Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)

Report on invasive plant species on Niue following Cyclone Heta

Appendix 1.

Table 3. Other species that are known to be invasive or weedy and are present on Niue

Scientific Name

Common Names (abridged)

Family

Habit

Sykes (1970)

Whistler (1988)

Whistler (1997)

Space & Flynn (2000)

This survey (2004)
Abrus precatorius Niuean: mata'ila, pomea mataila; English: bead vine, coral bead plant, jequirity bean, licorice vine, lucky bean, precatory bean, rosary pea, weatherplant; Other: pitipitiō (Cook Islands (Rarotonga)), koviriviri mata-tako (Cook Islands (Mangaia), uiui (Cook Islands ('Atiu, Miti'aro, Ma'uke)), Kirikiri Rangi (Cook Islands (Aitutaki)); pūkiawe, pūkiawe lei, pūkiawe lenalena [Ni'ihau], pūpūkiawe (Hawai'i); matamoso (Samoa) Fabaceae vine

X

 

X

 

 
Abutilon grandifolium English: hairy abutilon Malvaceae shrub

X

 

 

 

X
Acalypha indica Niuean: ongoongo, hongohongo; English: copperleaf, Indian-nettle, ricinela Euphorbiaceae herb

X

X

 

X

X
Ageratum conyzoides Niuean: sekose sea; English: billygoat-weed, chick week, goatweed, whiteweed; Other: maire vaihi (French Polynesia); maile hohono, maile honohono, maile kula (Hawai‘i); a‘amia, tae‘oti (Samoa); te‘ehosi (Tonga) Asteraceae herb

X

X

X

 

X
Allamanda cathartica English: yellow trumpet vine, golden trumpet, allamanda, brownbud allamanda, golden allamanda, golden cup; Other: pua taunofo (American Samoa and Samoa), tiare rengarenga, pua (Cook Islands); lani-ali‘i (Hawai‘i) Apocynaceae vine

X

 

 

X

 
Alpinia purpurata English: red ginger; Other: kōpī muramura (Cook Islands); ‘awapuhi ‘ula‘ula (Hawai‘i); teuila (Samoa); tevunga (Tonga) Zingiberaceae herb

X

 

 

 

X
Alysicarpus vaginalis English: alyce-clover, buffalo-clover, one-leaf-clover Fabaceae herb

 

X

 

 

X
Amaranthus blitum English: amaranth, livid amaranth, slender amaranth; Other: tupu'a (Tonga) Amaranthaceae herb

 

X

 

 

 
Amaranthus viridis English: green amaranth, pigweed, slender amaranth; Other: va‘ine ‘ara (Cook Islands); pakai, ‘aheahea, pakaikai, pakapakai (Hawai‘i); ‘au tasi (Samoa); tupu‘a (Tonga) Amaranthaceae herb

X

X

 

 

X
*Angelonia salicariifolia English: willowleaf angelon, grannie’s bonnets, angelon Scrophulariaceae herb

X
*Annona glabra English: pond apple, alligator apple, bullock's heart, cherimoyer Annonaceae tree

 

 

 

 

X
*Annona reticulata Niuean: talopo; English: bullock's-heart, custard-apple Annonaceae tree

X

 

 

 

 
*Annona squamosa Niuean: talopo; English: sugar apple, sweetsop, custard apple, sugar apple; Other: tapotapo (Cook Islands, French Polynesia); tapotapo Māori (Cook Islands); kātara‘apa Māori (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); naponapo Māori (Cook Islands (Aitutaki)); ‘apele papalangi, ‘apele Tonga (Tonga), nameana (Tuvalu) Annonaceae tree

X

 

 

X

X
*Anredera cordifolia Niuean: filikafa; English: Madeira vine, mignonette vine, lamb's tails; Other: tāpau (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)); ‘uala hupe (Hawai‘i) Basellaceae vine

X

 

 

 

 
Argemone mexicana English: Mexican prickly-poppy, Mexican poppy, prickly poppy, yellow thistle Papaveraceae herb

X

 

 

 

 
*Aristolochia littoralis English: Dutchman's pipe, calico flower; Other: mokorā (Cook Islands); fue paipa holani (Tonga) Aristolochiaceae vine

X

 

 

 

 
*Asparagus plumosus English: asparagus fern Liliaceae vine

X

 

