Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)
Report on invasive plant species in Tonga
Appendix 3
Other invasive plant species, mostly of agricultural concern, reported to be present in Tonga
Scientific Name |
Common Names |
Family |
Habit |
Acalypha lanceolata |
Other: puapua (Cook Islands (Miti'aro)); ongo ongo (Niue); ogo ogo (Samoa); hongohongo (Tonga |
Euphorbiaceae |
herb |
English: chaff-flower, devil's horsewhip; prickly chaff-flower; Other: piripiri (Cook Islands); kōpū varu (Cook Islands (‘Atiu, Ma‘uke)); tumu ‘enua (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); sono ivi (Fiji); aerofai (French Polynesia (Tahiti));chichitun, lasogado, lasocata (Guam-Chamorro); talamoa fisi (Niue); louch beluu, louch el beluu (Palau); lautafifi (Samoa); tamatama (Samoa, Tonga) |
Amaranthaceae |
herb |
|
Other: mbotembotekoro (Fiji) |
Asteraceae |
herb |
|
Ageratum conyzoides |
English: billygoat-weed, chick week, goatweed, whiteweed; French: azier françois, baume, bouton; Spanish: chuva; Other: botebotekoro, mata mothemothe, mbotembotekoro, sogovanua, songovanua (Fiji); mumutung (Guam-Chamorro), maire vaihi (French Polynesia); maile hohono, maile honohono, maile kula (Hawai‘i); sekose sea (Niue); ngmak (Palau); a‘amia, tae‘oti (Samoa); te‘ehosi (Tonga) |
Asteraceae |
herb |
Alternanthera sessilis |
English: joyweed, sessile joyweed; Other: mata kura (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)); geluti (Fiji); okula beluulechad (Palau); fisi‘i‘anoa (Tonga) |
Amaranthaceae |
herb |
English: alyce-clover, buffalo-clover, one-leaf-clover; French: alysicarpus; Spanish: maní cimarrón |
Fabaceae |
herb |
|
English: amaranth, livid amaranth, slender amaranth; French: amarante livide; Spanish: bledo; Other: tupu'a (Tonga) |
Amaranthaceae |
herb |
|
English: green amaranth, pigweed, slender amaranth; French: amarante verte; Spanish: bledo; Other: va‘ine ‘ara (Cook Islands); chauriya, chauraiya, choroiya, ndriti, ngasau ni vuaka, tumua (Fiji); kuletes apaka (Guam—Chamorro); pakai, ‘aheahea, pakaikai, pakapakai (Hawai‘i); te moota (Kiribati); ‘au tasi (Samoa); spinach (Solomon Islands); tupu‘a (Tonga) |
Amaranthaceae |
herb |
|
English: soursop, prickly custard apple; French: corossolier, cacheimantier épineux, cachiman épineux, corossol épineux; Other: syasyap (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands); kātara‘apa (Cook Islands); kātara‘apa papa‘ā (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); naponapo taratara (Cook Islands (Aitutaki)); saasaf, sasaf (Chuuk); tapotapo papaa (French Polynesia); laguana, laguaná, laguanaha, laguanaba, labuanaha (Guam); sosap (Kosrae); jojaab (Marshall Islands); talapo fotofoto (Niue); sausab (Palau); sei, sae, truka shai (Pohnpei); sasalapa (Samoa); ‘apele ‘initia (Tonga); sausau (Yap) |
Annonaceae |
tree |
|
English: sugar apple, sweetsop, custard apple, sugar apple; French: annone écailleuse, pomme-canelle; Other: tapotapo (Cook Islands, French Polynesia); tapotapo Māori (Cook Islands); kātara‘apa Māori (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); naponapo Māori (Cook Islands (Aitutaki)); atis, ates (Guam); ngel ra ngebard (Palau), ‘apele papalangi, ‘apele Tonga (Tonga), nameana (Tuvalu) |
Annonaceae |
tree |
|
English: bastard ipecac, blood flower, bloodflower milkweed, butterfly weed, false ipecac, milkweed; French: herbe a gendarme, ipéca sauvage; Spanish: algodoncillo, corcalito, flor de sangre, yuquillo; Other: tirika, tiare moko (Cook Islands); false ipiciachuana, wathiwathi, vu ni lolia, madhar (Fiji); asuncion (Guam-Chamorro); laulele, lauhele, nu‘umela, pua ‘anuhe (Hawai‘i); pepetoa, vaomumu, vao fualele (Samoa); lou pepe, tu‘ulapepe (Tonga) |
