Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)
Report on invasive plant species in Palau (2008 survey)
Appendix 8. Risk assessments for introduced species in Palau
| Species | Common name (abridged) | Country or Area | Score | Recommendation |
| Acacia auriculiformis | English: Papuan wattle, earleaf acacia, northern black wattle, ear-pod wattle | Pacific | 13 | high risk |
| Acacia confusa | English: Formosa koa, Formosa acacia; Palauan: ianángi, yanangi | Pacific | 10 | high risk |
| Acacia farnesiana | English: Ellington curse, klu, sweet acacia | Pacific | 14 | high risk |
| Acacia mangium | English: mangium, brown salwood, black wattle, hickory wattle | Pacific | 8 | high risk |
| Adenanthera pavonina | English: coral bean tree, red sandalwood tree, red bead tree; Palauan: telengtúngd, telentundalel | Pacific | 7 | high risk |
| Aeschynomene americana | English: American joint vetch, joint vetch, shyleaf | Pacific | 12 | high risk |
| Albizia lebbeck | English: siris-tree, rain tree, East Indian walnut; Palauan: ukall ra ngebard | Australia, Pacific | 4, 7 | more information, high risk |
| Allamanda cathartica | English: yellow trumpet vine, golden trumpet, golden allamanda, golden cup | Pacific | 8 | high risk |
| Alocasia cucullata | English: Chinese ape, Chinese taro | Pacific | 9 | high risk |
| Alpinia purpurata | English: red ginger | Pacific | 4 | evaluate further |
| Alysicarpus vaginalis | English: alyce-clover, buffalo-clover, one-leaf-clover | Australia | 5 | evaluate further |
| Amaranthus dubius | English: amaranth, spleen amaranth | Australia | 14 | reject |
| Annona muricata | English: soursop, prickly custard apple; Palauan: sausab | Pacific | -3 | low risk |
| Annona squamosa | English: custard apple, sugar apple, sweetsop; Palauan: ngel ra ngebard | Pacific | -2 | low risk |
| Antigonon leptopus | English: Mexican creeper, hearts on a chain, coral vine; Palauan: dilngau | Pacific | 19 | high risk |
| Argemone mexicana | English: Mexican prickly-poppy, Mexican poppy, yellow thistle | Australia | 18 | reject |
| Arundo donax | English: giant reed, Spanish reed, wild cane | Pacific | 12 | high risk |
| Asparagus densiflorus | English: asparagus fern, sprengeri fern, smilax, regal fern | Australia, Pacific | 3, 15 | evaluate further, high risk |
| Asystasia gangetica | English: Chinese violet, Philippine violet, coromandel | Pacific | 12 | high risk |
| Axonopus compressus | English: blanket grass, carpetgrass | Australia,.Pacific | 12,15 | reject, high risk |
| Bacopa procumbens | Pacific | 7 | high risk | |
| Bambusa vulgaris | English: bamboo; Palauan: bambuu, esel | Pacific | 5 | low risk* |
| Bauhinia monandra | English: orchid-tree, St. Thomas-tree, Napoleon's plume | Pacific | 7 | high risk |
| Bauhinia purpurea | English: purple orchid tree; purple butterfly tree | Pacific | 7 | high risk |
| Bauhinia variegata | English: orchid tree; mountain ebony | Pacific | 9 | high risk |
| Bixa orellana | English: anatto, annato, annatto, arnatto, lipstick tree; Palauan: búrek, burk | Pacific | 1 | low risk* |
| Breynia disticha | English: snowbush, snowbush breynia, sweetpea bush, foliage-flower | Pacific | -5 | low risk |
| Caesalpinia pulcherrima | English: Barbados flower-fence, dwarf poinciana, pride of Barbados | Pacific | 5 | low risk* |
| Calathea majestica | Pacific | -1 | low risk | |
| Calliandra calothyrsus | English: powderpuff red calliandra | Pacific | 1 | low risk* |
| Calliandra haematocephala | English: red powder puff | Pacific | 2 | low risk* |
| Calliandra surinamensis | English: Surinamese stickpea | Pacific | -4 | low risk |
| Calopogonium mucunoides | English: calopo | Australia, Pacific | 10, 6 | reject, low risk* |
| Cananga odorata | English: perfume tree; Palauan: chiráng, ilang-ilang, irang | Pacific | 3 | low risk* |
| Canna indica | English: canna, canna lily, Indian shot | Pacific | 17 | high risk |
| Capsicum frutescens | English: bird pepper, bird's-eye chili, bird's-eye pepper, hot pepper, red chili, spur pepper, Tabasco pepper; Palauan: meringel | Pacific | 5 | low risk* |