 

 

 
Asystasia gangetica English: Chinese violet, Philippine violet, coromandel Acanthaceae herb

X

X

X

X

X
Axonopus compressus English: blanket grass, carpetgrass Poaceae grass

X

X

X

 

X
Axonopus fissifolius English: caratao grass, narrow-leaved carpetgrass Poaceae grass

 

X

 

 

X
Bambusa spp. Niuean: kaho palangi, kaho papalangi; English: bamboo; Other: ko‘e papa‘ā (Cook Islands); ‘ohe (French Polynesia, Hawai‘i); ‘ofe (French Polynesia, Samoa); ‘ofe Fiti, ‘ofe palagi (Samoa); kofe (Tonga, Tuvalu); pitu (Tonga); pampu (Tuvalu) Poaceae tree

X

 

 

 

X
Bauhinia monandra Niuean: pine fua loloa; English: orchid-tree, St. Thomas-tree, Napoleon's plume; Other: vae povi (American Samoa and Samoa); pine (Cook Islands (Rarotonga), French Polynesia); pīpīpipi (Cook Islands (Aitu)); pī pi (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke and Miti‘aro)) Fabaceae tree

X

 

 

X

Bauhinia sp.
Begonia x_semperflorens-cultorum English: bedding begonia, perpetual begonia, wax begonia Begoniaceae herb

 

 

 

 

X
Bidens pilosa Niuean: kofetonga, kofetoga; English: beggar’s tick, Spanish needle, cobbler's pegs; Other: piripiri kerekere (Cook Islands); piripiri (Cook Islands, French Polynesia (Tahiti)); nīroa (Cook Islands (Aitutaki)); kamika tuarongo (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); tae puaka (Futuna); ki, ki nehe, ki pipili, nehe (Hawai'i); fisi'uli (Tonga) Asteraceae herb

X

X

X

X

X
*Bixa orellana English: anatto, annato, annatto, arnatto, lipstick tree; French: atole, roucou, roucouyer; Other: ‘uaeva, tāmuramura (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke)), ‘uaefa (French Polynesia (Tahiti)) Bixaceae shrub

X

 

 

 

X
Blechum pyramidatum English: green shrimp plant, blackweed (Samoa), Browne’s blechum; Other: vao uli (Samoa) Acanthaceae herb

 

 

 

 

X
Borreria verticillata   Rubiaceae herb

X

 

 

 

 
Bothriochloa bladhii English: blue grass, Australian beardgrass, Caucasian bluestem Poaceae grass

 

X

X

X

X
Brassica juncea English: Chinese mustard, India mustard, Indian mustard, Oriental mustard Brassicaceae herb

X

 

 

 

 
Breynia disticha English: snowbush, snowbush breynia, foliage-flower; Other: maemae (Cook Islands (Miti‘aro)) Euphorbiaceae shrub

X

 

 

 

X
Cajanus cajan English: pigeon pea, red gram, cajan Fabaceae shrub

X
*Caladium bicolor English: caladium, elephant's-ear, fancy-leaf caladium, heart-of-Jesus; Other: kalo-kalakoa (Hawai'i) Araceae herb

X

 

 

 

X
*Calliandra sp. English: powderpuff, calliandra; Other: kaliana (Samoa) Fabaceae shrub

 

 

 

 

X
Calopogonium mucunoides English: calopo Fabaceae vine

X

 

 

X

X
*Calotropis gigantea English: calotrope, crown flower, madar; Other: pua-kalaunu (Hawai'i); tahinu (French Polynesia) Ascelepiadaceae shrub

X

 

 

X

X
*Cananga odorata Niuean: motōi; English: perfume tree; Other: moso‘oi (American Samoa and Samoa); moto‘oi, mata‘oi, mato‘oi (Cook Islands, Tahiti); moto‘i (French Polynesia); lanalana (Hawai‘i); mohoki, mohokoi (Tonga) Annonaceae tree

X

 

 

X

X
Canna indica English: canna, canna lily, Indian shot; Other: fanamanu, fagamanu, fa‘i masoa (American Samoa and Samoa); nūāenga (Cook Islands); tiare papa‘ā (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); pia renga (Cook Islands (Aitutaki)); pia-raroto‘a (French Polynesia); fagafaga (Futuna); ali‘ipoe, li'ipoe, poloka (Hawai'i); te misimisi (Tonga) Cannaceae herb