Asclepiadaceae |
herb |
|
English: blanket grass, carpetgrass; Other: kambutu ni vavalangi (Fiji) |
Poaceae |
grass |
|
English: caratao grass, narrow-leaved carpetgrass |
Poaceae |
grass |
|
Bidens alba |
English: beggar’s tick, Spanish needle, cobbler's pegs, romerillo; Other: ki, ki nehe, ki pipili, nehe (Hawai‘i) |
Asteraceae |
herb |
Bidens pilosa |
English: beggar’s tick, Spanish needle, cobbler's pegs; French: piquants noirs, bident hérissé, herbe d'aiguille, herbe villebague (Mauritius); Other: piripiri kerekere (Cook Islands); piripiri (Cook Islands, French Polynesia (Tahiti)); nīroa (Cook Islands (Aitutaki)); kamika tuarongo (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); tae puaka (Futuna); batimadramadra, mbatimandramandra, mbatikalawau, matakaro, matua kamate (Fiji); ki, ki nehe, ki pipili, nehe (Hawai'i); kofe tonga, kofetoga (Niue); fisi'uli (Tonga) |
Asteraceae |
herb |
English: green shrimp plant, blackweed (Samoa), Browne’s blechum; Other: ererion , fetinin namocels (Chuuk); yetbas babney (CNMI—Alamagan); lasaga, yetbas babui (CNMI—Saipan); ligakoka (Faraulap); yerbas babui (Guam);, aurowra (Nomwin); vao uli (Samoa); atait (Satawal); gacel, malai, melai (Yap) |
Acanthaceae |
herb |
|
English: snowbush, snowbush breynia, sweetpea bush, foliage-flower; Other: maemae (Cook Islands (Miti‘aro)) |
Euphorbiaceae |
shrub |
|
English: perfume tree; French: canang odorant; Other: moso‘oi (American Samoa and Samoa); pwanang, pwuur, pwalang (Chuuk); ylang-ylang, lengileng; (CNMI); moto‘oi, mata‘oi, mato‘oi (Cook Islands, Niue, Tahiti); makasoi, makosoi, makusui, mokohoi, mokosoi (Fiji); moto‘i (French Polynesia); ilang-ilang, alang-ilang (Guam, CNMI, Philippines); lanalana (Hawai‘i); ilanlang, ilahnglahng (Kosrae); ilanilan, ilañlañ (Marshall Islands); motoi (Niue); chiráng, irang (Palau); pur-n-wai, pwurenwai, sair-n-wai, seirin wai, seir en wai (Pohnpei); mohoki, mohokoi (Tonga) |
Annonaceae |
tree |
|
Catharanthus roseus |
English: Cape periwinkle, Madagascar periwinkle, old-maid, rose periwinkle, rosy periwinkle; French: pervenche de Madagascar; Spanish: chatas, chula, pervinca de Madagascar; Other: tiare tāpau (Cook Islands), tiare mākaru (Cook Islands (Mangaia, Oneroa Village)); tiare mākurūta (Cook Islands (Ngaputou)); tiare kimo (Cook Islands (eastern Rarotonga)); tiare akiaki (northern Cook Islands); taramea, tiara taramea (Cook Islands (Aitutaki?)); kātini (Cook Islands (Mangaia, Tamarua Villiage)); kihapai (Hawai‘i)) |
Apocynaceae |
herb |
English: Asiatic pennywort, Indian pennywort, marsh pennywort, pennyweed, sheep-rot, thankuni; French: écuelle d'eau, fausse violette; Spanish: hierba de clavo, sombrerito; Other: kapukapu (Cook Islands); totondro, totono, tatandra (Fiji); pohe kula (Hawai‘i); tonu (Niue); tono (Niue, Tonga); elisichur, elsichur (Palau); togo (Samoa) |
Apiaceae |
herb |
|
Chamaesyce hirta |
English: asthma plant, garden spurge, pill-bearing spurge, hairy spurge, sneeze weed (Solomon Islands); French: herbe a dysenterie, herbe a verrues; Other: totototo titā (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke)); ndeniose, ndeniosi, samunggawe, ovuka, ovoku (Fiji); eaea, raau topau (French Polynesia); golondrina (Guam-Chamorro); koko kahiki (Hawai‘i); toto tane (Niue); udall (Palau); la‘au fai moti (Samoa); sakisi (Tonga) |
Euphorbiaceae |
herb |
Chamaesyce hypericifolia |
English: beach spurge, graceful spurge; Other: ufi tamaiti? (Samoa) |
Euphorbiaceae |
herb |
Chamaesyce prostrata |
English: creeping splurge, prostrate spurge, red caustic creeper; Other: bodulagas-chaca (Chamorro-Guam); te tarai (Kiribati); toto fifine, toto fefine? (Niue); laulili'i (Samoa); papati (French Polynesia (Society Islands)) |