| Caryota mitis | English: Burmese fishtail palm, clustered fishtail palm, tufted fishtail palm | Pacific | 1 | evaluate further |
| Catharanthus roseus | English: Cape periwinkle, Madagascar periwinkle, old-maid, rose periwinkle | Pacific | 2 | low risk* |
| Ceiba pentandra | English: kapok tree, silk-cotton tree, pacae; Palauan: kalngebárd, kalngebard, kerrekar ngebard | Pacific | 2 | low risk* |
| Cenchrus echinatus | English: burgrass, sand-bur, southern sandbur, Mossman River grass (Australia) | Australia | 11 | reject |
| Centrosema pubescens | English: centro, butterfly-pea | Pacific | 11 | high risk |
| Chamaecrista nictitans | English: partridge pea, Japanese tea senna | Pacific | 0 | low risk |
| Chloris barbata | English: swollen fingergrass | Australia | 13 | reject |
| Chromolaena odorata | English: chromolaena; Palauan: kesengesil, ngesngesil | Pacific | 34 | high risk |
| Cinnamomum verum | English: cinnamon tree; Palauan: ochod ra ngebard | Pacific | 10 | high risk |
| Citrus aurantiifolia | English: Key lime, lime, Mexican lime, sour lime, West Indian lime; Palauan: malchianged | Pacific | 2 | low risk* |
| Clerodendrum buchananii var. fallax | English: red clerodendrum, pagoda-flower; Palauan: but a cherechar, butcherechár, butecherechar | Pacific | 7 | high risk |
| Clerodendrum paniculatum | English: pagoda plant, pagoda flower; Palauan: butcherechár, butecherechar | Australia, Pacific | 9, 5 | reject, evaluate further |
| Clerodendrum quadriloculare | English: bronze-leaved clerodendrum; Palauan: kleuang | Pacific | 11 | high risk |
| Clidemia hirta | English: Koster’s curse, soap bush; Palauan: kúi, kui | Pacific | 27 | high risk |
| Clitoria ternatea | English: butterfly pea, Asian pigeonwings; Palauan: kles | Australia, Pacific | 7, 9 | reject, high risk |
| Coffea arabica | English: coffee; Palauan: kohi | Pacific | 2 | high risk* |
| Coffea liberica | English: Liberian coffee | Pacific | 1 | evaluate further |
| Coix lacryma-jobi | English: adlay, adlay millet, Job's-tears; Palauan: demairuuch, tauiir | Australia | 4 | more information |
| Costus woodsonii | English: Indian-head ginger, red cane; Hawaiian: ‘awapuhi ‘inikini po‘o | Pacific | 11 | high risk |
| Crinum asiaticum | English: Asiatic poisonbulb, crinum, false spider lily, giant crinum lily, grand crinum, poisonbulb, spider lily; Palauan: bisecherad ra ngebard | Pacific | -4 | low risk |
| Crotalaria retusa | English: devil-bean, wedge-leaf crotalaria, wedge-leaf rattlepod | Australia | 5 | evaluate further |
| Crotalaria spectabilis | English: rattlebox, showy crotalaria, showy rattlebox, showy rattlepod; Palauan: kuroteraria | Australia | 9 | reject |
| Crotalaria trichotoma | English: curara-pea | Australia | 4 | more information |
| Cryptostegia madagascariensis | English: Madagascar rubbervine | Pacific | 13 | high risk |
| Cynodon dactylon | English: Bermuda grass, giant Bermuda grass, bahama grass, devil's grass, couch grass, Indian doab, grama, devilgrass, couchgrass, balama grass | Australia | 5 | evaluate further |
| Cyperus involucratus | English: umbrella sedge, umbrella plant, dwarf papyrus grass; Palauan: deus | Pacific | 17 | high risk |
| Cyperus rotundus | English: nut grass, nutsedge, purple nutsedge, cocograss; Palauan: tamanengi | Australia | 13 | reject |
| Dactyloctenium aegyptium | English: beach wiregrass, button grass, coast button grass, comb fringe grass, crowfoot grass, duck grass, finger comb grass | Australia | 11 | reject |
| Datura metel | English: datura, downy thorn-apple, Hindu datura, hoary thorn-apple, jimson-weed | Australia | 21 | reject |
| Delonix regia | English: flame tree, flamboyant, poinciana; Palauan: nangiosákura, nangyo | Pacific | -1 | low risk |
| Desmanthus virgatus | English: slender mimosa, virgate mimosa | Australia, Pacific | 9, 12 | reject, high risk |
| Desmodium heterophyllum | English: hetero, Spanish clover | Australia | 3 | evaluate further |
