fire plant, painted spurge, wild poinsettia; Other: te kabekau (Kiribati); deriba (Nauru) | Euphorbiaceae | herb |
*†Ficus benghalensis | English: banyan, Indian banyan, vada tree; French: figuier des �ternal; Other: pulu (Samoa) | Moraceae | tree |
*†Gliricidia sepium | English: mother of cacao, quickstick, Mexican lilac; Other: rechesengel (Palau) | Fabaceae | tree |
*Gloriosa superba | English: climbing-lily, creeping-lily, flame-lily, glory-lily, gloriosa lily; Other: riri vavai-moa (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)) | Liliaceae | herb |
†Gomphrena globosa | English: bachelor’s-button, bozu, globe amaranth, pearly everlasting; French: amarantine; Other: pōkai kura (Cook Islands); poe ura (French Polynesia); buton agaga (Guam-Chamorro); lehua mau loa, lehua, lehua pepa, leihua (Hawai’i); te motiti, te moteti (Kiribati); malila (Niue, Samoa); botang (Palau) | Amaranthaceae | herb |
Heliotropium procumbens var. depressum | English: four-spike heliotrope, slender heliotrope | Boraginaceae | herb |
†Hemigraphis reptans | Acanthaceae | herb | |
*Ipomoea aquatica | English: aquatic morning glory, swamp cabbage, water spinach, ung-choi, kang kong; French: liseron d'eau, patate aquatique; Other: aseri, seeri, seri (Chuuk); rukau taviri? (Cook Islands); ota karisa, ota karisi, wa kumala, ndrinikava, luve ne tombithi (Fiji), akankong, cancon, kangkun, kangkung, kankan (Guam); te kang kong, te ruku (Kiribati); lorenzo (Nauru), kankum, kangum, kangkum (Palau); lili vai (Samoa); kangkong (Ulithi, Yap); kangking, kongkong (Yap) | Convolvulaceae | aquatic herb |
†Jasminum sambac | English: Arabian jasmine; French: jasmin d'Arabie; Other: pītate papa‘ā (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)); sampagita (Guam—Chamorro); te bitati (Kiribati) | Oleaceae | vine |
†‡Kyllinga nemoralis | English: white kyllinga, whitehead spikesedge, whitewater sedge; Other: neke ‘enua (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke, Ngaputoru?)); chaguan lemae, botoncillo (Guam—Chamorro); kili‘o‘opu, mau‘u mokae (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 |
*Lantana camara | English: lantana; Other: latana (American Samoa and Samoa); tātarāmoa papa‘ā (Cook Islands); tātarāmoa (Cook Islands, French Polynesia); kauboica, kaumboitha, mbonambulumakau, mbona ra mbulumakau, tokalau, waiwai, lanitana (Fiji); tarataramoa, taratara hamoa (French Polynesia); latora moa (French Polynesia (Tahiti)); lakana, la‘au kalakala, lanakana (Ni‘ihau), mikinolia hihiu, mikinolia hohono, mikinolia kuku (Hawai’i); ros fonacni (Kosrae); te kaibuaka (Kiribati); migiroa (Nauru), landana, rantana, rahndana, tukasuweth (Pohnpei); talatala, talatala talmoa (Tonga) | Verbenaceae | shrub |
#Licuala grandis | English: ruffled fan palm; French: palmier-cuillère | Arecaceae | tree (palm) |
‡Malvastrum coromandelianum | English: false mallow, prickly malvastrum; Other: purūmu (Cook Islands); te‘ehosi, te‘ehoosi (Tonga) | Malvaceae | herb |
‡Melinis repens | English: Natal redtop, Natal grass, red Natal grass, Holme's grass, blanketgrass; French: herbe du Natal, herbe rose, herbe pappangue; tricholène (New Caledonia); Other: salapona (Tonga) | Poaceae | grass |
