Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)
Report on invasive plant species in Kiribati
Appendix 4. Presence of invasive species within Kiribati
Table 4. Species present elsewhere in Kiribati but not on Maiana
|
Scientific Name |
Common Names |
Family |
Habit |
Locations where present |
| Abutilon indicum | albutilon, Indian abutilon, Indian mallow; te kaura, te kaura ni (Kiribati) | Malvaceae | shrub | Tarawa, Banaba |
| Acacia farnesiana | Ellington curse, klu, sweet acacia; te kaibakoa, te aketia (Kiribati) | Fabaceae | shrub | Tarawa, Nikunau |
| Achyranthes aspera | chaff-flower, devil's horsewhip; prickly chaff-flower | Amaranthaceae | herb | Tarawa |
| Agave americana | American aloe, century plant | Agavaceae | succulent | Tarawa |
| Agave sisalana | sisal, sisal hemp; te robu, te rob' (Kiribati) | Agavaceae | succulent | Tarawa, Abaiang, Abemama, Arorai, Nikunau |
| Allamanda cathartica | yellow trumpet vine, golden trumpet, allamanda, brownbud allamanda, golden allamanda, golden cup | Apocynaceae | vine | Tarawa |
| Amaranthus dubius | amaranth, spleen amaranth; te uekeueke, te mota (Kiribati) | Amaranthaceae | herb | Tarawa, Abemama, Butaritari |
| Amaranthus viridis | green amaranth, pigweed, slender amaranth) | Amaranthaceae | herb | Tarawa |
| Annona squamosa | sugar apple, sweetsop, custard apple, sugar apple | Annonaceae | tree | Tarawa |
| Antigonon leptopus | Mexican creeper, mountain rose, Confederate vine, chain-of-love, hearts on a chain, love-vine, coral bells, coral vine, queen’s jewels, kadena de amor, corallita | Polygonaceae | vine | Tarawa |
| Asclepias curassavica | bastard ipecac, blood flower, bloodflower milkweed, butterfly weed, false ipecac, milkweed | Asclepiadaceae | herb | Tarawa, Butaritari |
| Asystasia gangetica | Chinese violet, Philippine violet, coromandel | Acanthaceae | herb | Tarawa, Butaritari |
| Bambusa spp. | bamboo; te kaibaba (Kiribati) | Poaceae | tree | Butaritari, Marakei |
| Bidens pilosa | beggar’s tick, Spanish needle, cobbler's pegs | Asteraceae | herb | Tarawa, Butaritari |
| Blechum pyramidatum | green shrimp plant | Acanthaceae | herb | Tarawa, Butaritari |
| Brassica juncea | Chinese mustard, India mustard, Indian mustard, Oriental mustard; te kabiti, te kabiti n Tiaina (Kiribati) | Brassicaceae | herb | Tarawa |
| Breynia disticha | snowbush, snowbush breynia, sweetpea bush, foliage-flower | Euphorbiaceae | shrub | Tarawa |
| Bryophyllum delagoense | chandelier plant | Crassulaceae | succulent | Tarawa |
| Caladium bicolor | caladium, elephant's-ear, fancy-leaf caladium, heart-of-Jesus | Araceae | herb | Tarawa |
| 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 |
| Casuarina equisetifolia | casuarina, ironwood, Australian pine, she-oak, horsetail tree, beefwood; pientri (pinetree), bû ukam (bluegum on some atolls), nidil, nidõ (needle on some atolls), te burukam, te katurina (Kiribati) | Casuarinaceae | tree | Tarawa, Abemama, Butaritari |
| Catharanthus roseus | Cape periwinkle, Madagascar periwinkle, old-maid, rose periwinkle, rosy periwinkle) | Apocynaceae | herb | Tarawa, Abemama, Banaba, Butaritari, Nonouti, Onotoa, Tabiteauea |
| 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 hypericifolia | beach spurge, graceful spurge | Euphorbiaceae | herb | Tarawa, Abemama, Butaritari |