| Desmodium incanum | English: kaimi clover, Spanish clover | Australia | 9 | reject |
| Desmodium tortuosum | English: Florida beggarweed, Spanish clover, dixie ticktrefoil | Australia | 6 | reject |
| Dieffenbachia seguine | English: dieffenbachia, dumb cane | Pacific | 7 | high risk |
| Dissotis rotundifolia | English: dissotis, Spanish shawl, pink lady | Pacific | 10 | high risk |
| Duranta erecta | English: duranta, golden dewdrop, pigeon-berry, sky-flower | Pacific | 13 | high risk |
| Echinochloa colona | English: awnless barnyard grass (Australia), corn panic grass, Deccan grass, jungle ricegrass, jungle rice, millet-rice, shama millet; Palauan: uaum | Australia | 9 | reject |
| Eichhornia crassipes | English: water hyacinth; Palauan: bung el ralm | Pacific | 14 | high risk |
| Elaeis guineensis | English: African oil palm | Pacific | 11 | high risk |
| Elaeocarpus angustifolius | English: blue fig, blue marble tree, quandong (Australia) | Pacific | 2 | evaluate further |
| Epipremnum pinnatum 'Aureum' | English: pothos, money plant | Pacific | 9 | high risk |
| Episcia cupreata | English: episcia, flame violet | Pacific | 3 | low risk* |
| Eugenia uniflora | English: Surinam cherry, red Brazil cherry | Pacific | 12 | high risk |
| Euphorbia pulcherrima | English: Christmas flower, Mexican flameleaf, painted leaf, poinsettia; Palauan: becheselrak | Pacific | -7 | low risk |
| Falcataria moluccana | English: Molucca albizia; Palauan: ukall ra ngebard | Pacific | 8 | high risk |
| Ficus benjamina | English: weeping fig, baka, Java fig, weeping fig, Benjamin tree | Pacific | 4 | evaluate further |
| Ficus elastica | English: India rubber tree, rubber plant; Palauan: komunokí, komunoki | Pacific | -5 | low risk |
| Flemingia macrophylla | Pacific | 4 | low risk* | |
| Flemingia strobilifera | English: luck plant, wild hops; Palauan: besungelaiei, pesungel a iei | Pacific | 5 | evaluate further |
| Gliricidia sepium | English: mother of cacao, quickstick, Mexican lilac; Palauanr: rechesengel | Australia, Pacific | 4, -3 | evaluate further, low risk |
| Gmelina asiatica | English: badhara bush, Asiatic beechberry, oval-leafed gmelina; Palauan: kalngebang? | Australia | 14 | reject |
| Hamelia patens | English: redhead, scarletbush | Pacific | 7 | high risk |
| Hedychium coronarium | English: white ginger, butterfly lily, ginger lily, garland flower | Pacific | 10 | high risk |
| Heliconia psittacorum | English: heliconia, parrot's-flower, parrot's-plantain, crab claw, lobster claw | Pacific | 11 | high risk |
| Hemigraphis alternata | English: metal leaf; red ivy, cemetery plant (Fiji) | Pacific | 1 | low risk* |
| Hyptis capitata | English: knobweed | Australia | 17 | reject |
| Impatiens balsamina | English: impatiens, balsam, garden balsam, rose balsam, spotted snapweed, touch-me-not; Palauan: hosengka | Pacific | 5 | evaluate further |
| Impatiens walleriana | English: garden impatiens, balsam, busy lizzy, bizzy-lizzie, patient lucy; sultan’s flower | Pacific | 6 | low risk* |
| Imperata cylindrica | English: blady grass, cogon grass, satintail; Palauan: kasoring | Pacific | 22 | high risk |
| Indigofera hirsuta | English: hairy indigo, rough hairy indigo | Australia | 8 | reject |
| Inga edulis | English: ice cream bean | Pacific | 2 | evaluate further |
| Ipomoea quamoclit | English: Cupid's flower, cypress vine, cypressvine morning-glory, star of Bethlehem, star-glory, sweet-willy; Palauan: asangao | Pacific | 14 | high risk |
| Ixora coccinea | English: flame of the forest, jungle geranium, red ixora | Pacific | 4 | evaluate further |
| Jacaranda mimosifolia | English: jacaranda | Pacific | 1 | low risk* |
| Jatropha curcas | English: physic nut, purging nut, Barbados nut | Australia, Pacific | 11, 17 | reject, high risk |
| Jatropha gossypiifolia | English: bellyache bush, cotton-leaved physic nut | Australia, Pacific | 12, 18 | reject, high risk |
| Lantana camara | English: lantana | Pacific | 21 | high risk |