X

X

 

X

X
*Carludovica palmata English: Panama hat plant; Other:  Panamā (Cook Islands) Cyclanthaceae shrub

X

 

 

 

 
Casuarina equisetifolia Niuean: toa; English: casuarina, ironwood, Australian pine, she-oak, horsetail tree, beefwood; Other: toa (American Samoa, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Hawai‘i, Samoa and Tonga); ‘aito (French Polynesia (Society Islands)) Casuarinaceae tree

X

 

 

X

X
Catharanthus roseus English: Cape periwinkle, Madagascar periwinkle, old-maid, rosy periwinkle; Other: tiare tāpau (Cook Islands), kihapai (Hawai‘i)) Apocynaceae herb

X

 

X

 

X
*Ceiba pentandra Niuean: vavae; English: kapok, kapok tree, silk-cotton tree, pacae; Other: vavae (American Samoa, Samoa, Tonga); vavai (Cook Islands and French Polynesia); vavai mama‘u, vavai maori (Cook Islands); mama‘u (Cook Islands (Mangaia, Aitutaki?)) Bombacaceae tree

X

 

 

X

X
*Celosia argentea English: cockscomb Amaranthaceae herb

X

 

 

 

X
Cenchrus ciliaris English: buffelgrass, African foxtail grass, anjan grass Poaceae grass

X

X

 

 

 
Cenchrus echinatus Niuean: mosie vihilago, mosie vihilango; English: burgrass, sand-bur, southern sandbur, Mossman River grass (Australia); Other: tuitui, vao tuitui (American Samoa and Samoa); piripiri (Cook Islands); piri-piri, pipiri (French Polynesia); mau‘u kuku, ‘ume‘alu (Hawai'i); hefa (Tonga) Poaceae grass

X

X

X

X

X
Centella asiatica Niuean: tono, tonu; English: Asiatic pennywort, Indian pennywort, marsh pennywort, pennyweed, sheep-rot, thankuni; Other: kapukapu (Cook Islands); pohe kula (Hawai‘i); tono (Tonga); togo (Samoa) Apiaceae herb

X

X

X

 

X
Centrosema pubescens English: centro, butterfly-pea Fabaceae vine

X

X

 

X

X
*Cestrum nocturnum Niuean: ike he po; English: night-flowering cestrum, night-flowering jasmine, queen (or lady) of the night; Other: teine o le po, ali‘i o le po (American Samoa and Samoa); tiare ariki-va‘ine, ariki-va‘ine (Cook Islands); ‘ala aumoe, kupaoa, onaona Iapana (Hawai‘i); lakau po‘uli (Tonga) Solanaceae shrub

X

X

 

X

X
Chamaesyce hirta Niuean: toto tāne; English: asthma plant, garden spurge, pill-bearing spurge, hairy spurge; Other: totototo titā (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke)); eaea, raau topau (French Polynesia); koko kahiki (Hawai‘i); la‘au fai moti (Samoa); sakisi (Tonga) Euphorbiaceae herb

X

X

X

 

X
Chamaesyce hypericifolia English: beach spurge, graceful spurge; Other: ufi tamaiti? (Samoa) Euphorbiaceae herb

X

X

X

 

X
Chamaesyce prostrata Niuean: toto fifine; English: creeping splurge, prostrate spurge, red caustic creeper; Other: laulili'i (Samoa); papati (French Polynesia (Society Islands)) Euphorbiaceae herb

X

X

X

 

X
Chloris barbata English: swollen fingergrass, purpletop chloris (Australia), airport grass (Fiji); Other: mau’u lei (Hawai'i) Poaceae grass

 

X

 

 

X
Chloris gayana English: Rhodes grass Poaceae grass

X

X

 

 

 
Cyclospermum leptophyllum Niuean: taletale, sekule?; English: fir-leaved celery, marsh parsley, slender celery Apiaceae herb

X

 

 

 

 
Cleome viscosa English: tickweed, spider flower Capparaceae herb

X

X

 

 

 
Clerodendrum buchananii var. fallax Niuean: lauma pelu, talufe?; English: red clerodendrum, pagoda-flower; Other: rākau tupopoku (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)); lau‘awa (Hawai‘i); amo’ula, amo’ule (Tonga) Lamiaceae shrub