Euphorbiaceae |
herb |
Chamaesyce thymifolia |
English: red caustic creeper, thyme-leafed spurge |
Euphorbiaceae |
herb |
Chenopodium murale |
English: Australian-spinach, green fat hen, nettle-leaf goosefoot, salt-green, sowbane |
Chenopodiaceae |
herb |
Chloris divaricata |
English: slender chloris, star grass, star windmill grass |
Poaceae |
grass |
Chloris gayana |
English: Rhodes grass; French: chloris, herbe de Rhodes; Spanish: grama de Rodas, pasto de Rodas |
Poaceae |
grass |
English: adlay, adlay millet, Job's-tears; French: larmes de Job; Spanish: lágrimas de Job, lágrimas de San Pedro; Other: poepoe (Cook Islands, French Polynesia (Tahiti)), sila (Fiji); pū‘ohe‘ohe, kūkaekōlea, ‘ohe‘ohe, pūpū kōlea (Hawai‘i); tangatanga (Niue); demairuuch, tauiir (Palau); sanasana, sagasaga (Samoa); hana (Tonga) |
Poaceae |
grass |
|
English: Benghal dayflower, dayflower, hairy wandering Jew, wandering Jew; Other: hairy honohono (Hawai‘i); mau'u Tonga (Samoa); kanini, kaningi, musie matala pulu (Tonga) |
Commelinaceae |
herb |
|
Conyza bonariensis |
English: flax-leaf fleabane, hairy fleabane, hairy horseweed, wavy-leaf fleabane; Other: lani wela (Hawai‘i) |
Asteraceae |
herb |
Conyza canadensis |
English: butterweed, Canadian horseweed, Canadian fleabane, hogweed, horseweed |
Asteraceae |
herb |
Conyza sumatrensis |
English: broadleaf fleabane, tall fleabane; Other: wavuwavu, tho ni vavalangi, tho ni papalangi, tumbua, thovuka, matakaro (Fiji); pakaka (Tonga) |
Asteraceae |
herb |
English: bittercress, swinecress, wart cress; Other: lesivao (Tonga) |
Brassicaceae |
herb |
|
English: thickhead, fireweed, redflower ragleaf; Other: fua lele, pualele (American Samoa and Samoa); maraburubo (Solomon Islands); fisi puna (Tonga); se vuka (Fiji) |
Asteraceae |
herb |
|
Crotalaria pallida |
English: salts rattlebox, smooth crotalaria, smooth rattlebox, smooth rattlepod, streaked rattlepod, striped crotalaria; French: crotalaire mucronée; Other: maniva (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)); nggiringgiri, kaumothe, toela, pini (Fiji); pikakani, kolomona (Hawai‘i); pine kotalelia (Niue); pi'isi (Tonga) |
Fabaceae |
shrub |
Crotalaria quinquefolia |
English: rattlepod; Other: mboa (Fiji); kaskabeles, cascanetas (Chamorro-Guam) |
Fabaceae |
herb |
Crotalaria retusa |
English: devil-bean, wedge-leaf crotalaria, wedge-leaf rattlepod; Spanish: cascabel fétido; Other: piini? (Tonga) |
Fabaceae |
herb |
Crotalaria spectabilis |
English: rattlebox, showy crotalaria, showy rattlebox, showy rattlepod; French: crotalaire remarquable; Other: kolomona (Hawai‘i); ha'apai (Tonga) |
Fabaceae |
herb |
English: Columbian cuphea, Colombian waxweed, tarweed; Other: lasahia, kerisi (Fiji); laau fau moti (Samoa) |
Lythraceae |
herb |
|
English: cyathula; Other: mata kura (Cook Islands (Miti'aro?); tolomo'unga (Tonga) |
Amaranthaceae |
herb |
|
English: fir-leaved celery, marsh parsley, slender celery |
Apiaceae |
herb |
|
Cyperus compressus |
English: flat sedge; Other: pakopako (Tonga) |
Cyperaceae |
sedge |
Cyperus cyperinus |
English: long-headed sedge; Other: mue mue, mou upo tutu (French Polynesia) |
Cyperaceae |
sedge |
Cyperus cyperoides |
Other: pako (Niue); tuise (Samoa); pako pako (Tonga) |
Cyperaceae |
sedge |
English: McCoy grass, slender sedge, whisker grass, whisker sedge; Other: mau‘u hunehune (Hawai‘i) |
Cyperaceae |
sedge |
|
English: long-leaf cyrtococcum grass; Other: thovatu, osalasala (Fiji) |
Poaceae |
grass |
|
English: beach wiregrass, button grass, coast button grass, comb fringe grass, crowfoot grass, duck grass, finger comb grass |
Poaceae |
grass |
|