| Leonurus japonicus | English: lion’s tail, Chinese motherwort | Australia | 9 | reject |
| Leucaena leucocephala | English: leucaena, wild tamarind, lead tree; Palauan: telengtungd, telentund | Australia, Pacific | 11, 15 | reject, high risk |
| Livistonia chinensis | English: Chinese fan palm, Chinese fountain palm, fountain palm | Pacific | 5 | evaluate further |
| Lycopersicon esculentum | English: tomato, wild tomato | Australia | 2 | evaluate further |
| Macroptilium atropurpureum | English: siratro, purple bushbean | Australia, Pacific | 7, 7 | reject, high risk |
| Macroptilium lathyroides | English: cow pea, phasey bean, wild bean | Australia | 6 | reject |
| Mangifera indica | English: mango; Palauan: edel, iedel | Pacific | 1 | low risk* |
| Melaleuca quinquenervia | English: melaleuca, cajeput, paper bark tree, punk tree | Pacific | 15 | high risk |
| Melia azedarach | English: Chinaberry, pride-of-India, indian lilac, Persian lilac, margosa tree, tira | Pacific | 14 | high risk |
| Melinis minutiflora | English: melinis, molasses grass | Australia | 7 | reject |
| Mimosa diplotricha | English: giant sensitive plant, nila grass; Palauan: mechiuaiu | Australia, Pacific | 16, 24 | reject, high risk |
| Mimosa pudica | English: sensitive grass, sensitive plant, shameplant, sleeping grass, touch-me-not; Palauan: mechiuaiu | Australia | 18 | reject |
| Moringa oleifera | English: horseradish tree, drumstick tree, ben nut, morango; Palauan: malungkai | Pacific | 1 | low risk* |
| Muntingia calabura | English: jam tree, strawberry tree, Jamaican cherry, Singapore cherry, Panama cherry, Panama berry, ornamental cherry, calabura, sirsen; Palauan: budo | Pacific | 12 | high risk |
| Murraya paniculata | English: orange jessamine, satin-wood, Chinese box, Hawaiian mock orange | Pacific | 6 | evaluate further |
| Nerium oleander | English: mountain rose, oleander | Pacific | 6 | evaluate further |
| Opuntia sp. | English: drooping tree pear, prickly pear | Australia | 20 | reject |
| Panicum maximum | English: Guinea grass, green panic, buffalograss | Pacific | 17 | high risk |
| Panicum repens | English: torpedo grass, couch panicum, creeping panic | Australia | 9 | more information |
| Paspalum conjugatum | English: T grass, ti grass, sour grass; sour palpalum, buffalo grass, carabao grass, Hilo grass (Hawai'i); Palauan: udel ra ngebel | Pacific | 28 | high risk |
| Paspalum paniculatum | English: Russell river grass, galmarra grass | Australia | 9 | reject |
| Passiflora edulis | English: passion fruit, yellow passion fruit, purple passion fruit, qarandila, purple granadilla; Palauan: kudamono | Pacific | 6 | low risk* |
| Pennisetum polystachion | English: mission grass, feathery pennisetum; Palauan: desum | Australia | 11 | reject |
| Pennisetum purpureum | English: elephant grass, napier grass, merker grass; Palauan: bokso | Australia, Pacific | 10,16 | reject, high risk |
| Pennisetum setaceum | English: fountain grass | Pacific | 26 | high risk |
| Pereskia aculeata | English: Barbados gooseberry, leafy cactus, lemon vine, pereskia creeper, primitive cactus, Spanish gooseberry | Pacific | 13 | high risk |
| Persea americana | English: avocado, alligator pear; Palauan: bata | Pacific | 3 | low risk* |
| Phyla nodiflora | English: fogfruit, lippia, phyla | Pacific | 5 | high risk* |
| Pilea microphylla | English: artillery plant, gunpowder plant, pistol plant, rockweed | Pacific | 6 | evaluate further |
| Pilea nummulariifolia | English: creeping Charlie | Pacific | 0 | low risk |
| Pistia stratiotes | English: water lettuce, tropical duckweed | Australia | 18 | reject |
| Pithecellobium dulce | English: Madras thorn, Manila tamarind, sweet inga; Palauan: kamatsíri, kamatsiri | Pacific | 14 | high risk |
| Psidium cattleianum | English: strawberry guava, cherry guava, Cattley guava, Chinese guava | Pacific | 18 | high risk |
| Psidium guajava | English: guava; Palauan: guabang, kuabang | Pacific | 21 | high risk |
| Pueraria phaseoloides | English: tropical kudzu, puero | Australia, Pacific | 5, 17 | evaluate further, high risk |
