Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)
Report on invasive plant species in Kiribati
Appendix 1. Invasive Species
Table 5. Native species (or Micronesian introductions) that can exhibit aggressive behavior
Scientific Name |
Common Names |
Family |
Habit |
†Abutilon indicum | English: albutilon, Indian abutilon, Indian mallow; Other: malbas, matbas (Guam-Chamorro); te kaura, te kaura ni (Kiribati) | Malvaceae | shrub |
Canavalia cathartica | English: Mauna Loa bean; Other: te kitoko (Kiribati) | Fabaceae | vine |
Cassytha filiformis | English: beach dodder; Other: te ntanini (Kiribati) | Lauraceae | vine |
Eragrostis amabilis | English: Bug's egg grass, Japanese love grass, love grass (Fiji, Guam), female grass (Kiribati); Other: te uteute n’ aine, te uteute te aine (Kiribati); ouemoket (Palau) | Poaceae | grass |
Ipomoea violacea | English: moon flower; Other: te ruku (Kiribati) | Convolvulaceae | vine |
Ludwigia octovalvis | English: willow primrose, false primrose, yellow willow herb; French: faux primerose; Other: tiēmu (Cook Islands); pītōrea (Cook Islands (Ngaputoru and Mangaia), French Polynesia (leeward Society Islands); kāmole, alohalua, kāmole lau li‘i, kāmole lau nui (Hawai‘i); te mam (Kiribati); erur (Palau); laavai, mautofu vao, fua samasama (Samoa) | Onagraceae | herb |
†Sigesbeckia orientalis | English: Indian weed, small yellow crown-beard, yellow crown-head; Other: kamika (Cook Islands (Mangaia)), senikata (Fiji) ‘a‘ami‘a (Samoa), kakamika (Tonga, Wallis and Futuna) | Asteraceae | herb |
Vigna marina | English: beach pea; Other: te kitoko (Kiribati) | Fabaceae | herb |
†Reported present by Fosberg et al. (1979)
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