Plants, Wildlife, Pests » Non-Native Plants

Dropseed Sporobolus is a perennial grass colonizing open areas and hard substrates. There is some die-back of older plants in the winter. It is characterized by broad tapering blades, and

Bristly Foxtail Setaria is a widespread non-native grass on Kure, somewhat preferring open areas, and one of the few plants that seem to tolerate growing under Heliotropium. It is characterized

Ditch Polypogon Polypogon is a seasonal grass first occurring in November or December. It resembles Poa annua, also seasonal, especially when it is small, so it is useful to study

Dwarf Eragrostis Eragrostis paupera, a native grass, is truly a dwarf. It can produce seed as little more than a sprout. Large plants are seldom more than a few inches

Japanese Lovegrass E. amabilis is a non-native plant that can generally be distinguished by prostrate stems with a reddish base, narrow leaves, and an open panicle (seed head). It is

Goosegrass Eleusine is one of the most common non-native grasses on Kure. It has a long branched seed head and is characterized by long narrow blades, which have a distinct

Beach Wiregrass Dactyloctenium was first found on Kure in 2008. It is a high priority for eradication but unfortunately has spread to several widespread sites on the island. It is

Nutgrass Cyperus rotundus is a non-native sedge mostly found growing in the vicinity of Camp RA. It has a generally erect posture and the blades a corrugated form that in

Bermuda Grass Cynodon was planted by the Coast Guard as a lawn grass. It forms dense, sometimes monodominant stands in several parts of the central plain including camp. It appears

Sandbur Mature Cenchrus echinatus (non-native) are easily spotted by their seed heads, loaded with spiky burs ready to attach to anything that comes their way.  For non-seeding plants, the most

Verbesina are generally easily distinguished from most other plants on Kure based on broad serrated leaves (saw-toothed), an ascending stem, and orange-yellow flowers.  In mature stands, Verbesina can reach heights

Goat’s Head or Puncture Vine Tribulus is native to Kure and is abundant in open areas. Its leaf pattern and yellow flowers are unmistakable. Tribulus produces sharp thorny seeds that

Common Chickweed Stellaria, a non-native plant, is seasonal, usually first appearing in December. It has trailing branching stems and numerous egg-shaped to elliptic leaves, usually with an obvious tooth at

Lesser Sea Spurry Spergularia, a non-native plant, is one of two members of the pearlwort family on Kure. It is characterized by fleshy succulent leaves, purplish flowers, and often some

Sow Thistle Sonchus, a non-native plant, is not a true thistle. Instead, it is a member of the ‘tribe’ dandelion. It is nearly dimorphic, with coarse, pointed leaves when growing

Glossy Nightshade Solanum americanum is a non-native plant in the same genus as Solanum nelsonii, native to but extinct on Kure. Solanum americanum is widespread but not abundant and shares

Japanese Pearlwort Sagina is a small, fleshy non-native plant with linear leaves growing in multiple rosettes from a central stem. It is seasonal, first occurring in November or December. It

Purslane Portulaca oleracea is a non-native cousin of Portulaca lutea, which is native to the Hawaiian Islands. It is found near the cistern and path in camp and occurs in

Yellow Wood Sorrel Oxalis corniculata is a low growing non-native plant characterized by heart-shaped leaves growing in clusters of 3 and flowers with yellow petals. It is found in camp

Cutleaf Evening Primrose Oenothera laciniata is a non-native annual herb with long, slender, dentate (toothed) leaves and white flowers. The common name comes from the fact that flowers usually open

Sweet Alyssum Lobularia, a non-native plant, is easily identified by its white flowers and long slender leaves. It is common throughout the island. The cotyledons are ovate and can be

Peppergrass Lepidium is a low growing non-native plant with leaves radiating outward on long flanged stems. Color ranges from dark green to a dark reddish-green. It is common in camp.

Flaveria Flaveria, a non-native plant, is a small, erect shrub in the Aster family. Flaveria is characterized by variable ovate to lanceolate (oval to lance shaped) leaves. The leaves have

E. maculata Spurge There are several Euphorbia species found on Kure, all non-native. E. maculata is distinctive due to the red center found on the leaves. Otherwise these species are

Lesser Swinecress Coronopus is a small, fast-growing, and fast-maturing, non-native plant. It takes advantage of disturbed areas and often grows quickly to maturity hidden by a larger plant. As such

Chenopodium murale, a non-native plant, is named for the shape of the leaf, which apparently resembles the shape of the foot of a goose. It also resembles Verbesina but the

Fur-leaved Celery Ciclospermum is a non-native plant that generally resembles celery, with long stalks crowned by heavily branched opposite leaves. It is found mostly in camp and nearby RAs and

Beach Heliotrope Heliotropium foertherianum General Information Beach Heliotrope is an introduced tree widely distributed throughout the Pacific and has been documented in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands since the 1960s. As

Kaunaʻoa Pehu Cassytha filiformis  General Information C. filiformis is a native parasitic vine, called Kaunaʻoa Pehu, that was first observed on the northern tip of Kure’s Green Island in 2001.

Anagallis is a diminutive non-native plant with colorful scarlet flowers. The leaf shape and growth form are distinctive and make Anagallis relatively easy to identify. Old plants branch and spread

Amaranthus viridis is one of two non-native Amaranthus species traditionally found on Kure. A. spinosus is either gone or is very rare. A. viridis is one of the few broad