Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)

Report on invasive plant species in Kiribati

Appendix 4.  Presence of invasive species within Kiribati

Table 2.   Species present elsewhere in Kiribati but not on Abemama

Scientific Name

Common Names

Family

Habit

Locations where present
Antigonon leptopus chain-of-love, coral vine Polygonaceae vine Tarawa
Asclepias curassavica milkweed Asclepiadaceae herb Tarawa, Butaritari
Asystasia gangetica Chinese violet, Philippine violet, coromandel Acanthaceae herb Tarawa, Butaritari
Bambusa spp.   Poaceae herb Butaritari
Bidens pilosa beggar’s tick, Spanish needle, cobbler's pegs Asteraceae herb Tarawa, Butaritari
Blechum pyramidatum green shrimp plant Acanthaceae herb Tarawa, Butaritari
Calotropis gigantea calotrope, crown flower, madar; te bumorimori (Kiribati Ascelepiadaceae shrub Tarawa
Calyptocarpus vialis   Asteraceae herb Tarawa
Canna indica canna, canna lily, Indian shot; te riti (Kiribati) Cannaceae herb Tarawa, Butaritari
Cenchrus ciliaris buffelgrass, African foxtail grass, anjan grass Poaceae grass Tarawa
Cestrum nocturnum night-flowering cestrum, night-flowering jasmine, queen (or lady) of the night Solanaceae shrub Tarawa
Chamaecrista nictitans partridge pea, Japanese tea senna Fabaceae shrub Tarawa
Chamaesyce thymifolia red caustic creeper, thyme-leafed spurge Euphorbiaceae herb Tarawa
Cleome viscosa tickweed, spider flower Capparaceae herb Tarawa
Clitoria ternatea butterfly pea Fabaceae vine Tarawa
Conyza bonariensis flax-leaf fleabane, hairy fleabane Asteraceae herb Tarawa, Butaritari
Crotalaria incana fuzzy rattlepod, woolly rattlepod Fabaceae shrub Tarawa
Crotalaria retusa devil-bean, wedge-leaf rattlepod Fabaceae herb Tarawa
Crotalaria spectabilis rattlebox, showy rattlebox, showy rattlepod Fabaceae herb Tarawa
Cyperus involucratus umbrella sedge, umbrella plant, dwarf papyrus grass Cyperaceae sedge Tarawa
Dactyloctenium aegyptium beach wiregrass, button grass, comb fringe grass, crowfoot grass; te uteute (Kiribati) Poaceae grass Tarawa
Delonix regia flame tree, flamboyant, poinciana; te kaitetua (Kiribati) Fabaceae tree Tarawa, Aranuka, Banaba, Butaritari, Onotoa
Desmodium incanum kaimi clover, Spanish clover Fabaceae herb Tarawa
Desmodium tortuosum Florida beggarweed, Spanish clover, dixie ticktrefoil Fabaceae herb Tarawa
Desmodium triflorum creeping tick trefoil, three-flower beggarweed, tropical trefoil Fabaceae herb Tarawa
Eleocharis geniculata te maunei Cyperaceae sedge Tarawa, Butaritari, Maiana, Marakei, Onotoa
Eleocharis geniculata   Asteraceae herb Tarawa
Emilia sonchifolia Cupid's shaving-brush, emilia, purple sow thistle Asteraceae herb Tarawa
Epipremnum pinnatum cv. Aureum pothos, money plant Araceae vine Tarawa
Ficus benghalensis banyan, Indian banyan, vada tree Moraceae tree Tarawa
Gliricidia sepium mother of cacao, quickstick, Mexican lilac Fabaceae tree Tarawa
Gomphrena globosa bachelor's-button, bozu, globe amaranth, pearly everlasting; te motiti, te moteti (Kiribati) Amaranthaceae herb Tarawa
Heliotropium procumbens var. depressum four-spike heliotrope, slender heliotrope Boraginaceae herb Tarawa
Hemigraphis reptans   Acanthaceae herb Butaritari
Ipomoea violacea moonflower; te ruku (Kiribati, native) Convolvulaceae vine Tarawa, Butaritari, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteuea
Jasminum sambac Arabian jasmine; te bitati (Kiribati) Oleaceae vine Tarawa
Kyllinga brevifolia green kyllinga, green water sedge Cyperaceae sedge Nonouti
Kyllinga nemoralis white kyllinga, whitehead spikesedge, whitewater sedge Cyperaceae sedge Butaritari
Licuala grandis ruffled fan palm Arecaceae tree (palm) Tarawa
Macroptilium atropurpureum siratro, purple bushbean Fabaceae vine Tarawa
Melinis repens Natal grass, Holme's grass, blanketgrass Poaceae grass Tarawa
Momordica charantia balsam-apple, bitter-melon, Cucurbitaceae vine Tarawa
Oldenlandia corymbosa   Rubiaceae herb Tarawa, Butaritari
Panicum maximum Guinea grass, green panic, buffalograss Poaceae grass Tarawa
Paspalum fimbriatum fimbriate paspalum, winged paspalum, Panama paspalum, Panama crowngrass, Columbia grass Poaceae grass Tarawa
Paspalum scrobiculatum rice grass; creeping paspalum, ditch millet, Indian paspalum, kodo millet, water couch Poaceae grass Tarawa
Paspalum setaceum   Poaceae grass Tarawa
Passiflora edulis passion fruit, yellow passion fruit, purple passion fruit, qarandila, purple granadilla Passifloraceae vine Tarawa
Passiflora foetida love-in-a-mist, wild passion fruit, passionflower, stinking passionflower; te biku (Kiribati) Passifloraceae vine Tarawa, Butaritari
Pennisetum polystachion mission grass, feathery pennisetum Poaceae grass Butaritari
Pennisetum purpureum elephant grass, napier grass, merker grass Poaceae grass Tarawa
Physalis peruviana Cape gooseberry, goldenberry, gooseberry-tomato, Peruvian ground-cherry, Peruvian-cherry Solanaceae shrub Butaritari
Pilea microphylla artillery plant, gunpowder plant, rockweed Urticaceae herb Tarawa, Butaritari
Pluchea carolinensis sour bush; te kaikare, te karei (Kiribati) Asteraceae shrub Tarawa, Butaritari, Kiritimati
Pluchea indica Indian fleabane, Indian pluchea, Indian camphorweed Asteraceae shrub Banaba, Butaritari, Kiritimati
Polygala paniculata island snake-root Polygalaceae herb Tarawa
Prosopis spp. mesquite, algaroba Fabaceae tree Tarawa
Psidium guajava guava; te kuawa, te kuwawa (Kiribati) Myrtaceae tree Tarawa, Banaba
Pueraria montana var. lobata kudzu, Japanese arrowroot Fabaceae vine Tarawa
Ricinus communis castor bean, castor-oil plant Euphorbiaceae shrub Tarawa, Butaritari
Sansevieria trifasciata bowstring hemp, mother-in-law’s tongue Agavaceae herb Tarawa, Butaritari
Senna occidentalis antbush, coffee senna; te katia (Kiribati) Fabaceae shrub Tarawa, Butaritari, Maiana
Sida acuta broom weed, Paddy’s lucerne, southern sida, spiny-head sida, spiny sida Malvaceae herb Banaba, Maiana
Sigesbeckia orientalis Indian weed, small yellow crown-beard, yellow crown-head Asteraceae herb Tarawa
Sphagneticola trilobata wedelia, trailing daisy, Singapore daisy, creeping ox-eye Asteraceae herb Tarawa
Stachytarpheta cayennensis blue rat's tail, dark-blue snakeweed; te uti (Kiribati) Verbenaceae herb Tarawa, Butaritari
Synedrella nodiflora Cinderella weed (Australia), porter bush, synedrella; Asteraceae herb Tarawa, Butaritari
Tradescantia spathacea oyster plant, boat plant, boat lily, moses in a boat; te ruru ni (Kiribati) Commelinaceae herb Tarawa, Butaritari
Tradescantia zebrina wandering zebrina, wandering jew, inchplant Commelinaceae herb Tarawa
Waltheria indica   Sterculiaceae shrub Tarawa
Ziziphus mauritiana Indian jujube, Chinese date Rhamnaceae tree Tarawa

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