| Chamaesyce thymifolia | red caustic creeper, thyme-leafed spurge | Euphorbiaceae | herb | Tarawa |
| Chloris barbata | swollen fingergrass, purpletop chloris (Australia), airport grass (Fiji) | Poaceae | grass | Tarawa, Abemama |
| Cleome viscosa | tickweed, spider flower | Capparaceae | herb | Tarawa |
| Clitoria ternatea | butterfly pea | Fabaceae | vine | Tarawa |
| Conyza bonariensis | flax-leaf fleabane, hairy fleabane, hairy horseweed, wavy-leaf fleabane | Asteraceae | herb | Tarawa, Butaritari |
| Crotalaria incana | fuzzy rattlepod, woolly rattlepod | Fabaceae | shrub | Tarawa |
| Crotalaria retusa | devil-bean, wedge-leaf crotalaria, wedge-leaf rattlepod | Fabaceae | herb | Tarawa |
| Crotalaria spectabilis | rattlebox, showy crotalaria, showy rattlebox, showy rattlepod | Fabaceae | herb | Tarawa |
| Cynodon dactylon | Bermuda grass, giant Bermuda grass, bahama grass, devil's grass, couch grass, Indian doab, grama, devilgrass, couchgrass, balama grass | Poaceae | grass | Tarawa, Abemama |
| Cyperus involucratus | umbrella sedge, umbrella plant, dwarf papyrus grass | Cyperaceae | sedge | Tarawa |
| Dactyloctenium aegyptium | beach wiregrass, button grass, coast button grass, comb fringe grass, crowfoot grass, duck grass, finger comb grass; te uteute (Kiribati) | Poaceae | grass | Tarawa |
| Datura metel | datura, downy thorn-apple, Hindu datura, Hindu thorn-apple, hoary thorn-apple, horn-of-plenty, jimson-weed, purple thorn-apple; te uri ni tiana (Kiribati) | Solanaceae | herb | Tarawa, Abaiang, Abemama, Butaritari, Tamana |
| Delonix regia | flame tree, flamboyant, poinciana; te kaitetua (Kiribati) | Fabaceae | tree | Tarawa, Aranuka, Banaba, Butaritari, Onotoa |
| Dentella repens | te uteute n Imatang (Kiribati (Butaritari)) | Rubiaceae | herb | Tarawa, Abemama, Butaritari, Makin |
| 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 |
| Eleutheranthera ruderalis | Asteraceae | herb | Tarawa | |
| Emilia sonchifolia | Cupid's shaving-brush, emilia, Flora's paint brush, purple sow thistle, 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 |
| Gloriosa superba | climbing-lily, creeping-lily, flame-lily, glory-lily, gloriosa lily | Liliaceae | herb | Tarawa, Abemama, Butaritari |
| Gomphrena globosa | bachelor's-button, bozu, globe amaranth, pearly everlasting; te motiti, te moteti (Kiribati) | Amaranthaceae | herb | Tarawa |
| Oldenlandia corymbosa | Rubiaceae | herb | Tarawa, Butaritari | |
| Heliotropium procumbens var. depressum | four-spike heliotrope, slender heliotrope | Boraginaceae | herb | Tarawa |
| Hemigraphis reptans | Acanthaceae | herb | Butaritari | |
| Ipomoea aquatica | aquatic morning glory, swamp cabbage, water spinach, ung-choi, kang kong; te kang kong, te ruku (Kiribati) | Convolvulaceae | aquatic herb | Tarawa, Abemama |
| 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 |
| Leucaena leucocephala | leucaena, wild tamarind, lead tree; ; te kaitetua (Kiribati) | Fabaceae | tree | Tarawa, Abemama, Butaritari, Kiritimati (Christmas) |
| Licuala grandis | ruffled fan palm | Arecaceae | tree (palm) | Tarawa |
| Ludwigia octovalvis | willow primrose, false primrose, yellow willow herb; te mam (Kiribati) | Onagraceae | herb | Tarawa, Abemama, Butaritari, Onotoa |
| Macroptilium atropurpureum | siratro, purple bushbean | Fabaceae | vine | Tarawa |