English: datura, jimsonweed, moonflower, purple thorn-apple, thorn-apple; French: datura stramoine, herbe des taupes, pomme épineuse; Spanish: datura manzana, estramonio, tapa; Other: hurhur (Fiji); lā’au hānō, kīkānia, kīkānia haole (Hawai‘i) |
Solanaceae |
herb |
|
English: flame tree, flamboyant, poinciana; French: pacayer; Spanish: flamboyan; Other: pātai (Cook Islands (Rarotonga, Mangaia, Aitutaki, Penrhyn, Manihiki, Rakahanga)); raākau taāmarumaru, taāmarumaru, (Cook Islands (Atiu)); pukakai (Cook Islands (Aitutaki)); puū piī (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke)); marumaru (Cook Islands (Miti‘aro)); fayarbaw, nfayarbaw (CNMI–Carolinian); sekoula (Fiji); pakai, puke (Tahiti, French Polynesia); arbol del fuego, atbot, atbot det fuegu, atbut (Guam and CNMI–Chamorro); ‘ohai ‘ula (Hawai‘i); te tua (Kiribati); pine (Niue); nangiosákura, nangiosikura, nangyo (Palau); pilampwoia weitahta (Pohnpei); tamaligi (Samoa); ‘ohai (Tonga); fua tausaga (Tuvalu); sakuranirow (Yap) |
Fabaceae |
tree |
|
Desmodium heterophyllum |
English: hetero, Spanish clover; Other: senivakathengu, wakutu (Fiji) |
Fabaceae |
herb |
Desmodium incanum |
English: kaimi clover, Spanish clover; Other: ngātoro (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke)); ka‘imi (Hawai‘i) |
Fabaceae |
shrub |
Desmodium scorpiurus |
Fabaceae |
herb |
|
Desmodium triflorum |
English: creeping tick trefoil, three-flower beggarweed, tropical trefoil; Spanish: hierba cuartillo; Other: olmud (Palau); konikoni, vakathengu (Fiji); kihikihi (Tonga) |
Fabaceae |
herb |
Desmodium uncinatum |
English: silverleaf desmodium, Spanish clover, Spanish tick-clover; Spanish: desmodio plateado, pega pega |
Fabaceae |
herb |
English: Angleton grass, bluestem, Diaz bluestem, Hindi grass, Kleberg bluestem, marvel grass, sheda grass, vunda blue grass (Fiji) |
Poaceae |
grass |
|
English Y grass; Other: creeping kūkaepua‘a (Hawai‘i) |
Poaceae |
grass |
|
English: crab finger grass, hairy crabgrass, large crabgrass, manne terrestre, panic sanguin, summer grass; Spanish: garrachuelo |
Poaceae |
grass |
|
English: aerial yam, air-potato, bitter yam, cheeky yam, potato yam; French: igname bulbifère, pousse en l'air; Spanish: ñame de gunda, papa voladora; Other: kaile, kaile ndranu, kaile nganga, kaile manu, sarau (Fiji); magnaheugo (Chamorro-Guam); hoi (Hawai‘i, Niue, Tonga); pi‘oi (Hawai‘i (Kaua‘i)), belloi (Palau); soi (Samoa, Wallis and Futuna); kwai kwasi (Solomon Islands) |
Dioscoreaceae |
vine |
|
English: duranta, golden dewdrop, pigeon-berry, sky-flower; Other: ‘olive (Tonga) |
Verbenaceae |
shrub |
|
Echinochloa colona |
English: awnless barnyard grass (Australia), corn panic grass, Deccan grass, jungle ricegrass, jungle rice, millet-rice, pigeon millet (Samoa), shama millet; French: blé du Dekkan; Spanish: pasto del arroz; Other: chaguan-agaga (Chamorro – Guam); uaum (Palau); sefa (Samoa); muhuku'apopoa, matala'ulie (Tonga); riz de jungle (Vanuatu) |
Poaceae |
grass |
Eclipta prostrata |
English: eclipta, false daisy, swamp daisy, white eclipta; French: éclipte blanche; Spanish: hierba de tajo, yerba de tajo; Other: miri mapua (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke)); tamudu, tamudi, tamandu, tumandu, tumundi, tholulu, colulu (Fiji); deberebelela tengadidik (Palau) |
Asteraceae |
herb |
Eleocharis dulcis |
English: Chinese water-chestnut, ground-chestnut, waternut; French: châtaigne d'eau; Spanish: cabezas de negrito, nuez china; Other: kuta, sasa, taria (Fiji); uchaga-lane (Guam-Chamorro); kerdikes (Palau); utu utu (Samoa); ngwaro (Solomon Islands) |
Cyperaceae |
sedge |
Elephantopus mollis |
