Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)
Report on invasive plant species in Tonga
Appendix 7
Invasive and potentially invasive species present on ‘Eua
| Scientific Name | Common Names | Family | Habit |
| Abelmoschus moschatus | English: fautia, musk mallow, musk okra; French: ambrette, gombo musqué, ketmie musquée, graine de musc; Other: kamang, ka‘mang (Guam); karereon, karereon nikapwerik nik, kareron, likonokon (Chuuk); gongul (Palau); metei, mety, methey (Pohnpei); hathongethong, kamwayang, nikapwerik, setmwechin, sotumo (Yap); wakiwaki, wakewake, wakeke, vakeke, aukiki, okeoke, o‘e‘e (Fiji); fou ingo (Niue), fau ingo (Wallis and Futuna); ‘aute toga, fau tagaloa, fua samasama (American Samoa and Samoa); loa, fau‘ingo (Tonga) | Malvaceae | herb |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Annona muricata | English: soursop, prickly custard apple; French: corossolier, cacheimantier épineux, cachiman épineux, corossol épineux; Other: saasaf, sasaf (Chuuk); tapotapo papaa (French Polynesia); laguana, laguaná, laguanaha, laguanaba, labuanaha (Guam); sosap (Kosrae); jojaab (Marshall Islands); syasyap (Northern Mariana Islands), talapo fotofoto (Niue), sausab (Palau); sei, sae, truka shai (Pohnpei); sasalapa (Samoa); ‘apele ‘initia (Tonga); sausau (Yap) | Annonaceae | tree |
| Argyreia nervosa | English: elephant creeper, Hawaiian baby woodrose , silver morning glory, woolly morning glory; French: coup d'air, liane a minguet, liane d' argent | Convolvulaceae | vine |
| Aristolochia littoralis | English: Dutchman's pipe, calico flower; Other: fue paipa holani (Tonga) | Aristolochiaceae | vine |
| Asparagus setaceus | English: ornamental asparagus, climbing asparagus fern, plumosa; French: asperge plumeuse; Other: taupo ‘ou (Tonga) | Liliaceae | vine |
| Asystasia gangetica | English: Chinese violet, Philippine violet, coromandel | Acanthaceae | herb |
| Bambusa spp. | English: bamboo; French: bambou; Other: moor (Yap); iich (Chuuk); pehri en sapahn (Pohnpei); bambuu (Palau); bambu (Kosrae); pi‘ao, pi‘ao palaoan (Guam and Northern Marianas-Chamorro); bwai (Guam and Northern Marianas-Carolinian); bae, koba (Marshall Islands); kaho palangi (Niue); ‘ohe (French Polynesia); ofe (French Polynesia, Samoa), ‘ofe fiti, ‘ofe papalagi (Samoa); kofe, pitu (Tonga); koe (Rarotonga, Cook Islands) | Poaceae | tree |
| Bauhinia monandra | English: orchid-tree, St. Thomas-tree, Napoleon's plume; flamboyant (Pohnpei), flores mariposa (CNMI); mariposa (Guam); pink butterfly tree (Fiji); Other: pine fua loloa (Niue), vae povi (American Samoa and Samoa) | Fabaceae | tree |
| Blechum pyramidata | English: green shrimp plant, blackweed (Samoa), Browne’s blechum; Other: yerbas babui (Guam), vao uliuli (Samoa) | Acanthaceae | herb |
| Bothriochloa bladhii | English: blue grass, Australian beardgrass, Caucasian bluestem; Other: desum (Palau); latoka grass, thamboni grass (Fiji) | Poaceae | grass |
| Breynia disticha* | English: snowbush, snowbush breynia, sweetpea bush, foliage-flower | Euphorbiaceae | shrub |
| Bryophyllum pinnatum | English: life plant, air plant, resurrection plant, Canterbury bells, cathedral bells, Mexican love plant; Spanish: hoja del aire; Other: bulatawamudu (Fiji); ‘oliwa ku kahakai (Hawai'i); teang (Kiribati); kibilia (Marshall Islands); tupu he lau, tupu noa (Niue); pipi vao (Tonga) | Crassulaceae | herb |
| Cananga odorata | English: perfume tree; French: canang odorant; Other: ilang-ilang, alang-ilang (Guam, Philippines); ylang-ylang, lengileng (CNMI); chiráng, irang (Palau); ilanlang, ilahnglahng (Kosrae); pwanang, pwuur, pwalang (Chuuk); pur-n-wai, pwurenwai, sair-n-wai, seirin wai, seir en wai (Pohnpei); ilanilan, ilañlañ (Marshall Islands); motoi (Niue); makasoi, makosoi, makusui, mokohoi, mokosoi (Fiji); moso‘oi (American Samoa and Samoa); mohoki, mohokoi, mohokoi (Tonga); moto‘oi, mata‘oi (Cook Islands, Niue, Tahiti); moto‘i (Tahiti); lanalana (Hawai‘i) | Annonaceae | tree |
