4 PROVISIONAL LIST OF INVASIVE WOODY PLANTS IN TROPICAL AND SUB-TROPICAL REGIONS
Provisional list (1 / 6 / 1997) of woody plant species invasive in the tropics and the sub-tropics. Species are listed according to life form and degree of invasiveness (DI). Species with an * are dealt with in detail in the species accounts. Nomenclature follows mainly Mabberley (1987). The information included below is based on the original papers and the taxonomic status has been updated whenever possible but undoubtedly errors remain (P. Binggeli, p.binggeli@ulst.ac.uk, would appreciate any critical comments and suggestions in order to upgrade the list).
The most exhaustive list of weedy plants, containing over 16,000 records, has been produced by Rod Randall. This weed list is complimentary to the one given here. It includes woody and non-woody plants worlwide but its coverage of Australia is more comprehensive than that of the rest of the world.
http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/progserv/plants/weeds/weeds/weedlist.htm
(Degree of invasiveness (DI): 1 = possibly/potentially invasive, 2 = moderately invasive, 3 = highly invasive, see section 2.3.2.2 for details).
 TREES >15m tall					
					
 GENUS	SPECIES	AUTHORITY	FAMILY	DI	
					
Acacia	auriculiformis	A. Cunn. ex Benth.	Mimosaceae	3	
 Acacia	dealbata	Link	Mimosaceae	3	
 Acacia	mearnsii	De Wild.	Mimosaceae	3	
 * Acacia	nilotica	(L.) Del.	Mimosaceae	3	
 * Casuarina	equisetifolia	L.	Casuarinaceae	3	
 Casuarina	glauca	Siebold ex Sprengel	Casuarinaceae	3	
 * Cecropia	peltata	L.	Cecropiaceae	3	
 Litsea	glutinosa	(Lour.) C.B. Robinson	Lauraceae	3	
 * Maesopsis	eminii	Engler	Rhamnaceae	3	
 * Melaleuca	quinquenervia	(Cav.) S.T. Blake	Myrtaceae	3	
 * Pinus	patula	Schlecht. & Cham.	Pinaceae	2	
 Pithecellobium	dulce	(Roxb.) Benth.	Mimosaceae	3	
 * Pittosporum	undulatum	Vent.	Pittosporaceae	3	
 Ravenala	madagascariensis	Sonnerat	Musaceae	3	
					
 Acacia	confusa	Merr.	Mimosaceae	2	
 Albizia	falcataria	(L.) Fosb.	Mimosaceae	2	
 Albizia	lebbeck	(L.) Benth.	Mimosaceae	2	
 Aleurites	moluccana	(L.) Willd.	Euphorbiaceae	2	
 Araucaria	angustifolia	(Bertol.) Kuntze	Araucariaceae	2	
 Azadirachta	indica	A. Juss.	Meliaceae	2	
 Bauhinia	monandra	Kurz.	Caesalpiniaceae	2	
 Bischofia	javanica	Blume	Euphorbiaceae	2	
 Blighia	sapida	König	Sapindaceae	2	
 Broussonetia	papyrifera	(L.) Vent.	Moraceae	2	
 Cassia	siamea	Lam.	Caesalpiniaceae	2	
 Cedrela	odorata	L.	Meliaceae	2	
 Cinnamomum	camphora	(L.) Nees & Eberm	Lauraceae	2	
 Cinnamomum	zeylanicum	Breyn	Lauraceae	2	
 Colophospermum	mopane	(Benth.) Léonard	Caesalpiniaceae	2	
 Eucalyptus	camaldulensis	Dehnh.	Myrtaceae	2	
 Eucalyptus	deglupta	Blume	Myrtaceae	2	
 Eucalyptus	robusta	Sm.	Myrtaceae	2	
 Ficus	microcarpa	L.f.	Moraceae	2	
 Ficus	religiosa	L.	Moraceae	2	
 Flindersia	brayleyana	F. Muell.	Rutaceae	2	
 Fraxinus	uhdei	(Wenzig) Lingelsheim	Oleaceae	2	
 Gmelina	arborea	Roxb.	Verbenaceae	2	
 Grevillea	robusta	Cunn.	Proteaceae	2	
 Harungana	madagascariensis	Lam. ex Poiret	Guttiferae	2	
 Heliocarpus	popayanensis	HBK.	Tiliaceae	2	
 Ilex	aquifolium	L.	Aquifoliaceae	2	
 Litsea	monopetala	(Roxb.) Pers.	Lauraceae	2	
 Mangifera	indica	L.	Anacardiaceae	2	
 Manilkara	zapota	(L.) P. Royen	Sapotaceae	2	
 Melia	azedarach	L.	Meliaceae	2	
 Melicoccus	bijugatus	Jacq.	Sapindaceae	2	
 Milletia	dura	Dunn	Papilionaceae	2	
 Ochroma	pyramidale	(Cav. ex Lam.) Urban	Bombacaceae	2	
 Pandanus	tectorius	Park	Pandanaceae	2	
 Paraserianthes	falcataria	(L.) I. Nielsen	Mimosaceae	2	
 Phoenix	dactylifera	L.	Arecaceae	2	
 Pinus	lutchuensis	Mayer	Pinaceae	3	
 Pittosporum	viridiflorum	Sims	Pittosporaceae	2	
 Pongamia	pinnata	(L.) Pierre	Papilionaceae	2	
 Prosopis	pallida	(Humb.&Bonpl. ex Willd.) HBK.	Mimosaceae	2	
 Rhizophora	mangle	L.	Rhizopharaceae	2	
 Samanea	saman	(Jacq.) Merr.	Mimosaceae	2	
 Spathodea	campanulata	Beauv.	Bignoniaceae	2	
 Swietenia	mahagoni	(L.) Jacq.	Meliaceae	2	
 Syzygium	jambos	(L.) Alston	Myrtaceae	2	
 Tabebuia	pallida	(Lindley) Miers	Bignoniaceae	2	
 Tamarindus	indica	L.	Caesalpiniaceae	2	
 Terminalia	catappa	L.	Combretaceae	2	
 Terminalia	myriocarpa	Van Heurck & Müll. Arg.	Combretaceae	2	
 Toona	ciliata	M. Roemer	Meliaceae	2	
 Trema	orientalis	Blume	Ulmaceae	2	
					