English: elephantopus, elephant’s foot, false tobacco, tobacco weed; French: faux tabac; Other: tapuvae ‘erepani, tapuae ‘erepani, vaevae ‘erepani, tapua ‘erepani? (Cook Islands); tavako ni veikau, jangli tambaku (Fiji); papago' vaca, papago' halom tano, papago' baka, papago' halomtano' (Guam); lata hina, lau veveli (Tonga) |
Asteraceae |
herb |
Other: pakaka (Tonga) |
Asteraceae |
herb |
|
English: Cupid's shaving-brush, emilia, Flora's paint brush, purple sow thistle, sow thistle; French: émilie; Other: pupu lele (Niue); pualele (Niue, Samoa); fua lele, fua lele lili‘i (Samoa); longlongo‘uha (Tonga)) |
Asteraceae |
herb |
|
English: Bug's egg grass, Japanese love grass, love grass (Fiji, Guam), female grass (Kiribati); Other: te uteute naine (Kiribati), ouemoket (Palau) |
Poaceae |
grass |
|
English: elastic grass, love grass |
Poaceae |
grass |
|
English: Brazilian fireweed, fireweed, fireweed daisy, Ceylon thistle; Other: co vuka, thovuka (Fiji); fua lele, pua lele (Samoa); fisi puna (Tonga) |
Asteraceae |
herb |
|
Poaceae |
grass |
||
English: dwarf poinsettia, fire-on-the-mountain, Mexican fire plant, painted spurge, wild poinsettia; Other: te kabekan (Kiribati); deriba (Nauru) |
Euphorbiaceae |
herb |
|
English: petty spurge |
Euphorbiaceae |
herb |
|
English: slender fimbristylis |
Cyperaceae |
sedge |
|
Other: salato, salato ni koro, salato vutivali (Fiji); hongohongo (Niue, Tonga); ongo ongo (Niue, Samoa); ogoogo (Samoa); akoako fuluma (Solomon Islands); nanggalat (Vanuatu); mangeo (Wallis and Futuna) |
Urticaceae |
herb |
|
English: purple cudweed |
Asteraceae |
herb |
|
Fabaceae |
herb |
||
English: silverleaf sunflower; Other: siola'a (Samoa) |
Asteraceae |
herb |
|
English: star of Bethlehem, fetia, madamfate; Other: pua hōkū (Hawai‘i); udel ra badrei (Palau) |
Campanulaceae |
herb |
|
English: impatiens, balsam, garden balsam, rose balsam, spotted snapweed, touch-me-not; French: balsamine des jardins, impatience; Other: kamantigi (Guam); hosengka (Palau); polosomo (Tonga) |
Balsaminaceae |
succulent |
|
English: plume grass; Other: ngi (Fiji) |
Poaceae |
grass |
|
Ipomoea alba |
English: moonflower; Other: alaihai-tasi (Guam-Chamorro); koali pehu (Hawai‘i), fue sina, fue to (Samoa) |
Convolvulaceae |
vine |
Ipomoea cairica |
English: Cairo morning glory, coastal morning glory, ivy-leaved morning glory, railroad-creeper; Other: koali ‘ai, koali, koali ‘ai‘ai (Ni‘ihau), koali lau manamana, kowali, pa‘ali (Hawai‘i), sefifi sea (Niue) |
Convolvulaceae |
vine |
English: peppergrass, Virginia peppercress, Virginia pepperweed, wild peppercress; Spanish: cresón (Peru), mancuerno (Peru), escobilla (Venezuela); Other: naunau (Cook Islands (Aitutaki)) |
Brassicaceae |
herb |
|
Lindernia antipoda |
Other: ilemelakel (Palau) |
Scrophulariaceae |
herb |
Lindernia crustacea |
Other: moomai pere, haehaa, mataura (French Polynesia); ilemelakel (Palau) |
Scrophulariaceae |
herb |
English: willow primrose, false primrose, yellow willow herb; French: faux primerose; Other: tiēmu (Cook Islands); pītōrea (Cook Islands (Ngaputoru and Mangaia), French Polynesia (leeward Society Islands); kāmole, alohalua, kāmole lau li‘i, kāmole lau nui (Hawai‘i); te mam (Kiribati); erur (Palau); laavai, mautofu vao, fua samasama (Samoa) |
Onagraceae |
herb |
|
English: dishrag gourd, loofah, rag gourd, smooth loofah, sponge gourd, vegetable sponge; French: courge torchon, pétole; Spanish: estropajo, paste; Other: pō‘ue (Cook Islands); mafai (Tonga) |
Cucurbitaceae |
vine |
|
English: false mallow, prickly malvastrum; Other: purūmu (Cook Islands); te‘ehosi, te‘ehoosi (Tonga) |
Malvaceae |
herb |
|
Medicago lupulina |
English: black medic, hop-clover, nonesuch, yellow trefoil; French: lupuline, minette dorée; Spanish: mielga azafranada |
