Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)


Report on invasive plant species in Tonga


Appendix 10

Invasive and potentially invasive species recorded as being present elsewhere in Tonga

Scientific Name Common Names Family Habit Other Tonga Locations
Adenanthera pavonina English: Coral bean tree, red sandalwood tree, red bead tree, lopa, bead tree, false wiliwili, peacock flower-fence; French: bois de condori; Other:  kaikes (Pohnpei); mwetkwem (Kosrae); colales, culalis, kolales, kulales, kulalis (Guam, CNMI); metekam, metkam, metkem, (Kosrae); telengtúngd, telentundalel (Palau); pomea (Fiji, Niue), lera, lere ndamu, vaivai, vaivai ni vavalangi (Fiji), lopa, la‘au lopa (American Samoa, Samoa and Tonga); paina, pitipitio (French Polynesia) Fabaceae tree Niuafo'ou, Niuatoputapu
Aleurites moluccana English:  candlenut, Indian walnut; French:  bancoulier, bancoulier, noyer de bancoul, noyer des Moluques; Other:  lumbang (Guam), raguar (Caroline Islands); sakan, shakan (Pohnpei); lama (American Samoa and Samoa); kukui (Hawai’i); tuitui (Cook Islands, Niue, Tonga), 'ama (Marquesas); lauci, lauthe, lauthi, toto, tuitui, tutui, waiwai, sekeci,sikethi, sikeli, nggerenggere (Fiji); tahii tiairi, ti’a’iri, tutui, tahiri (French Polynesia) Euphorbiaceae tree Niuafo'ou, Niuatoputapu,  Tafahi
Cardiospermum halicacabum English:  balloon vine, heart pea, love-in-a-puff; Other:  wa niu, vo niu (Fiji); vinivinio (French Polynesia), poniu, haleakai‘a, ‘inalua, pohuehue uka (Hawai'i) Sapindaceae vine Niuatoputapu
Casuarina equisetifolia English:  casuarina, ironwood, Australian pine, she-oak, horsetail tree, beefwood; French:  arbe de fer; Spanish: arbol de hierro; Other: nach (Yap); lach (Ulithi); laash (Woleai); weeku (Chuuk); gagu, gago (Guam, CNMI); weighu (CNMI-Carolinian); pientri (pinetree), nidil, bû ukam (bluegum on some atolls), nidõ (needle" on some atolls) mejinoki (Marshall Islands); toa (American Samoa, French Polynesia, Hawai‘i, Niue, Samoa and Tonga); ‘aito (French Polynesia); nokonoko, nakure, qaro (Fiji); te katurina (from Ecoport, source not given) Casuarinaceae tree Niuafo'ou, Niuatoputapu,  Tafahi
Cenchrus echinatus English:  burgrass, sand-bur, southern sandbur, Mossman River grass (Australia); French:  herbe a cateaux (Mauritius); Other: tuitui, vao tuitui, vao papalagi (American Samoa and Samoa); se mbulabula (Fiji); piri-piri, pipiri (French Polynesia); mau‘u kuku, ‘ume‘alu (Hawai'i); te anti, te kateketeke (Kiribati); cram-cram (New Caledonia); motie vihilago, mosie vihilango (Niue); lõklõk, kãlõklõk, lellik, lekelik, liklik, karmwijmwij, karumwij (Marshall Islands); cauit-cauitan (Philippines); hefa (Tonga) Poaceae grass Tafahi
Chrysopogon aciculatus English: Mackie's pest, lovegrass, seed grass, golden beardgrass, seedy grass (Solomon Islands); French: herbe plate, herbe à piquant; Other: papapa (French Polynesia); inifuk, palaii (Guam); manienie ‘ula, pi‘ipi‘i, pilipili ‘ula (Hawai‘i); mosie fisi (Niue); iul (Palau); mutia tai, mutia vao (Samoa); matapekepeke, matapekapeka matapekepeka (Tonga); herbe plate (Vanuatu) Poaceae grass Tafahi
Cynodon dactylon English: Bermuda grass, giant Bermuda grass, bahama grass, devil's grass, couch grass, Indian doab, grama, devilgrass, couchgrass, balama grass; French: chiendent, petit chiendent, chiendent pied-de-poule; Other: manini, manienie (Hawai'i); motie molulu (Niue); kambuta, kabuta (Fiji); mosie molulu (Niue); herbe de couverture (New Caledonia); pasto bermuda, zacate bermuda, grama dulce, gramón, hierba fina, grama-seda, (from Ecoport, no source given) Poaceae grass Niuatoputapu
Cyperus rotundus English: nut grass, nutsedge, purple nutsedge, cocograss; French: souchet rond, souchet à tubercules, herbe à oignon; Other: oni ani (Cook Islands); soro na kambani, sora na kambani, soro ni kabani, ivako, malanga, vucesa, motha, vuthesa mot ha (Fiji); chaguan humatag (Guam); kili'o'opu, mau‘u mokae (Hawai‘i); te mumute (Kiribati); tuteoneon (Marshall Islands); mumuta (Samoa, Tokelau); pakopako (Tonga) Cyperaceae sedge Niuatoputapu
Delonix regia English: flame tree, flamboyant, poinciana; Spanish: flamboyan; Other: ngatipa, avarua (Rarotonga, Cook Islands); fayarbaw (CNMI–Carolinian); sekoula (Fiji); puke (Tahiti, French Polynesia); arbol del fuego, atbot, atbot det fuegu, atbut (Guam and CNMI–Chamorro); ‘ohai ‘ula (Hawai'i); pine (Niue); nangiosákura, nangyo (Palau); pilampwoia weitahta (Pohnpei); ‘ohai (Tonga); sakuranirow (Yap) Fabaceae tree Niuatoputapu