 Achras	zapota	L.	Sapotaceae	1	
 Albizia	chinensis	(Obseck) Merr.	Mimosaceae	1	
 Ceiba	pentandra	(L.) Gaertn.	Bombacaceae	1	
 Cocos	nucifera	L.	Palmae	1	
 Enterolobium	saman	 	Mimosaceae	1	
 Eucalyptus	torelliana	F. Muell.	Myrtaceae	1	
 Inocarpus	fagiferus	(Park.) Fosberg	Papilionaceae	1	
 Swietenia	macrophylla	King	Meliaceae	1	

 SMALL TREES 15m< >5m					
					
 GENUS	SPECIES	AUTHORITY	FAMILY	DI	
					
Acacia	decurrens	(J.C. Wendl.) Willd.	Mimosaceae	3	
 Acacia	saligna	(Labill.) H.L. Wend.	Mimosaceae	3	
 Cinchona	succirubra	Pavon ex Klotzsch	Rubiaceae	3	
 * Leucaena	leucocephala	(Lam.) De Wit	Mimosaceae	3	
 Ligustrum	robustum	Blume	Oleaceae	3	
 * Miconia	calvescens	DC.	Melastomataceae	3	
 * Mimosa	pigra	L.	Mimosaceae	3	
 * Myrica	faya	Ait.	Myricaceae	3	
 Parkinsonia	aculeata	L.	Caesalpiniaceae	3	
 Psidium	cattleianum	Sabine	Myrtaceae	3	
 * Psidium	guajava	L.	Myrtaceae	3	
 Schefflera	actinophylla	(Endl.) Harms	Araliaceae	3	
 * Schinus	terebinthifolius	Raddi	Anacardiaceae	3	
 Sesbania	punicea	(Cav.) Benth.	Mimosaceae	3	
 Solanum	mauritianum	Scopoli	Solanaceae	3	
 Syzygium	malaccense	(L.) Merr. & Perry	Myrtaceae	3	
 Tibouchina	urvilleana	(DC) Cogn.	Melastomataceae	3	
					