Fabaceae |
herb |
Medicago polymorpha |
English: burr medic, California bur-clover, hairy medic, toothed bur-clover, toothed medic; French: luzerne hérissée; Spanish: carretón de amores, trébol de carretilla |
Fabaceae |
herb |
English: balsam-apple, bitter-melon, bitter gourd, balsam pear, squirting cucumber, cerasee, peria; French: momordique, margose (Réunion, Mauritius Islands), margose amère, momordique amère, concombre amer, concombre africain; Spanish: achoccha silvestre; Other: pōkutekute rengarenga (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)); kerala (Fiji); almagosa, atmagosu (Guam); atmagoso (Guam, CNMI); markoso, markosong (Palau); meleni 'ae kuma, vaine 'initia (Tonga) |
Cucurbitaceae |
vine |
|
English: horseradish tree, drumstick tree, ben nut, morango; French: ben ailée, moringa ailée, pois quénique; Other: malungkai, marronggai, marungai, marunggai, malungay, katdes (Guam); sajina (Fiji); malungkai (Palau) |
Moringaceae |
tree |
|
Rubiaceae |
herb |
||
English: basket grass, woods grass; Other: honohono kukui, honohono, honohono maoli (Hawai‘i) |
Poaceae |
grass |
|
English: paspalum, dallis grass, water grass; French: paspalum dilaté, herbe sirop, herbe de miel, herbe de dallis, millet bâtard; Other: hiku nua (Niue) |
Poaceae |
grass |
|
English: fimbriate paspalum, winged paspalum, Panama paspalum, Panama crowngrass, Columbia grass |
Poaceae |
grass |
|
scrobiculatum |
English: rice grass; creeping paspalum, ditch millet, Indian paspalum, kodo millet, water couch; Spanish: mijo koda; Other: māatāa (Cook Islands); co duru levu, tho nduru levu, tho ndina, tho ni ndina (Fiji); mau‘u laiki (Hawai‘i); desum (Palau); karasi (Solomon Islands) |
Poaceae |
grass |
Passiflora subpeltata |
English: white passionflower; Spanish: granadina |
Passifloraceae |
vine |
Pennisetum glaucum |
English: bajra, bulrush millet, burr bristle grass, cat’s tail grass, cattail millet, mongoose tail grass (Fiji), pearl millet, yellow bristle grass, yellow foxtail; French: millet à chandelles, millet perle; Spanish: mijo negro |
Poaceae |
grass |
English: avocado, alligator pear; French: l’avocat; Spanish: aguacate; Other: ‘āpuka, ‘āpoka (Cook Islands); pea (Fiji); avoka (Niue, Samoa, Tahiti, Tonga); ‘āvōta (Cook Islands (Ngaputoru)); bata (Palau); alageta (Chamorro, Guam) |
Lauraceae |
tree |
|
Persicaria glabra |
Other: kāmole (Hawai‘i) |
Polygonaceae |
|
English: lima bean, butter bean, Burma bean, haricot bean, Madagascar bean, sieva bean, sugar bean; French: haricot de Lima, haricot du Cap, pois du Cap; Spanish: frijol de luna, haba lima, judía de Lima, pallar; Other: sem (Fiji), piini ‘ae puaka (Tonga) |
Fabaceae |
herb |
|
Other: moemoe (Cook Islands); moemoe uouo (French Polynesia); maigo-lalo (Guam-Chamorro); te kaimatu (Kiribati); ukalla ruchel (Palau) |
Euphorbiaceae |
herb |
|
Phyllanthus virgatus |
English: seed-under-leaf (Samoa); Other: moemoe 'enua? (Cook Islands); tei ni niu (Fiji); 'avasa (Samoa) |
Euphorbiaceae |
herb |
English: annual ground cherry, bladder cherry (Solomon Islands), wild cape gooseberry (Fiji); Other: tūpera tāmaru-ariki (Cook Islands (Mangaia)); kospeli, mbotembote yandra, mburasu, mborosousou, mborosousou ni vavalangi, mokoai, thevuthevu (Fiji); tamanufairi, tamaru ha‘ari (French Polynesia); tomate chaca (Guam-Chamorro); te baraki (Kiribati); watomo (Nauru); manini (Niue); bubeubedul (Palau); vivao (Samoa); polopa (Tonga) |
Solanaceae |
herb |
|
English: Cape gooseberry, goldenberry, gooseberry-tomato, Peruvian ground-cherry, Peruvian-cherry; French: capuli, coqueret du Peru, groseiller du cap; Spanish: alquequenje, capulí, uvilla (Ecuador); Other: tūpera (Cook Islands); botebote yadra, mbotembote yandra, kospeli, maulaqua, maulanggua, tukiyadra, tukiyandra (Fiji); tupere (French Polynesia), pohā, pa‘ina (Hawai‘i); manini (Niue); ku‘usi (Tonga) |