| Canna indica | English: canna, canna lily, Indian shot; French: balisier comestible, tous-les-mois; Other: mongos halum-tano (Guam); luiuenwai (Pohnpei); apeellap, oruuru (Puluwat); fanamanu, fagamanu, fa‘i masoa (American Samoa and Samoa); gasau ni ga (Fiji); te riti (Kiribati), misimisi (Tonga); fagafaga (Futuna); ali‘ipoe, li'ipoe, poloka (Hawai'i); pia-raroto‘a (French Polynesia) | Cannaceae | herb |
| Cedrela odorata* | English: cigar box cedar, Mexican cedar, West Indian cedar, Spanish cedar, Barbados cedar; French: cèdre acajou, cèdre des barbares; Spanish: cedro cubano (Galapagos Is.); Other: sita hina (Tonga) | Meliaceae | tree |
| Ceiba pentandra | English: kapok, kapok tree, silk-cotton tree, pacae; French: kapokier, capoc, bois coton; Spanish: ceibo; Other: koton (Chuuk); algodon de Manila, atgodon di Manila, algidon, atgidon de Manila (Guam); koatoa, atagodon, arughuschel (Saipan), batte ni gan' ken (Yap); bulik, kotin (Marshall Islands); cottin, koatun, koatoa (Pohnpei); kuhtin, cutin (Kosrae); kalngebard, kalngebárd, kerrekar ngebard (Palau); vauvau ni vavalangi, semar (Fiji); vavae (American Samoa, Samoa, Niue, Tonga); vavau ni lokoloko (from Ecoport, source not given) | Bombacaceae | tree |
| Cenchrus ciliaris | English: buffelgrass, African foxtail grass, anjan grass; French: cenchrus cilié | Poaceae | grass |
| 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 |
| Centrosema pubescens | English: centro, butterfly-pea; French: fleur-languette, pois bâtard; Other: pi ni ndola (Fiji) | Fabaceae | herb |
| Cestrum diurnum | English: inkberry, day jessamine, day cestrum, China berry; Other: thauthau (Fiji); tinta ‘n-China, tentanchinu, tintan China (Guam, CNMI); makahala (Hawai'i); sugi vao, suni vao (Samoa); vaitohi (Tonga) | Solanaceae | shrub |
| Cestrum nocturnum | English: night-flowering cestrum, night-flowering jasmine, queen (or lady) of the night; Other: teine o le po, ali‘i o le po (American Samoa and Samoa); thauthau, thauthau ni mbongi, kara (Fiji); dama-de-noche (Guam); ‘ala aumoe, kupaoa, onaona Iapana (Hawai‘i); joñoul ru awa (Marshall Islands); iki he po (Niue); lakau po‘uli (Tonga) | Solanaceae | shrub |
| Chamaecrista nictitans | English: partridge pea, Japanese tea senna; Other: lauki (Hawai‘i); kobo-cha, nemu-cha (Japan) | Fabaceae | shrub |
| 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 |
| Clerodendrum buchananii var. fallax | English: red clerodendrum, pagoda-flower; Other: talufe (Niue); amo’ula, amo’ule (Tonga), lau'awa (Hawai'i) | Verbenaceae | shrub |
| Clitoria ternatea* | English: butterfly pea, Asian pigeonwings; French: honte; Other: buikike, bukike, paokeke, bukike paokeke, capa de la reina, kapa de la raina (Guam); putitainubia (CNMI); pepe (Niue); latoela, nawa (Fiji), paipa (Tonga) | Fabaceae | vine |
| Coccinia grandis | English: ivy gourd, scarlet-fruited gourd; Other: kundru (Fiji); kiuri awia (Marshall Islands); aipikohr (Pohnpei) | Cucurbitaceae | vine |
| Cordia alliodora | English: laurel, Ecuador laurel, salmwood, Spanish elm; French: bois de Chypre, pardillo; Other: kotia (Samoa, Tonga) | Boraginaceae | tree |
| Crassocephalum crepidoides | English: thickhead, fireweed, redflower ragleaf; Other: fua lele, pualele (American Samoa and Samoa); maraburubo (Solomon Islands); fisi puna (Tonga); se vuka (Fiji) | Asteraceae | herb |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Digitaria ciliaris | English: Henry's crabgrass, smooth crabgrass, tropical crab grass, large crab grass, southern crabgrass, fingergrass, summer grass; French: digitaire ciliée; Other: kukaepua'a (Hawai'i); Saulangi (Niue) | Poaceae | grass |
| Duranta erecta | English: duranta, golden dewdrop, pigeon-berry, sky-flower; Other: ‘olive (Tonga) | Verbenaceae | shrub |
| 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 |
| Falcataria moluccana | English: Molucca albizia; Other: tamaligi palagi (American Samoa); tuhke kerosene, tuhkehn karisihn (Pohnpei); ukall ra ngebard (Palau); tamaligi uliuli (Samoa) | Fabaceae | tree |