 Acacia	catechu	(L.f.) Willd.	Mimosaceae	2	
 Adenanthera	pavonina	L.	Mimosaceae	2	
 Aleurites	fordii	Hemsley	Euphorbiaceae	2	
 Anacardium	occidentale	L.	Anacardiaceae	2	
 Annona	squamosa	L.	Annonaceae	2	
 Ardisia	humilis	Vahl	Myrsinaceae	2	
 Caesalpinia	pulcherrima	(L.) Sw.	Caesalpiniaceae	2	
 Carica	papaya	L.	Caricaceae	2	
 Chrysobalanus	icaco	L.	Chrysobalanaceae	2	
 Cinchona	officinalis	L.	Rubiaceae	2	
 Cinchona	pubescens	Vahl	Rubiaceae	2	
 Citharexylum	caudatum	L.	Verbenaceae	2	
 Citrus	aurantiifolia	(Christm.) Swingle	Rutaceae	2	
 Citrus	aurantium	L.	Rutaceae	2	
 Citrus	limon	(L.) Burm. f.	Rutaceae	2	
 Citrus	reticulata	Blanco	Rutaceae	2	
 Citrus	sinensis	(L.) Osbeck	Rutaceae	2	
 Coccoloba	uvifera	(L.) L.	Polygonaceae	2	
 Coffea	arabica	L.	Rubiaceae	2	
 Cordyline	fruticosa	(L.) A. Chev.	Agavaceae	2	
 Corynocarpus	laevigata	Forster & Forster f.	Corynocarpaceae	2	
 Cyathea	cooperi	(Hook. ex F.Muell.) Dom.	Cyatheaceae	2	
 Cyphomandra	crassicaulis	(Cav.) Sendtn.	Solanaceae	2	
 Dalbergia	latifolia	Roxb.	Papilionaceae	2	
 Dalbergia	sissoo	Roxb. ex DC.	Papilionaceae	2	
 Delonix	regia	(Hook.) Raf.	Caesalpiniaceae	2	
 Eriobotrya	japonica	(Thunb.) Lindley	Rosaceae	2	
 Flacourtia	indica	(Burm. f.) Merr.	Flacourtiaceae	2	
 Grevillea	banksii	R. Br	Proteaceae	2	
 Hibiscus	schizopetalous	(Masters) Hook. f.	Malvaceae	2	
 Hibiscus	tiliaceus	L.	Malvaceae	2	
 Hovenia	dulcis	Thunb.	Rhamnaceae	2	
 Jacaranda	mimosifolia	D. Don	Bignoniaceae	2	
 Leptospermum	scoparium	Forster & Forster f.	Myrtaceae	2	
 Manihot	glaziovii	Muell. Arg.	Euphorbiaceae	2	
 Melaleuca	leucadendron	L.	Myrtaceae	2	
 Melochia	umbellata	(Houtt.) Staf.	Sterculiaceae	2	
 Mimosa	albida	Rudd.	Mimosaceae	2	
 Mimosa	nilotica	(L.) DeLisle	Mimosaceae	2	
 Mimosa	sepiaria		Mimosaceae	2	
 Morinda	citrifolia	L.	Rubiaceae	2	
 Moringa	oleifera	Lam.	Moringaceae	2	
 Muntingia	calabura	L.	Elaeocarpaceae	2	
 Olea	europaea	L.	Oleaceae	2	
 Ossaea	marginata	(Desr.) Triana	Melastomataceae	2	
 Persea	americana	Miller	Lauraceae	2	
 Phyllanthus	acidus	(L.) Skeels	Euphorbiaceae	2	
 Pinus	caribaea	Morelet	Pinaceae	2	
 Pithecellobium	unguis‑cati	(L.) Benth.	Mimosaceae	2	
 Pittosporum	ferrugineum		Pittosporaceae	2	
 Poncirus	trifoliata	(L.) Raf.	Rutaceae	2	
 Prosopis	juliflora	(Sw.) DC.	Mimosaceae	2	
 Rhizophora	stylosa	Griff.	Rhizopharaceae	2	
 Sambucus	nigra	L.	Caprifoliaceae	2	
 Schinus	molle	L.	Anacardiaceae	2	
 Syzygium	cumini	(L.) Skeels	Myrtaceae	2	
 Terminalia	arjuna	(Roxb.) Beddome	Combretaceae	2	
 Trema	micrantha	Blume	Ulmaceae	2	
 Vitex	glabrata	R.Br.	Verbenaceae	2	
 Vitex	trifolia	L.	Verbenaceae	2	
					
 Bixa	orellana	L.	Bixaceae	1	
 Bruguiera	gymnorhiza	(L.) Lamk.	Rhizophoraceae	1	
 Cassia	spectabilis	DC.	Caesalpiniaceae	1	
 Cassia	suffructicosa	Koenig	Caesalpiniaceae	1	
 Cordia	sebestena	L.	Boraginaceae	1	
 Ilex	paraguariensis	A. St-Hil.	Aquifoliaceae	1	
 Rhododendron	arboreum	Sm.	Ericaceae	1	
 Sambucus	mexicana	K. Presl ex A. DC	Caprifoliaceae	1	
 Sesbania	sesban	(L.) Merrill	Mimosaceae	1	
 Tecoma	stans	(L.) Kunth	Bignonaceae	1	
 Ziziphus	mucronata	Willd.	Rhamnaceae	1	

