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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