| Ricinus communis | English: castor bean, castor-oil plant; Palauan: gelug, uluchula skoki | Australia, Pacific | 8, 21 | reject, high risk |
| Russelia equisetiformis | English: coralplant, fountainplant | Pacific | -2 | low risk |
| Samanea saman | English: monkeypod, rain tree, saman | Pacific | 4 | low risk* |
| Sansevieria trifasciata | English: bowstring hemp, mother-in-law’s tongue; Palauan: kitelel | Pacific | 9 | high risk |
| Schefflera actinophylla | English: octopus tree, umbrella tree, ivy palm | Pacific | 13 | high risk |
| Schefflera arboricola | English: dwarf brassia, dwarf schefflera, Hawaiian elf schefflera | Pacific | 3 | evaluate further |
| Senna alata | English: candle bush; candelabra bush, Roman candle tree, emperor's candlesticks, alcapulco; Palauan: kerula besokel, yult | Australia, Pacific | 20,10 | reject, high risk |
| Senna obtusifolia | English: habucha, coffeeweed, sicklepod | Australia | 14 | reject |
| Senna siamea | English: cassod tree, kassod tree, Siamese cassia, pheasantwood, Thailand shower | Pacific | 5 | low risk* |
| Senna surattensis | English: scrambled eggs | Pacific | 0 | evaluate further |
| Sesbania cannabina | English: canicha, dhaincha, dhunchi, sesbania pea | Australia | 17 | reject |
| Sesbania grandiflora | English: sesbania, hummingbird tree, sesban, scarlet wisteria tree, corkwood tree; Palauan: katurai | Pacific | 2 | low risk* |
| Sida acuta | English: broom weed, Paddy’s lucerne, southern sida, spiny-head sida, spiny sida; Palauan: keak | Australia | 19 | reject |
| Sida rhombifolia | English: arrow-leaf sida, Cuban jute, Paddy's lucerne, Queensland-hemp, teaweed; Palauan: keak | Australia | 13 | reject |
| Sorghum bicolor | English: Sudan grass | Australia | 3 | evaluate further |
| Sorghum halepense | English: Johnson grass, Aleppo grass, Aleppo milletgrass | Australia | 25 | reject |
| Spathodea campanulata | English: African tulip tree, fireball, fountain tree; Palauan: orsachel kui | Pacific | 14 | high risk |
| Sphagneticola trilobata | English: wedelia, trailing daisy, Singapore daisy, creeping ox-eye; Palauan: ngesil ra ngebard | Australia, Pacific | 6, 13 | reject, high risk |
| Stachytarpheta cayennensis | English: blue rat's tail, dark-blue snakeweed, false verbena, nettleleaf velvetberry; Palauan: louch beluu | Australia | 20 | reject |
| Stenotaphrum secundatum | English: buffalo grass, St. Augustine grass | Australia, Pacific | 6, 15 | reject, high risk |
| Stylosanthes guianensis | English: stylo, Brazilian lucerne, tropical lucerne, Nigerian stylo | Australia, Pacific | 12, 11 | reject, high risk |
| Swietenia macrophylla | English: Honduras mahogany, large-leaved mahogany, mahogany | Pacific | -2 | low risk |
| Syzygium malaccense | English: Malay-apple, mountain-apple, Otaheite-apple, pomerac, rose-apple; Palauan: kidel | Pacific | 0 | low risk |
| Tabebuia heterophylla | English: pink tecoma, pink trumpet tree, white cedar | Pacific | 1 | low risk* |
| Tecoma stans | English: yellow bells, yellow-elder, yellow trumpetbush | Pacific | 8 | high risk |
| Tephrosia candida | English: white tephrosia, white hoary-pea | Australia, Pacific | 11, 8 | reject, high risk |
| Thevetia peruviana | English: yellow oleander, be-still tree, lucky nut | Pacific | 9 | high risk |
| Thunbergia grandiflora | English: Bengal trumpet, blue trumpet vine, clock vine, skyvine, large-flowerd thunbergia; Palauan: bung el etiu | Australia, Pacific | 13, 11 | reject, high risk |
| Turnera ulmifolia | English: yellow alder, sage rose, West Indian holly, ramgoat dashalong | Pacific | 10 | high risk |
| Urochloa mutica | English: California grass, para grass, buffalo grass, Mauritius grass, signal grass | Australia, Pacific | 14, 12 | reject, high risk |
*Low risk based on second level of evaluation for the
Hawaiian Islands
For original risk assessments, see
http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/daehler/wra/
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