| Ficus benjamina | English: weeping fig, baka, Java fig, weeping fig ; Other: ‘ovava fisi (Tonga) | Moraceae | tree |
| Flemingia strobilifera | English: luck plant, wild hops; French: sainfoin du bengale; Other: besungelaiei (Palau) | Fabaceae | shrub |
| Furcraea foetida | English: Mauritius hemp, sisal, maguey, giant cabuya; French: aloès vert, chanvre de Maurice; Other: malina (Hawai‘i (Ni‘ihau)); toua (Niue); lautalotalo papalagi (Samoa); faumalila, fau malila (Tonga) | Agavaceae | succulent |
| Grevillea robusta | English: silk oak, silky oak, he oak, silver oak, spider flower; Other: ‘oka kilika, ha‘iku ke‘oke‘o (Hawai'i), oke‘ (Tonga) | Proteaceae | tree |
| Hedychium coronarium | English: white ginger, butterfly lily, ginger lily, garland flower; Other: tunun, sinser (Chuuk); ndrove, cevuga vula, dalasika (Fiji); thevunga (Fiji, Tonga); ‘awapuhi ke‘oke‘o (Hawai‘i), sinter pwetepwet (Pohnpei); tolon (Puluwat) | Zingiberaceae | herb |
| Hemigraphis alternata | English: metal leaf; red ivy, cemetery plant (Fiji) | Acanthaceae | herb |
| Hyptis pectinata | English: comb hyptis, comb bushmint, mint weed, purple top; French: fausse menthe; Other: mumutun lahe, mumutun palaoan, mumutan ademelon (Guam); tamole ni veikau, tamoli ni vavalangi, timothi ni vavalangi, wavuwavu, ndamoli, ben tulsia (Fiji) | Lamiaceae | herb |
| Indigofera suffruticosa | English: indigo; Other: aniles (Guam); ‘iniko, inikoa, kolu (Hawai'i); la‘au mageso (Samoa); ‘akau veli (Tonga) | Fabaceae | shrub |
| Jatropha curcas | English: physic nut, purging nut, Barbados nut; French: médicinier, pignon d'Inde, purghère; Other: wiriwiri, wiriwiri ni vavalangi, uto ni vavalangi, banidakai, mbanindakai, manggele, maqele, ndrala (Fiji); fiki (Fiji, Tonga); tuba-tuba (Guam); kuku‘ihi (Hawai‘i), kuikui Pake (Hawai‘i (Ni‘ihau), laupata (Samoa) | Euphorbiaceae | shrub |
| Kyllinga brevifolia | English: green kyllinga, green water sedge; Other: kili‘o‘opu, kaluha, manunene, mau‘u mokae (Hawai‘i); tuise (Samoa); pakopako (Tonga) | Cyperaceae | sedge |
| 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 |
| Lablab purpureus | English: hyacinth bean, lablab, bonavist, Egyptian kidney bean, dolichos; French: dolique, dolique d'Egypte, pois nourrice; Other: ndralawa, natomba, tomba (Fiji); cheribilla apaka, chuchumeko (Guam); papapa, pi (Hawai'i); pini lae puaka (Tonga) | Fabaceae | vine |
| 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 |
| Leonurus japonicus | English: lion’s tail, Chinese motherwort | Lamiaceae | herb |
| Leucaena leucocephala | English: leucaena, wild tamarind, lead tree; French: graines de lin, faux-acacia, faux mimosa (New Caledonia); Other: koa haole, lili-koa, ekoa (Hawai'i); tangantangan, tangan-tangan, talantayan (Guam, CNMI, Marshall Islands); talntangan (CNMI); ganitnityuwan tangantan (Yap); tuhngantuhngan, rohbohtin (Kosrae); telentund (Palau); lopa Samoa (American Samoa and Samoa); fua pepe (American Samoa and Samoa); lusina (Samoa); pepe (Niue and Samoa); tavahi kaku (Niue); nito, toromiro (Cook Islands); siale mohemohe (Tonga); vaivai, vaivai ni vavalangi, vaivai dina, balori (Fiji); atiku (Marquesas); cassis (Vanuatu); te kaitetua (Kiribati); namas (from Ecoport, source not given) | Fabaceae | tree |
| Macroptilium atropurpureum | English: siratro, purple bushbean | Fabaceae | herb |
| Melia azedarach | English: Chinaberry, pride-of-India, indian lilac, Persian lilac, white cedar, margosa tree, tira; French: lilas des Indes, arbre à chapelets; Spanish: jazmin (Galapagos Is.); Other: dake, bakain (Fiji), paraiso, para'isu (Guam); ‘inia, ‘ilinia (Hawai‘i)sili, tili (Niue); lelah (Pohnpei); sita (Tonga); prais (Yap) | Meliaceae | tree |
| Melinis repens | English: Natal redtop, Natal grass, red Natal grass, Holme's grass, blanketgrass; French: herbe du Natal, herbe rose, herbe pappangue; tricholène (New Caledonia); Other: salapona (Tonga) | Poaceae | grass |
| 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 |
| 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) |