Solanaceae |
shrub |
|
English: artillery plant, gunpowder plant, pistol plant, rockweed, Samoan fern (Samoa); Other: kiona topa (Cook Islands (Ma‘uke)), pikimaka (Niue), tamole (Samoa) |
Urticaceae |
herb |
|
Plantago debilis |
Plantaginaceae |
herb |
|
Plantago lanceolata |
English: buckhorn, buckhorn plantain, English plantain, narrow-leaved plantain, plantain (Vanuatu), ribgrass, ribwort plantain; French: petit plantain; Spanish: llantén menor; Other: filo, filohako (Tonga) |
Plantaginaceae |
herb |
Plantago major |
English: broadleaf plantain, common plantain, greater plantain; French: grand plantain, plantain majeur; Spanish: llantén, llantén común, llantén major; Other: laukahi, kūhēkili (Hawai‘i); filo, filomatolu (Tonga) |
Plantaginaceae |
herb |
Polygonum dichotomum |
Polygonaceae |
herb |
|
Portulaca oleracea |
English: pigweed, purslane; French: pourpier; Spanish: verdolaga; Other: pōkea papa‘ā (Cook Islands, French Polynesia (Tuamotus)); katuri (Cook Islands (Penrhyn)); ongoongo (Cook Islands (Pukapuka)); taukuku ni vuaka, taukuka ni vuaka, amlonia (Fiji); aturi (French Polynesia (Tahiti); botdolagas, bodulagas, donkulu (Guam-Chamorro); ‘ākulikuli kula, ‘ākulikuli lau li‘i, ‘ihi (Hawai‘i); te boi (Kirbati); kamole (Niue); pokea (Niue, French Polynesia (Marquesas, Tuamotu)); tamole (Samoa, Tonga) |
Portulacaceae |
herb |
English: false elephant foot, tobacco weed (Vanuatu), Yasawa tobacco weed (Fiji); French: faux tabac des Samoa; Spanish: hierba de caballo (Columbia); Other: vao elefane, vao maligi, vao malini (Samoa) |
Asteraceae |
herb |
|
English: kudzu, Japanese arrowroot; Other: aka (American Samoa, Tonga, Niue, Wallis and Futuna); a‘a (American Samoa and Samoa); yaka , wa yaka, nggariaka (Fiji); akataha, fue‘aepuaka (Tonga); deday (Yap); acha, nepalem |
Fabaceae |
vine |
|
English: blue sage, West Indian sage; Other: mauku 'aunga-kino (Cook Islands (Ma'uke)); pupu elo, sealu (Niue); te'ekosi totolo (Tonga) |
Lamiaceae |
herb |
|
Senna occidentalis |
English: antbush, coffee senna; French: bentamaré, café bâtard, casse-puante, dartrier; Spanish: bricho, brusca, frijolillo, guanina; Other: kau mothe, pini (Fiji); amot-tumaga karabao, mumutun-sable (Guam-Chamorro); ‘auko‘i, ‘au‘auko‘i, mikipalaoa, pī hohono (Hawai‘i); te atia (Kiribati); tan brava (Nauru); korriu (Palau); te‘epulu (Tonga) |
Fabaceae |
shrub |
Senna sophera |
Other: matui (Tonga) |
Fabaceae |
herb |
English: bristly foxtail grass |
Poaceae |
grass |
|
Sida acuta |
English: broom weed, Paddy’s lucerne, southern sida, spiny-head sida, spiny sida; French: herbe à balais, herbe à paniers; Spanish: escoba blanca, escobilla; Other: purūmu (Cook Islands); deni vuaka, ndeni vuaka, ndeniosa (Fiji); escobilla papago, escobilla adumelon (Guam-Chamorro); mautofu (Niue, Samoa); keak (Palau); motofu, te‘ehoosi (Tonga) |
Malvaceae |
herb |
Sida cordifolia |
English: flannelweed, heart-leaf sida |
Malvaceae |
shrub |
English: arrow-leaf sida, Cuban jute, Paddy's lucerne, Queensland-hemp, teaweed; French: faux thé, herbe à balais; Spanish: escoba; Other: purūmu (Cook Islands, French Polynesia (Tahiti)), thavuthindra, nggavi ni lawa, nggavi ni lathoi, ndenime, ndeniosa, ndeni vuaka, ndeni puaka, mbariara (Fiji); escobilla dalili, escobilla apaka, escobilla adumelon (Guam-Chamorro); motofu (Niue); keak (Palau); mautofu (Samoa, Niue?); mamafu‘ai (Solomon Islands); te‘ehosi, te‘ehoosi (Tonga) |
Malvaceae |
shrub |
|
English: Indian weed, small yellow crown-beard, yellow crown-head; Other: kamika (Cook Islands (Mangaia)), senikata (Fiji) ‘a‘ami‘a (Samoa), kakamika (Tonga, Wallis and Futuna) |