| Malvastrum coromandelianum | false mallow, prickly malvastrum | Malvaceae | herb | Tarawa?, Abemama |
| Melinis repens | Natal redtop, Natal grass, red Natal grass, Holme's grass, blanketgrass | Poaceae | grass | Tarawa |
| Momordica charantia | balsam-apple, bitter-melon, bitter gourd, balsam pear, squirting cucumber, cerasee, peria | Cucurbitaceae | vine | Tarawa |
| Ocimum basilicum | te marou, sweet basil | Lamiaceae | herb | Tarawa, Abemama |
| 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, pistol plant, rockweed | Urticaceae | herb | Tarawa, Butaritari |
| Pluchea carolinensis | sour bush; te kaikare, te karei (Kiribati) | Asteraceae | shrub | Tarawa, Butaritari, Kiritimati (Christmas) |
| Pluchea indica | Indian fleabane, Indian pluchea, Indian camphorweed | Asteraceae | shrub | Banaba, Butaritari, Kiritimati (Christmas) |
| 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 |
| Sida rhombifolia | arrow-leaf sida, Cuban jute, Paddy's lucerne, Queensland-hemp, teaweed | Malvaceae | shrub | Tarawa, Abemama, Butaritari, Kiritimati (Christmas) |
| Sigesbeckia orientalis | Indian weed, small yellow crown-beard, yellow crown-head | Asteraceae | herb | Tarawa |
| Solanum torvum | prickly solanum, devil's fig, turkeyberry | Solanaceae | shrub | Tarawa, Abemama |
| Solenostemon scutellarioides | coleus | Lamiaceae | herb | Tarawa |
| Sonchus oleraceus | annual sow thistle, common sow thistle, hare's-lettuce, milk thistle, sow thistle | Asteraceae | herb | Tarawa |
| Spermacoce assurgens | buttonweed | Rubiaceae | herb | Tarawa, Abemama, Butaritari |
| Spermacoce ernstii | Rubiaceae | herb | Tarawa, Abemama, Butaritari | |
| Sphagneticola trilobata | wedelia, trailing daisy, Singapore daisy, creeping ox-eye | Asteraceae | herb | Tarawa |
| Sporobolus indicus | smutgrass, wiregrass, Indian dropseed | Poaceae | grass | Tarawa, Butaritari |
| Stachytarpheta cayennensis | blue rat's tail, dark-blue snakeweed, false verbena, nettleleaf velvetberry; te uti (Kiribati) | Verbenaceae | herb | Tarawa, Butaritari |
| Stachytarpheta jamaicensis | bastard vervain, blue porterweed, Brazilian tea, Jamaica vervain, joee, light blue snakeweed; te uti (Kiribati) | Verbenaceae | herb | Tarawa, Abemama, Butaritari |
| Stenotaphrum secundatum | buffalo grass, St. Augustine grass | Poaceae | grass | Tarawa |
| Synedrella nodiflora | Cinderella weed (Australia), porter bush, pig grass (Solomon Islands, Vanuatu), synedrella; | Asteraceae | herb | Tarawa, Butaritari |
| Tecoma stans | yellow bells, yellow-elder, yellow trumpetbush; nei Karairai (Kiribati) | Bignoniaceae | small tree | Tarawa, Abemama, Butaritari, Makin |
| Tradescantia spathacea | oyster plant, boat plant, boat lily, moses in a boat; te ruru ni (Kiribati) | Commelinaceae | herb | Tarawa, Butaritari, Abaiang |
| Tradescantia zebrina | wandering zebrina, wandering jew, inchplant | Commelinaceae | herb | Tarawa |
| Tribulus cistoides | puncture vine, caltrop, burrnut, Jamaican feverplant, goat’s head; te maukinikini (Kiribati) | Zygophyllaceae | herb | Kiritimati (Christmas) |
| Urochloa subquadripara | brachiaria, green summer grass, tropical signalgrass, cori grass | Poaceae | grass | Tarawa, Abemama |
| Waltheria indica | Sterculiaceae | shrub | Tarawa | |
| Ziziphus mauritiana | Indian jujube, Chinese date | Rhamnaceae | tree | Tarawa |
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