X

X

X

X

 
*Coffea arabica Niuean: kofe; English: coffee; Other: kaope, kaope Maori (Cook Islands); kofe (Samoa), kafe (French Polynesia (Marquesas)); kofi (Tonga); taofe (Tahiti) Rubiaceae tree

X

 

 

X

X
Conyza bonariensis English: flax-leaf fleabane, hairy fleabane, hairy horseweed, wavy-leaf fleabane; Other: lani wela (Hawai‘i) Asteraceae herb

 

 

X

 

X
Conyza canadensis English: butterweed, Canadian horseweed, Canadian fleabane, hogweed, horseweed Asteraceae herb

X

X

 

 

X
Coronopus didymus English: bittercress, swinecress, wart cress; Other: lesivao (Tonga) Brassicaceae herb

X

X

 

 

 
*Costus speciosus English: crepe ginger, crape ginger, wild ginger, Malay ginger, canereed Zingiberaceae herb

 

 

 

X

X
Crassocephalum crepidioides English: thickhead, fireweed, redflower ragleaf; Other: fua lele, pualele (American Samoa and Samoa); fisi puna (Tonga) Asteraceae herb

X

X

X

 

X
Crotalaria micans Niuean: pinē kotalelia; pile; English: crotalaria Fabaceae shrub

X

 

X

X

X
Crotalaria pallida Niuean: pinē kotalelia; English: salts rattlebox, smooth crotalaria, smooth rattlebox, smooth rattlepod, streaked rattlepod, striped crotalaria; Other: maniva (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)); pikakani, kolomona (Hawai‘i); pi'isi (Tonga) Fabaceae shrub

X

X

X

 

X
Crotalaria verrucosa English: blue-flower rattlepod, tooth-leaf rattlepod Fabaceae herb

X

X

 

 

X
Cuscuta campestris English: golden dodder, field dodder, five-angled dodder; Other: tiaea (Cook Islands (Mangaia)) Cuscutaceae vine

X

X

 

X

X
Cynodon dactylon Niuean: mosie molulu; English: Bermuda grass, giant Bermuda grass, bahama grass, devil's grass, couch grass, Indian doab, grama, devilgrass, couchgrass, balama grass; Other: matie (Cook Islands); manini, manienie (Hawai‘i) Poaceae grass

X

X

X

 

X
Cyperus compressus English: flat sedge; Other: pakopako (Tonga) Cyperaceae sedge

X

 

 

 

X
Cyperus cyperoides Niuean: pako; Other: tuise (Samoa); pako pako (Tonga) Cyperaceae sedge

X

X

 

 

 
Cyperus gracilis English: McCoy grass, slender sedge, whisker grass, whisker sedge; Other: mau‘u hunehune (Hawai‘i) Cyperaceae sedge

 

X

 

 

 
Cyperus involucratus English: umbrella sedge, umbrella plant, dwarf papyrus grass; Other: ‘ahu‘awa haole, pu‘uka‘a haole (Hawai‘i) Cyperaceae sedge

X

X

 

X

X
Cyperus rotundus English: nut grass, nutsedge, purple nutsedge, cocograss; Other: mauku ‘ōniāni, ‘ōniāni (Cook Islands); kili'o'opu, mau‘u mokae (Hawai‘i); mumuta (Samoa, Tokelau); pakopako (Tonga) Cyperaceae sedge

X

X

X

 

X
Dactyloctenium aegyptium English: beach wiregrass, button grass, coast button grass, comb fringe grass, crowfoot grass, duck grass, finger comb grass Poaceae grass

 

X

 

 

 
Datura metel English: datura, downy thorn-apple, Hindu datura, Hindu thorn-apple, hoary thorn-apple, horn-of-plenty, jimson-weed, purple thorn-apple; Other: pūāve (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke, Ngaputoru?) Solanaceae herb

X

 

 

 

 
Derris malaccensis Niuean: akau niukini, niukini; English: New Guinea creeper; Other: ‘ava niukini (American Samoa and Samoa); ‘ora pāpua, rakau papua (Cook Islands); hora papua (French Polynesia); kava fisi (Tonga) Fabaceae vine

X

 