Asteraceae |
herb |
|
Solanum mammosum |
English: nipple fruit; French: pomme zombi |
Solanaceae |
shrub |
Solanum nigrum |
English: black-berry night shade (Australia), black nightshade, poisonberry; French: morelle noire; Spanish: hierba mora; Other: boro ni veiwere, malahome, boro ni yaloki ni gata (Fiji); polokai (Niue, Tonga); magalo, polo (Samoa) |
Solanaceae |
herb |
English: coleus; Other: terevete (Cook Islands); lata, lau lata (Fiji); weleweka (Hawai‘i); selevese (Niue); koramahd, koaramahd (Pohnpei); pate, patiale, la‘au fai sei (Samoa) |
Lamiaceae |
herb |
|
Sonchus arvensis |
English: corn sow thistle, field sow thistle, perennial sow thistle |
Asteraceae |
herb |
Sonchus oleraceus |
English: annual sow thistle, common sow thistle, hare's-lettuce, milk thistle, sow thistle; Spanish: cerraja; Other: pū‘ā (Cook Islands); pualele (Hawai‘i), pupe lele, puha, puna (Niue); longolongo'uha (Tonga) |
Asteraceae |
herb |
Sorghum arundinaceum |
English: common wild sorghum, kavirondo sorghum (Fiji) |
Poaceae |
grass |
Sorghum bicolor |
English: Sudan grass; French: sorgho du Soudan, sorgho menu; Other: tarapī (Cook Islands), kola (Tonga) |
Poaceae |
grass |
English: buttonweed; Other: okulabeluu (Palau) |
Rubiaceae |
herb |
|
English: staggerweed |
Lamiaceae |
herb |
|
Stenotaphrum secundatum |
English: buffalo grass, St. Augustine grass; French: chiendent de boeuf; Spanish: pasto San Augustín; Other: ‘aki‘aki haole, mānienie ‘aki‘aki, mānienie ‘aki‘aki haole, mānienie māhikihiki (Hawai‘i) |
Poaceae |
grass |
Stictocardia tiliifolia |
English: stictocardia, crimson morning-glory; Other: abubo (Guam-Chamorro); pilikai (Hawai‘i); tagamimi, palulu (Samoa) |
Convolvulaceae |
vine |
Synedrella nodiflora |
English: Cinderella weed (Australia), porter bush, pig grass (Solomon Islands, Vanuatu), synedrella; Spanish: cerbatana; Other: ngaroiarui (Cook Islands (‘Atiu)); saigon (Guam—Chamorro); lau‘oti‘oti, tae‘oti (Samoa); pakaka, pakopako (Tonga) |
Asteraceae |
herb |
Taraxacum officinale |
English: common dandelion, dandelion, lion's-tooth; French: dent de lion, pissenlit vulgaire; Spanish: achicoria amarga, amargón, diente de león; Other: laulele, lauhele (Hawai‘i) |
Asteraceae |
herb |
English: Spanish moss, old man's beard, grandfather’s whiskers, air plant; French: cheveaux du roi, barbe grise, fille de l'air |
Bromeliaceae |
bromeliad |
|
English: coat buttons, tridax daisy, wild daisy (Fiji, Guam); Other: tubua leka, voti (Fiji) |
Asteraceae |
herb |
|
Uraria lagopodioides |
Other: lakanikasa, lakanirase, setamoli (Fiji); uluhenga? (Niue); iku‘ipusi (Tonga) |
Fabaceae |
herb |
Urochloa glumaris |
Poaceae |
grass |
|
English: creeping panic grass, running grass; Spanish: San Juan de Castillo |
Poaceae |
grass |
|
English: ironweed, little ironweed, vernonia; Other: vutikaumondro, tho vuka (Fiji); chaguan Santa Maria (Guam--Chamorro); etngeong (Palau); fisi puna (Tonga) |
Asteraceae |
herb |
|
English: green gram, golden gram, mung, mung bean |
Fabaceae |
herb |
|
Other: ‘uhaloa, ‘ala‘ala pū loa, hal ‘uhaloa, hi‘aloa, kanakaloa (Hawai‘i) |
Sterculiaceae |
shrub |
|
English: oriental hawksbeard; Other: mosita ni Viti (Fiji) |
Asteraceae |
herb |
Primary sources: Swarbrick, J. T. 1997. Weeds of the Pacific Islands. Technical paper No. 209. South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 124 pp.
Whistler, W. A. 1988. Checklist of the weed flora of western Polynesia. Technical Paper No. 194, South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 69 pp.
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This page updated 9 June 2003.