Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)
Report on invasive plant species in Tonga
Appendix 8
Invasive and potentially invasive species present on Vava‘u
| 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 |
| Anacardium occidentale* | English: cashew, cashew nut; French: anacardier, pomme de cojou, acajou a pommes, pommier d’acajou; Other: kasoi (Guam), ‘apu ‘initia (Samoa); kesiu (Tonga) | Anacardiaceae | 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 |
| Annona squamosa | English: sugar apple, sweetsop, custard apple, sugar apple; French: annone écailleuse, pomme-canelle; Other: atis, ates (Guam); ngel ra ngebard (Palau), ‘apele papalangi, ‘apele Tonga (Tonga), tapotapo (French Polynesia) | Annonaceae | tree |
| Antigonon leptopus* | English: Mexican creeper, mountain rose, Confederate vine, chain-of-love, hearts on a chain, love-vine, coral bells, coral vine, queen’s jewels, kadena de amor, corallita; Other: dilngau (Palau); rohsapoak (Pohnpei) | Polygonaceae | vine |
| Asparagus densiflorus | English: asparagus fern, sprengeri fern, smilax, regal fern | Liliaceae | herb |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Coffea arabica* | English: coffee; French: café, caféier d’ Arabie; Spanish: café, cafeto; Other: kove (Fiji); kofe (Fiji, Niue, Samoa), kofi (Tonga); kafe (Marquesas); taofe (Tahiti) | Rubiaceae | tree |
| Commelina diffusa | English: commelina, dayflower, wandering Jew, spiderwort; Spanish: chiriyuyo; Other: semprebiban-damalong (Guam); honohono (Hawai‘i); mau‘utoga, mau‘u Tonga (American Samoa and Samoa); mohuku vai, musie matala pulu (Tonga); ai rorongi, ai rongorongo, airogorogo, cobulabula, rongomatailevu, thombulambula, matembulambula, drano,duludauwere, ndrano, ndulandauwere, luna, tho nggalonggalo (Fiji), ma‘apape (French Polynesia) | Commelinaceae | herb |
| Cordia alliodora | English: laurel, Ecuador laurel, salmwood, Spanish elm; French: bois de Chypre, pardillo; Other: kotia (Samoa, Tonga) | Boraginaceae | tree |
| Costus speciosus | English: crepe ginger, crape ginger, wild ginger, Malay ginger, canereed; Other: isebsab (Palau) | Zingiberaceae | herb |
| Cyperus involucratus | English: umbrella sedge, umbrella plant, dwarf papyrus grass; Other: ‘ahu‘awa haole, pu‘uka‘a haole (Hawai‘i) | Cyperaceae | sedge |
| 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 |
| Derris malaccensis | English: New Guinea creeper; Other: ‘ava niukini (American Samoa); nduva, tuva, nduva ni niukini (Fiji); akau niukini (Niue); fue fa‘i ‘ava (Samoa); kava fisi (Tonga) | Fabaceae | vine |
| Desmodium tortuosum | English: Florida beggarweed, Spanish clover, dixie ticktrefoil | Fabaceae | herb |
| 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 macrophylla* | Fabaceae | tree | |
| Flemingia strobilifera | English: luck plant, wild hops; French: sainfoin du bengale; Other: besungelaiei (Palau) | Fabaceae | shrub |
| Gliricidia sepium | English: mother of cacao, quickstick; Spanish: madre de cacao | Fabaceae | tree |
| 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 flavescens | English: yellow ginger, cream ginger; French: longoze; Other: opuhi rea rea (French Polynesia); ‘awapuhi melemele (Hawai'i), teuila (Samoa) | Zingiberaceae | herb |
| Heliconia spp.* | English: heliconia, parrot's-flower, parrot's-plantain, crab claw, lobster claw | Heliconiaceae | herb |
| Hemigraphis alternata | English: metal leaf; red ivy, cemetery plant (Fiji) | Acanthaceae | herb |
| Hippobroma longiflora | English: star of Bethlehem, fetia, madamfate; Other: pua hōkū (Hawai'i) | Campanulaceae | 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 |
| Ipomoea aquatica | English: aquatic morning glory, swamp cabbage, water spinach, ung-choi, kang kong; French: liseron d'eau, patate aquatique; Other: ota karisa, ota karisi, wa kumala, ndrinikava, luve ne tombithi (Fiji), cancon, kangkun (Guam); te kang kong (Kiribati); lorenzo (Nauru), ‘umala vai (Samoa); kangkong (Yap) | Convolvulaceae | aquatic herb |
| 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 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 |
| Lonicera japonica* | English: Japanese honeysuckle, Hall’s honeysuckle; Other: honekakala (Hawai'i) | Caprifoliaceae | vine |
| Macroptilium atropurpureum | English: siratro, purple bushbean | Fabaceae | herb |