X

X

 
Desmodium incanum English: kaimi clover, Spanish clover; Other: ngātoro (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke)); ka‘imi (Hawai‘i) Fabaceae shrub

X

X

X

 

X
Desmodium triflorum English: creeping tick trefoil, three-flower beggarweed, tropical trefoil; Other: kihikihi (Tonga) Fabaceae herb

X

X

X

 

X
Desmodium uncinatum English: silverleaf desmodium, Spanish clover, Spanish tick-clover Fabaceae herb

X

X

 

 

 
Dichanthium annulatum English: Angleton grass, bluestem, Diaz bluestem, Hindi grass, Kleberg bluestem, marvel grass, sheda grass, vunda blue grass (Fiji) Poaceae grass

X

X

 

 

 
*Dieffenbachia seguine English: dieffenbachia, dumb cane Araceae herb

 

 

 

 

X
Digitaria ciliaris Niuean: saulangi; English: Henry's crabgrass, smooth crabgrass, tropical crab grass, large crab grass, southern crabgrass, fingergrass, summer grass; Other: kukaepua'a (Hawai'i) Poaceae grass

X

X

 

 

X
Digitaria violascens English: smooth crabgrass, violet crabgrass Poaceae grass

X

X

 

 

 
Echinochloa colona English: awnless barnyard grass (Australia), corn panic grass, Deccan grass, jungle ricegrass, millet-rice, pigeon millet (Samoa), shama millet; Other: sefa (Samoa); muhuku'apopoa, matala'ulie (Tonga) Poaceae grass

 

X

 

 

 
Echinochloa crus-galli English: barnyard grass, cockspur grass Poaceae grass

X

 

 

 

 
Eclipta prostrata English: eclipta, false daisy, swamp daisy, white eclipta; Other: miri mapua (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke)) Asteraceae herb

X

X

 

 

 
*Elaeis guineensis English: African oil palm;Other: nū tāmara (Cook Islands (Mangaia)) Arecaceae tree

X

 

 

X

 
Eleutheranthera ruderalis Other: pakaka (Tonga) Asteraceae herb

 

X

 

 

X
Emilia sonchifolia Niuean: pualele, pupu lele; English: Cupid's shaving-brush, emilia, Flora's paint brush, purple sow thistle, sow thistle; Other: pualele (Samoa); fua lele, fua lele lili‘i (Samoa); longlongo‘uha (Tonga)) Asteraceae herb

X

X

 

 

X
Eragrostis amabilis English: Bug's egg grass, Japanese love grass, love grass Poaceae grass

X

X

X

 

X
*Eugenia uniflora Niuean: kafika, kafika palangi, kafika papalangi; English: Surinam cherry, red Brazil cherry; Other: venevene (Cook Islands); menemene (Cook Islands (Mangaia)) Myrtaceae shrub/tree

X

 

 

X

X
Euphorbia cyathophora Niuean: toto uli?; English: dwarf poinsettia, fire-on-the-mountain, Mexican fire plant, painted spurge, wild poinsettia Euphorbiaceae herb

X

X

X

 

X
Euphorbia heterophylla English: Mexican fireplant, milkweed, painted euphorbia, paintedleaf, wild spurge; Other: kaliko (Hawai‘i) Euphorbiaceae herb

 

X

X

 

X
*Ficus elastica English: India rubber tree, rubber plant; Other: rapa (Cook Islands) Moraceae tree

 

 

 

X

X
*Flacourtia jangomas Niuean: palamu; English: Indian-plum, runeala-plum; Other: venevene pāma (Cook Islands) Flacourtiaceae tree

X

 

 

 

 
Foeniculum vulgare Niuean: taletale; English: fennel; Other: taretare tui-‘ei (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)) Apiaceae herb

X

 

 

 

 
Furcraea foetida Niuean: toua; English: Mauritius hemp, maguey; Other: piāni, rōpiāni (Cook Islands); malina (Hawai‘i (Ni‘ihau)); faumalila, fau malila (Tonga) Agavaceae succulent

X

 

X

X

X
*Gliricidia sepium English: mother of cacao, quickstick, Mexican lilac Fabaceae tree

 

 

 

X

X
*Gloriosa superba English: climbing-lily, creeping-lily, flame-lily, glory-lily, gloriosa lily; Other: riri vavai-moa (Cook Islands ('Atiu)) Liliaceae