A Guide to the Plants of Kure Atoll
Prepared by Lara Reynolds and Julia Parish
List of Plant Species Illustrated (arranged in alphabetical order by plant family)
Family Species Common name Aizoaceae Sesuvium portulacastrum ‘ākulikuli, sea purslane Amaranthaceae Achyranthes atollensis no common name Amaranthaceae Amaranthus spinosus spiny amaranth Amaranthaceae Amaranthus viridis slender amaranth Apiaceae Ciclospermum leptophyllum fir-leaved celery Asteraceae Bidens alba var. radiata Spanish needle Asteraceae Conyza bonariensis hairy horseweed Asteraceae Emilia fosbergii red pualele Asteraceae Flaveria trinervia flaveria Asteraceae Melanthera integrifolia nehe Asteraceae Psuedognaphalium sandwicensium ‘ena‘ena Asteraceae Sonchus oleraceus sow thistle Asteraceae Verbesina encelioides golden crown-beard Boraginaceae Tournefortia argentea tree heliotrope Brassicaceae Coronopus didymus lesser swinecress Brassicaceae Lepidium bidentum var. o-waihiense ‘anaunau Brassicaceae Lepidium virginicum peppergrass Brassicaceae Lobularia maritima sweet alyssum Caryophyllaceae Spergularia marina lesser sea spurry Caryophyllaceae Stellaria media common chickweed Casuarinaceae Casuarina equisetifolia Ironwood Chenopodiaceae Chenopodium murale goosefoot Combretaceae Terminalia catappa false kamani Convolvulaceae Ipomoea indica koali ‘awa Convolvulaceae Ipomoea pes-caprae pohuehue Cucurbitaceae Sicyos maximowiczii ‘anunu Cyperaceae Cyperus laevigatus makaloa Cyperaceae Cyperus polystachyos many-spike flat sedge Cyperaceae Cyperus rotundus nutgrass Cyperaceae Fimbristylis cymosa button sedge Euphorbiaceae Euphorbia hirta garden spurge Euphorbiaceae Euphorbia species Euphorbiaceae Euphorbia hypericifolia graceful spurge Euphorbiaceae Euphorbia maculata spurge Goodenicaceae Scaevola taccada naupaka Lauraceae Cassytha filiformis kauna‘oa pehu Nyctaginaceae Boerhavia coccinea Boerhavia Nyctaginaceae Boerhavia repens ‘alena Onagraceae Oenothera laciniata evening primrose Oxalidaceae Oxalis corniculata yellow wood sorrel Poaceae Cenchrus agrimonioides var. laysanensis kamanomano Poaceae Cenchrus echinatus sandbur
Family Species Common name Poaceae Cynodon dactylon bermuda grass Poaceae Dactyloctenium aegyptium beach wiregrass Poaceae Digitaria ciliaris Henry's crabgrass Poaceae Eleusine indica goosegrass Poaceae Eragrostis amabilis Japanese lovegrass Poaceae Eragrostis paupera dwarf eragrostis Poaceae Eragrostis variabilis kawelu, emoloa Poaceae Lepturus repens lepturus Poaceae Poa annua bluegrass Poaceae Polypogon interruptus ditch polypogon Poaceae Setaria verticillata bristly foxtail Poaceae Sporobolus pyramidatus dropseed Polygonaceae Coccoloba uvifera sea grape Portulacaeae Portulaca lutea 'Ihi Portulacaeae Portulaca oleracea purslane Primulaceae Anagallis arvensis scarlet pimpernel Solanaceae Solanum americanum glossy nightshade Solanaceae Solanum nelsonii pōpolo Zygophyllaceae Tribulus cistoides nohu
Kure Atoll Seabird Sanctuary DLNR DOFAW Kure Atoll Plant Guidebook 28-Feb-15
Sesuvium portulacastrum Aizoaceae ‘Ākulikuli, sea purslane Native (indigenous) Introduced from Midway
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Kure Atoll Seabird Sanctuary DLNR DOFAW Kure Atoll Plant Guidebook 28-Feb-15
Achyranthes atollensis Amaranthaceae No common name Native (endemic) Extinct on Kure
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Amaranthus spinosus Amaranthaceae Spiny amaranth, spiny pigweed Non-native
Differs from Amaranthus viridis by having a pair of spines at the base of each leaf where it attaches to the stem
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Kure Atoll Seabird Sanctuary DLNR DOFAW Kure Atoll Plant Guidebook 28-Feb-15
Amaranthus viridis Amaranthaceae Slender amaranth Non-native
Differs from Amaranthus spinosus by lacking a pair of spines at the base of each leaf where it attaches to the stem
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Kure Atoll Seabird Sanctuary DLNR DOFAW Kure Atoll Plant Guidebook 28-Feb-15
Ciclospermum leptophyllum Apiaceae Fir-leaved celery Non-native
Flowers white or greenish white
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Kure Atoll Seabird Sanctuary DLNR DOFAW Kure Atoll Plant Guidebook 28-Feb-15
Bidens alba var. radiata Asteraceae Spanish needle Non-native
Not present on Kure but high potential for introduction from Midway
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Conyza bonariensis Asteraceae Hairy horseweed Non-native Found in camp
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Emilia fosbergii Asteraceae Red pualele Non-native
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Flaveria trinervia Asteraceae Flaveria Non-native
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Melanthera integrifolia Asteraceae Nehe Native (endemic) Extinct on Kure
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Pseudognaphalium sandwicensium var. sandwicensium Asteraceae ‘Ena‘ena Native (endemic)
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Sonchus oleraceus Asteraceae Sow thistle Non-native
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Verbesina encelioides Asteraceae Golden crown-beard Non-native
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Tournefortia argentea Boraginaceae Tree heliotrope
Non-native
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Kure Atoll Seabird Sanctuary DLNR DOFAW Kure Atoll Plant Guidebook 28-Feb-15
Coronopus didymus Brassicaceae Lesser swinecress Non-native Monument, Camp, Pu'u Mōlī
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Lepidium bidentatum var. owaihiense Brassicaceae ‘Anaunau Native (endemic) Presumed extinct on Kure
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Lepidium virginicum Brassicaceae Peppergrass Non-native
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Lobularia maritima Brassicaceae Sweet alyssum Non-native
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Spergularia marina Caryophyllaceae Lesser sea spurry Non-native Historically found on runway and in West Landfill
