Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)


Report on invasive plant species in Palau (2002 survey)


Appendix 5.  Other invasive species by location

Table 1.   Other invasive species present on Koror, Ngerkebesang and Malakal

Scientific name

Common Names (abridged)

Family

Habit

Locations

Ageratum conyzoides billygoat-weed, chick week, goatweed, whiteweed, ngmak (Palau) Asteraceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
**†Alternanthera sessilis joyweed, sessile joyweed, okula beluulechad (Palau) Amaranthaceae herb Koror
Alysicarpus vaginalis alyce-clover, buffalo-clover, one-leaf-clover Fabaceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
Amaranthus dubius amaranth, spleen amaranth Amaranthaceae herb Koror, Malakal
Amaranthus viridis green amaranth, pigweed, slender amaranth Amaranthaceae herb Koror, Ngerekebesang
*Annona muricata soursop, prickly custard apple, sausab (Palau) Annonaceae tree Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
Asclepias curassavica bastard ipecac, blood flower, bloodflower milkweed, butterfly weed, false ipecac, milkweed Asclepiadaceae herb Koror
Averrhoa bilimbi bilimbi, cucumber tree, tree cucumber, tree sorrel Oxalidaceae tree Koror, Ngerekebesang
Axonopus compressus blanket grass, carpetgrass Poaceae grass Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
*Begonia × semperflorens-cultorum bedding begonia, perpetual begonia, wax begonia Begoniaceae herb Koror
Bidens alba beggar’s tick, Spanish needle, cobbler's pegs, romerillo Asteraceae herb
*Bixa orellana anatto, annato, annatto, arnatto, lipstick tree, burek (Palau) Bixaceae shrub Koror
Blechum pyramidata green shrimp plant, Browne’s blechum Acanthaceae herb

Malakal, Koror

*Breynia disticha snowbush, snowbush breynia, sweetpea bush, foliage-flower Euphorbiaceae shrub

Koror

Caladium bicolor caladium, elephant's-ear, fancy-leaf caladium, heart-of-Jesus Araceae herb

Koror; Ngerekebesang (cult.)

*Cananga odorata perfume tree, chiráng (Palau), irang (Palau) Annonaceae tree

Koror, Ngerekebesang

*Catharanthus roseus Cape periwinkle, Madagascar periwinkle, old-maid, rose periwinkle, rosy periwinkle Apocynaceae herb

Koror, Ngerekebesang

*Celosia argentea cockscomb, esechilamalk (Palau) Amaranthaceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
**Centella asiatica Asiatic pennywort, Indian pennywort, marsh pennywort, pennyweed, elisichur (Palau), elsichur (Palau) Apiaceae herb Koror, Ngerekebesang
Chamaesyce hirta asthma plant, garden spurge, pill-bearing spurge, hairy spurge, udall (Palau) Euphorbiaceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
Chamaesyce prostrata creeping splurge, prostrate spurge, red caustic creeper Euphorbiaceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
Chamaesyce thymifolia red caustic creeper, thyme-leafed spurge Euphorbiaceae herb Koror, Ngerekebesang
Cleome gynandra African spider-flower, bastard-mustard, cat's-whiskers, spider wisp, wild spider flower Capparaceae herb Koror
Coix lacryma-jobi adlay, adlay millet, Job's-tears, demairuuch (Palau), tauiir (Palau) Poaceae grass Koror, Ngerekebesang
Cosmos sp. cosmos Asteraceae herb Koror
Crassocephalum crepidoides thickhead, fireweed, redflower ragleaf Asteraceae herb Koror
Crotalaria incana fuzzy rattlepod, woolly rattlepod, kuroteraria (Palau) Fabaceae shrub Koror
Crotalaria pallida salts rattlebox, smooth crotalaria, smooth rattlebox, smooth rattlepod, streaked rattlepod, striped crotalaria Fabaceae shrub Koror
Crotalaria spectabilis rattlebox, showy crotalaria, showy rattlebox, showy rattlepod Fabaceae herb Koror, Ngerekebesang
Cyperus compressus flat sedge Cyperaceae sedge Koror, Malakal
**†Cyperus cyperinus long-headed sedge Cyperaceae sedge Koror
Cyperus difformis dirty-Dora, one-arm sedge, rice sedge, small-flower umbrella-plant, variable flat sedge Cyperaceae sedge Malakal
Cyperus distans slender cyperus Cyperaceae sedge Koror
**†Cyperus haspan Cyperaceae sedge Koror
**†Cyperus iria grasshopper’s cyperus, rice flat sedge, umbrella sedge, badel aus (Palau) Cyperaceae sedge Koror, Malakal
**†Cyperus pilosus Cyperaceae sedge Koror
**†Cyrtococcum oxyphyllum long-leaf cyrtococcum grass Poaceae grass Koror
Dactyloctenium aegyptium beach wiregrass, button grass, coast button grass, comb fringe grass, crowfoot grass, duck grass, finger comb grass Poaceae grass Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
*Datura metel datura, downy thorn-apple, Hindu datura, Hindu thorn-apple, hoary thorn-apple, horn-of-plenty, jimson-weed, purple thorn-apple Solanaceae herb Malakal
*Delonix regia flame tree, flamboyant, poinciana, nangiosákura (Palau), nangiosikura (Palau), nangyo (Palau) Fabaceae tree