Digitaria violascens English: smooth crabgrass, violet crabgrass; Other: sau (Palau) Poaceae grass Niuafo'ou
Eleusine indica English: goosegrass, wiregrass, goose foot, crow's foot, bullgrass; French: pied de poule; Other: fahitalo, lau ta‘a ta‘a, ta‘a ta‘a (American Samoa and Samoa); kavoronaisivi, vorovoroisivi, ghoraya (Fiji); tamamau (French Polynesia), umog (Guam); manienie ali‘i (Hawai'i); mahkwekwe (Kosrae); katejukjuk (Marshall Islands); mosie fahitalo (Niue); deskim, keteketarmalk (Palau); reh takai (Pohnpei); takataka, takataka ‘a leala, mohuku siamane (Tonga); te uteute (from Ecoport, source not given) Poaceae grass Tafahi
Flacourtia rukam English: Indian plum, Indian prune, governor's plum; French: prunier café, prunier de Chine, prunier malgache; Other: filimoto (Fiji, Futuna, Samoa and American Samoa, Tonga) Flacourtiaceae tree Niuatoputapu
Indigofera suffruticosa English: indigo; Other:  aniles (Guam); ‘iniko, inikoa, kolu (Hawai'i); la‘au mageso (Samoa); ‘akau veli (Tonga) Fabaceae shrub Niuafo'ou
Kyllinga nemoralis English: white kyllinga, whitehead spikesedge, whitewater sedge; Other:  kili‘o‘opu (Hawai‘i), ta‘a ta‘a, ta‘a ta‘a vili taliga, matie upo‘o, matie tahiti, mo‘u upo‘onui, mo‘u upo‘o, tuise (Samoa); pakopako, pakopako ‘ae kuma (Tahiti); tuise (Tonga) Cyperaceae sedge Tafahi
Lantana camara English: lantana; Other: latana (American Samoa and Samoa); taramoa (Cook Islands); kauboica, kaumboitha, mbonambulumakau, mbona ra mbulumakau, tokalau, waiwai, lanitana (Fiji); taratara hamoa, taratara moa (French Polynesia); latora moa, tatara moa (French Polynesia (Tahiti)); lakana, la‘au kalakala, lanakana (Ni‘ihau), mikinolia hihiu, mikinolia hohono, mikinolia kuku (Hawai'i); ros fonacni (Kosrae); te kaibuaka, te kaibuaja (Kiribati); migiroa (Nauru), landana, rantana, rahndana, tukasuweth (Pohnpei); talatala, talatala talmoa (Tonga) Verbenaceae shrub Tafahi
Merremia peltata English: merremia; Other: wachathal (yap); lohl, iol, yol (Pohnpei); kebeas (Palau); lagon, lagun (Guam); fitau, fitaw (Chuuk); pala, pul, puhlah (Kosrae); fue, fue vao, fue kula (Niue); fue lautetele (American Samoa and Samoa); fue mea (Tonga); abui, grobihi, arosumou (Solomon Islands); wa mbula, wa bula, wa damu, wa ndamu, viliyawa, wiliviwa, veliyana, wiliao (Fiji); pohue (French Polynesia) Convolvulaceae vine Tafahi
Mimosa pudica English: sensitive plant, sleeping grass; French: sensitive; Other: la‘au fefe, vao fefe, vao tuitui, tuitui (American Samoa and Samoa); ra kau pikikaa, rakau pikika (Cook Islands); tho ngandrongandro, tho kandrodandro, cogadrogadro (Fiji); betguen sosa (Guam); pua hilahila (Hawai‘i); memege (Niue); mechiuaiu (Palau); limemeihr (Pohnpei); pohe ha‘avare, pope ha‘avare (Tahiti); mateloi (Tonga) Fabaceae herb Niuafo'ou
Operculina ventricosa English: paper rose, St. Thomas lidpod; Other: alalag (Guam); palulu (Samoa); fue hina (Tonga) Convolvulaceae vine Niuafo'ou, Niuatoputapu, Tafahi
Paspalum conjugatum English: T grass, ti grass, sour grass; sour palpalum, buffalo grass, carabao grass, Hilo grass (Hawai'i); French: herbe sure, herbe créole; herbe de tauère (New Caledonia); Other: fetin wumwune (Chuuk); mau‘u Hilo (Hawai‘i), muhsrasre (Kosrae); moise vailima, motie vailima (Niue and Tonga); udel ra ngebei (Palau); rehn wai (Pohnpei); vao lima (American Samoa and Samoa), vailima matafao (Samoa); vailima, (Samoa, Tonga, Niue) Poaceae grass Niuatoputapu
Paspalum scrobiculatum English:  rice grass; ditch millet (Fiji); Other:  co duru levu, tho nduru levu, tho ndina, tho ni ndina (Fiji); karasi (Solomon Islands) Poaceae grass Niuafo’ou, Tafahi
Passiflora maliformis English:  hard-shelled passionfruit, sweet calabash, sweet cup; French: pomme calabas; Other:  pasio (Samoa), vaine Tonga, vaine kai (Tonga) Passifloraceae vine Tafahi
Pueraria montana var. lobata English:  kudzu, Japanese arrowroot; Other:  deday (Yap); aka (American Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Wallis and Futuna); a'a (American Samoa and Samoa); yaka , wa yaka, nggariaka (Fiji); akataha, fue’aepuaka (Tonga); acha, nepalem Fabaceae vine Niuatoputapu
Sporobolus indicus English: smutgrass, wiregrass, Indian dropseed; Other: fisihina (Tonga) Poaceae grass Niuafo'ou, Niuatoputapu

Information from Uhe (1972), Whistler (1992b) and Yuncker (1959)


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