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Stellaria media Caryophyllaceae Common chickweed Non-native Commonly found in Camp and edges of runway
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Casuarina equisetifolia Casuarinaceae Ironwood Non-native Navigation tree, Camp, Runway
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Chenopodium murale Chenopodiaceae Goosefoot Non-native
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Kure Atoll Seabird Sanctuary DLNR DOFAW Kure Atoll Plant Guidebook 28-Feb-15
Ipomoea indica Convolvulaceae Koali ‘awa Native (indigenous)
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Kure Atoll Seabird Sanctuary DLNR DOFAW Kure Atoll Plant Guidebook 28-Feb-15
Ipomoea pes-caprae Convolvulaceae Pohuehue Native (indigenous) Rare on Kure, at landfill
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Sicyos maximowiczii Cucurbitaceae ‘Ānunu, puaokama Native (endemic)
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Cyperus laevigatus Cyperaceae Makaloa Native (endemic) to Hawaii Introduced from Midway
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Cyperus polystachyos Cyperaceae Manyspike flatsedge Native (indigenous) Introduced from Midway
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Cyperus rotundus Cyperaceae Nutgrass Non-native
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Kure Atoll Seabird Sanctuary DLNR DOFAW Kure Atoll Plant Guidebook 28-Feb-15
Fimbristylis cymosa Cyperaceae Mau‘u ‘aki‘aki, button sedge Native (indigenous) Common on runway, present but rare on northeast point and paths to runway and monument
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Euphorbia hirta Euphorbiaceae Non-native
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Euphorbia sp. (E. hypericifolia?) Euphorbiaceae Non-native
Euphorbia hypericifolia Euphorbiaceae Non-native
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Euphorbia maculata Euphorbiaceae Spurge Non-native
Distinctive red coloration in the center of each leaf
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Kure Atoll Seabird Sanctuary DLNR DOFAW Kure Atoll Plant Guidebook 28-Feb-15
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Scaevola taccada Goodeniaceae Naupaka, naupaka kahakai Native (indigenous)
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Cassytha filiformis Lauraceae Kauna‘oa pehu Native (indigenous) Parasitic vine
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Boerhavia coccinea Nyctaginaceae Boerhavia Non-native
Differs from the native Boerhavia repens by having flowers that are dark red or magenta and lacking small leaf-like bracts at the base of each cluster of flowers
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Boerhavia repens Nyctaginaceae ‘Alena Native (indigenous)
Flowers white or pink; small leaf-like bracts at the base of each cluster of flowers
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Oenothera laciniata Onagraceae Evening primrose Non-native
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Oxalis corniculata Oxalidaceae Yellow wood sorrel Non-native
Flowers small, yellow
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Kure Atoll Seabird Sanctuary DLNR DOFAW Kure Atoll Plant Guidebook 28-Feb-15
Cenchrus agrimonioides var. laysanensis Poaceae Kamanomano Native (endemic) Extinct on Kure
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Kure Atoll Seabird Sanctuary DLNR DOFAW Kure Atoll Plant Guidebook 28-Feb-15
Cenchrus echinatus Poaceae Sandbur Non-native
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Cynodon dactylon Poaceae Bermuda grass Non-native
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Dactyloctenium aegyptium Poaceae Beach wiregrass Non-native
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Digitaria ciliaris Poaceae Henry’s crabgrass Non-native
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Eleusine indica Poaceae Goosegrass Non-native
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Eragrostis amabilis Poaceae Japanese lovegrass Non-native Navigation Tree, West dunes
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Eragrostis paupera Poaceae Dwarf Eragrostis Native (indigenous)
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Eragrostis variabilis Poaceae Kāwelu, ‘emoloa Native (endemic)
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Lepturus repens Poaceae Lepturus Native (indigenous)
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Poa annua Poaceae Bluegrass Non-native Observed in winter months
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Polypogon interruptus Poaceae Ditch polypogon Non-native Observed in winter months
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Setaria verticillata Poaceae Bristly foxtail Non-native
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Sporobolus pyramidatus Poaceae Dropseed Non-native
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Coccoloba uvifera Polygonaceae Sea grape Non-native Eradicated on Kure but there is potential for re-introduction via their ocean-dispersed seeds
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Portulaca lutea Portulacaceae 'Ihi Native
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Portulaca oleracea Portulacaceae Purslane Non-native
Looks similar to the native 'Ihi, but does not have a woody stem.
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Anagallis arvensis Primulaceae Scarlet pimpernel Non-native
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Solanum americanum Solanaceae Glossy nightshade Non-native
Flowers white, fruit glossy black at maturity
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Kure Atoll Seabird Sanctuary DLNR DOFAW Kure Atoll Plant Guidebook 28-Feb-15
Solanum nelsonii Solanaceae Pōpolo Native (endemic) Extinct on Kure but re-introduced using stock from Midway
Flowers white, tinged with lavender to pale purple
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Tribulus cistoides Zygophyllaceae Nohu Native (indigenous)
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