*‡Momordica charantia | English: balsam-apple, bitter-melon, bitter gourd, balsam pear, squirting cucumber, cerasee, peria; French: momordique, margose (Réunion, Mauritius Islands), margose amère, momordique amère, concombre amer, concombre africain; Other: pōkutekute rengarenga (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)); kerala (Fiji); almagosa, atmagosu (Guam); atmagoso (Guam, CNMI); markoso, markosong (Palau); meleni 'ae kuma, vaine 'initia (Tonga) | Cucurbitaceae | vine |
Ocimum basilicum | English: wild basil, clove basil, sweet basil, tree basil; French: basilic, menthe gabonaise; Other: miri tītā, miri tūtae puaka, miri nganga‘ere, miri tūpāpaku (Cook Islands); miri papa‘ā, miri taratoni (Cook Islands, French Polynesia); te marou (Kiribati); la’au sauga (Samoa) | Lamiaceae | herb |
Oldenlandia corymbosa | Rubiaceae | herb | |
‡Paspalum fimbriatum | English: fimbriate paspalum, winged paspalum, Panama paspalum, Panama crowngrass, Columbia grass | Poaceae | grass |
‡Paspalum scrobiculatum | English: rice grass; creeping paspalum, ditch millet, Indian paspalum, kodo millet, water couch; Other: māatāa (Cook Islands); co duru levu, tho nduru levu, tho ndina, tho ni ndina (Fiji); mau‘u laiki (Hawai’i); desum (Palau); karasi (Solomon Islands) | Poaceae | grass |
Paspalum setaceum | Poaceae | grass | |
Physalis angulata | English: annual ground cherry, bladder cherry (Solomon Islands), wild cape gooseberry (Fiji); Other: tūpera tāmaru-ariki (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); kospeli, mbotembote yandra, mburasu, mborosousou, mborosousou ni vavalangi, mokoai, thevuthevu (Fiji); tamanufairi, tamaru ha‘ari (French Polynesia); tomate chaca (Guam-Chamorro); te baraki, te bin (Kiribati); watomo (Nauru); manini (Niue); bubeubedul (Palau); vivao (Samoa); polopa (Tonga) | Solanaceae | herb |
†‡Physalis peruviana | English: Cape gooseberry, goldenberry, gooseberry-tomato, Peruvian ground-cherry, Peruvian-cherry; French: capuli, coqueret du Peru, groseiller du cap; Other: tūpera (Cook Islands); botebote yadra, mbotembote yandra, kospeli, maulaqua, maulanggua, tukiyadra, tukiyandra (Fiji); tupere (French Polynesia), pohā, pa‘ina (Hawai’i); te baraki, te bin (Kiribati); manini (Niue); ku‘usi (Tonga) | Solanaceae | shrub |
Pilea microphylla | English: artillery plant, gunpowder plant, pistol plant, rockweed, Samoan fern (Samoa); Other: kiona topa (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke)), pikimaka (Niue), tamole (Samoa) | Urticaceae | herb |
†‡Polygala paniculata | English: island snake-root; Other: ai roi ni turaga, teketekeniulumatua, tekiteki ni ulumatua, senikuila, mindi, tamoli (Fiji); keskus ra mekesong (Palau); namupululola, pulunamulole (Samoa) | Polygalaceae | herb |
Portulaca oleracea | English: pigweed, purslane; French: pourpier; Other: pōkea papa‘ā (Cook Islands, French Polynesia (Tuamotus)); katuri (Cook Islands (Penrhyn)); ongoongo (Cook Islands (Pukapuka)); taukuku ni vuaka, taukuka ni vuaka, amlonia (Fiji); aturi (French Polynesia (Tahiti); botdolagas, bodulagas, donkulu (Guam-Chamorro); ‘ākulikuli kula, ‘ākulikuli lau li‘i, ‘ihi (Hawai’i); te boi (Kirbati); kamole (Niue); pokea (Niue, French Polynesia (Marquesas, Tuamotu)); tamole (Samoa, Tonga) | Portulacaceae | herb |