Koror

Desmodium gangeticum Fabaceae herb Ngerekebesang
**†Desmodium heterocarpon okula beluu (Palau) Fabaceae herb Koror, Ngerekebesang
Desmodium incanum kaimi clover, Spanish clover Fabaceae shrub Koror
Desmodium triflorum creeping tick trefoil, three-flower beggarweed, tropical trefoil, olmud (Palau) Fabaceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
Digitaria bicornis southern crabgrass Poaceae grass Ngerekebesang
**Digitaria fuscescens Y grass Poaceae grass Koror
Dioscorea bulbifera aerial yam, air-potato, bitter yam, cheeky yam, potato yam, belloi (Palau) Dioscoreaceae vine Koror, Ngerekebesang
*Duranta erecta duranta, golden dewdrop, pigeon-berry, sky-flower Verbenaceae shrub Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
Echinochloa colona awnless barnyard grass (Australia), corn panic grass, Deccan grass, jungle ricegrass, jungle rice, millet-rice, pigeon millet Poaceae grass Koror, Malakal
Eclipta prostrata eclipta, false daisy, swamp daisy, white eclipta, deberebelela tengadidik (Palau) Asteraceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerkebesang
*Elaeis guineensis African oil palm Arecaceae tree Koror
Eleocharis dulcis Chinese water-chestnut, ground-chestnut, waternut Cyperaceae sedge Koror
Emilia sonchifolia Cupid's shaving-brush, emilia, Flora's paint brush, purple sow thistle, sow thistle Asteraceae herb Koror, Malakal
Episcia cupreata episcia, flame violet Gesneriaceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
**Eragrostis amabilis Bug's egg grass, Japanese love grass, ouemoket (Palau) Poaceae grass Koror
Eragrostis pilosa hairy love grass, Indian love grass, soft lovegrass Poaceae grass Koror
**Eriochloa procera Poaceae grass Koror, Malakal
**†Fimbristylis autumnalis slender fimbristylis Cyperaceae sedge Koror
**†Fimbristylis littoralis grass-like fimbristylis, lesser fimbristylis, kerngimes (Palau), kederang (Palau) Cyperaceae sedge Koror
**†Fuirena umbellata desum ra mesei (Palau) Cyperaceae sedge Koror
*Gomphrena globosa bachelor's-button, bozu, globe amaranth, pearly everlasting, botang (Palau) Amaranthaceae herb Koror, Ngerekebesang
**†Heliotropium indicum Indian heliotrope, turnsole Boraginaceae herb Koror
Hippobroma longiflora star of Bethlehem, udel ra badrei (Palau) Campanulaceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
*Impatiens balsamina impatiens, balsam, garden balsam, rose balsam, spotted snapweed, touch-me-not, hosengka (Palau) Balsaminaceae succulent Koror
*Impatiens walleriana garden impatiens, balsam, busy lizzy, bizzy-lizzie, patient lucy; sultan’s flower Balsaminaceae succulent Koror, Ngerekebesang
Imperata conferta plume grass Poaceae grass Koror
*Ipomoea carnea subsp. fistulosa bush morning glory, tree ipomoea Convolvulaceae shrub Koror
Ipomoea quamoclit Cupid's flower, cypress vine, cypressvine morning-glory, star of Bethlehem, star-glory, sweet-willy, asangao (Palau) Convolvulaceae vine Koror
Ipomoea triloba Aiea morning-glory, little bell, orech (Palau), torech (Palau) Convolvulaceae vine Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
**Isachne globosa Poaceae grass Koror
Jasminum sambac Arabian jasmine Oleaceae vine Koror
**†Lindernia antipoda ilemelakel (Palau) Scrophulariaceae herb Koror
**Ludwigia hyssopifolia   Onagraceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
**Ludwigia octovalvis willow primrose, false primrose, yellow willow herb, erur (Palau) Onagraceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang

Mitracarpus hirtus

tropical girdlepod Rubiaceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang

Momordica charantia

balsam-apple, bitter-melon, bitter gourd, balsam pear, squirting cucumber, cerasee, peria, markoso (Palau), markosong (Palau) Cucurbitaceae vine

Koror, Malakal

*Moringa oleifera horseradish tree, drumstick tree, ben nut, morango, malungkai (Palau) Moringaceae tree

Koror, Malakal

Oldenlandia corymbosa   Rubiaceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
**†Oplismenus hirtellus basket grass, woods grass Poaceae grass Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
*Opuntia sp. drooping tree pear, prickly pear Cactaceae cactus Koror, Ngerekebesang
*Orthosiphon aristatus cat’s whiskers, chemadecharebub (Palau), emadecharebub (Palau) Lamiaceae herb Koror
Oxalis barrelieri   Oxalidaceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
Paspalum scrobiculatum rice grass; creeping paspalum, ditch millet, Indian paspalum, kodo millet, water couch, desum (Palau) Poaceae grass Koror, Malakal, Ngerkebesang
Peperomia pellucida rtertiil (Palau) Piperaceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
*Persea americana avocado, alligator pear, bata (Palau) Lauraceae tree Koror, Ngerekebesang
Phyllanthus amarus ukalla ruchel (Palau) Euphorbiaceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
Phyllanthus debilis Euphorbiaceae herb Koror, Malakal
**†Phyllanthus urinaria Euphorbiaceae herb Koror
Physalis angulata annual ground cherry, bubeubedul (Palau) Solanaceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
Pilea microphylla artillery plant, gunpowder plant, pistol plant, rockweed Urticaceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
Piriqueta racemosa Turneraceae herb Koror
Polygala paniculata island snake-root, keskus ra mekesong (Palau) Polygalaceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
Portulaca oleracea pigweed, purslane Portulacaceae herb Koror
Pseuderanthemum carruthersii   Acanthaceae shrub Ngerkebesang
**Pueraria montana var. lobata kudzu, Japanese arrowroot Fabaceae vine Koror
Russelia equisetiformis coralplant, fountainplant Scrophulariaceae shrub Koror, Malakal
Senna occidentalis antbush, coffee senna, korriu (Palau) Fabaceae shrub Koror, Malakal
Sesbania cannabina canicha, dhaincha, dhunchi, sesbania pea Fabaceae shrub Koror, Malakal
Sida rhombifolia arrow-leaf sida, Cuban jute, Paddy's lucerne, Queensland-hemp, teaweed, keak (Palau) Malvaceae shrub Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
Solanum americanum American nightshade, black nightshade, glossy nightshade Solanaceae herb Koror, Malakal
*Solenostemon scutellarioides coleus Lamiaceae herb

Sorghum bicolor Sudan grass Poaceae grass Malakal
Spermacoce assurgens buttonweed, okulabeluu (Palau) Rubiaceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
Spermacoce ernstii Rubiaceae herb Koror
Spermacoce latifolia   Rubiaceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
Stachytarpheta jamaicensis bastard vervain, blue porterweed, Brazilian tea, Jamaica vervain, joee, light blue snakeweed, louch beluu (Palau) Verbenaceae herb Koror, Malakal
**†Stictocardia tiliifolia stictocardia, crimson morning-glory Convolvulaceae vine Koror
Synedrella nodiflora Cinderella weed (Australia), porter bush, synedrella Asteraceae herb Koror, Malakal
**Vernonia cinerea ironweed, little ironweed, vernonia Asteraceae herb Koror, Malakal, Ngerekebesang
Youngia japonica oriental hawksbeard Asteraceae herb Koror

*Cultivated
**Native/Micronesian introduction
†Reported present by Fosberg et al. (1979)


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This page revised 7 April 2009