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 |
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