*Pseuderanthemum carruthersii | English: false eranthemum; Other: tiare ‘āpa-mata‘iti (Cook Islands); te iaro (Kiribati) | Acanthaceae | shrub |
‡Psidium guajava | English: guava; French: goyavier; 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, abas guayaba (Guam, Saipan-Chamorro, Yap); kuawa, kuawa ke‘oke‘o, kuawa lemi, kuawa momona, pauwa (Hawai’i); kuhfahfah (Kosrae); te kuawa, te kuwawa (Kiribati); kuwawa (Nauru); kautoga, kautonga, kautoga tane, kautonga tane (Niue); guabang, kuabang (Palau); guahva, kuahpa (Pohnpei); apas (Saipan); abwas (Saipan-Carolinian) | Myrtaceae | tree |
‡Pueraria montana var. lobata | English: kudzu, Japanese arrowroot; Other: aka (American Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Wallis and Futuna); a‘a (American Samoa and Samoa); yaka , wa yaka, nggariaka (Fiji); akataha, fue‘aepuaka (Tonga); deday (Yap); acha, nepalem | Fabaceae | vine |
*Sansevieria trifasciata | English: bowstring hemp, mother-in-law’s tongue; French: chanvre d'Afrique; Other: riri (Cook Islands); tigre (Guam), kitelel (Palau) | Agavaceae | herb |
Sida acuta | broom weed, southern sida, spiny sida | Malvaceae | herb |
Sida rhombifolia | English: arrow-leaf sida, Cuban jute, Paddy's lucerne, Queensland-hemp, teaweed; French: faux thé, herbe à balais; Other: purūmu (Cook Islands, French Polynesia (Tahiti)), thavuthindra, nggavi ni lawa, nggavi ni lathoi, ndenime, ndeniosa, ndeni vuaka, ndeni puaka, mbariara (Fiji); escobilla dalili, escobilla apaka, escobilla adumelon (Guam-Chamorro); motofu (Niue); keak (Palau); mautofu (Samoa, Niue?); mamafu‘ai (Solomon Islands); te‘ehosi, te‘ehoosi (Tonga) | Malvaceae | shrub |
*Solenostemon scutellarioides | English: coleus; Other: terevete (Cook Islands); lata, lau lata (Fiji); weleweka (Hawai’i); selevese (Niue); koramahd, koaramahd (Pohnpei); pate, patiale, la‘au fai sei (Samoa) | Lamiaceae | herb |
Sonchus oleraceus | English: annual sow thistle, common sow thistle, hare's-lettuce, milk thistle, sow thistle; Other: pū‘ā (Cook Islands); pualele (Hawai‘i), pupe lele, puha, puna (Niue); longolongo'uha (Tonga) | Asteraceae | herb |
Sporobolus indicus | English: smutgrass, wiregrass, Indian dropseed; Other: fisihina (Tonga) | Poaceae | grass |
‡Stenotaphrum secundatum | English: buffalo grass, St. Augustine grass; French: chiendent de boeuf; Other: ‘aki‘aki haole, mānienie ‘aki‘aki, mānienie ‘aki‘aki haole, mānienie māhikihiki (Hawai‘i) | Poaceae | grass |
Tecoma stans | English: yellow bells, yellow-elder, yellow trumpetbush; Other: tekoma (Cook Islands); piti (French Polynesia, Tonga); nei Karairai (Kiribati); peeal (Puluwat) | Bignoniaceae | small tree |
Urochloa subquadripara | English: brachiaria, green summer grass, tropical signalgrass, cori grass | Poaceae | grass |
Ziziphus mauritiana | English: Indian jujube, Chinese date, Chinee apple; Other: manzanas, manzanita, jujube (Guam); baer, bahir, baher (Fiji) | Rhamnaceae | tree |
* Cultivated or, if not seen, most likely in cultivation
†Reported present by Fosberg et al. (1979)
‡Reported present by Swarbrick (1997)
#Reported present by Thaman (1987)
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