 SHRUBS <5m					
					
 GENUS	SPECIES	AUTHORITY	FAMILY	DI	
					
Bambusa	sp.		Poaceae	3	
 * Chromolaena	odorata	(L.) King & Robinson	Asteraceae	3	
 Clerodendrum	japonicum	(Thunb.) Sweet	Verbenaceae	3	
 * Clidemia	hirta	(L.) D. Don	Melastomataceae	3	
 Cordia	macrostachya	Roem & Schlucht.	Boraginaceae	3	
 Desmanthus	virgatus	(L.) Willd.	Mimosaceae	3	
 Homalanthus	populifolius	Graham	Euphorbiaceae	3	
 Ipomoea	fistulosa	Mart. ex Choisy	Convolvulaceae	3	
 Jatropha	curcas	L.	Euphorbiaceae	3	
 Jatropha	gossypiifolia	L.	Euphorbiaceae	3	
 * Lantana	camara	L.	Verbenaceae	3	
 Melastoma	malabathricum	L.	Melastomataceae	3	
 Pluchea	odorata	(L.) Cass.	Asteraceae	3	
 Rhodomyrtus	tomentosa	(Ait.) Hassk.	Myrtaceae	3	
 Rubus	alcaefolius	Poir.	Rosaceae	3	
 Rubus	argutus	Link	Rosaceae	3	
 Rubus	moluccanus	L.	Rosaceae	3	
 Rubus	rosifolius	Sm.	Rosaceae	3	
 Solanum	torvum	Sw.	Solanaceae	3	
 * Ulex	europaeus	L.	Papilionaceae	3	
 Wikstroemia	indica	(L.) C.A. Meyer	Thymeliaceae	3	
					
 Acacia	farnesiana	(L.) Willd.	Mimosaceae	2	
 Atriplex	lentiformis	(Torr.) S. Wats.	Chenopodiaceae	2	
 Bocconia	frutescens	L.	Papaveraceae	2	
 Buddleja	asiatica	Lour.	Buddlejaceae	2	
 Carica	pubescens	Lenné & K. Koch	Caricaceae	2	
 Citrus	medica	L.	Rutaceae	2	
 Clerodendrum	quadriloculare	(Blanco) Merrill.	Verbenaceae	2	
 Colubrina	asiatica	(L.) Brongn.	Rhamnaceae	2	
 Cordia	myxa	L.	Boraginaceae	2	
 Eugenia	uniflora	L.	Myrtaceae	2	
 Flacourtia	jangomas	(Lour.) Räuschel	Flacourtiaceae	2	
 Furcraea	hexapetala	(Jacq.) Urban	Agavaceae	2	
 Linoceria	intermedia	Wight	Oleaceae	2	
 Melastoma	decifidium	Roxburgh	Melastomataceae	2	
 Mimosa	acantholoba	(Willd.) Poir.	Mimosaceae	2	
 Piper	adancum	L.	Piperaceae	2	
 Pluchea	indica	(L.) Less.	Asteraceae	2	
 Punica	granatum	L.	Lythraceae	2	
 Rubus	ellipticus	Smith	Rosaceae	2	
 Rubus	glaucus	Bth.	Rosaceae	2	
 Rubus	sp.		Rosaceae	2	
 Senna	alata	(L.) Roxb.	Caesalpiniaceae	2	
 Senna	didymobotrya	(Fresen.) H. Irwin & Barneby	Caesalpiniaceae	2	
 Spiraea	cantoniensis	Lour.	Rosaceae	2	
 Triphasia	trifolia	(Burm. f.) P. Wilson	Rutaceae	2	
					
 Ardisia	crenata	Sims	Myrsinaceae	1	
 Ardisia	crispa	(Thunb.) A.DC.	Myrsinaceae	1	
 Cassia	auriculata	L.	Caesalpiniaceae	1	
 Elaeagnus	umbellata	Thunb.	Elaeagnaceae	1	
 Fuchsia	boliviana	Carr.	Onagraceae	1	
 Glycosmis	parviflora	(Sims) Little	Rutaceae	1	
 Indigofera	suffruticosa	P. Miller	Papilionaceae	1	
 Rubus	niveus	Thunb.	Rosaceae	1	
 Rubus	racemosus	Roxb.	Rosaceae	1	
 Tephrosia	candida	DC	Papilionaceae	1	

 SUB-SHRUBS some parts somewhat woody 	
					
 GENUS	SPECIES	AUTHORITY	FAMILY	DI	
					
 Ageratina	adenophora	(Sprengel) King & Robinson	Asteraceae	3	
 Mimosa	invisa	C. Martius	Mimosaceae	3	
 Sida	acuta	Burm. f.	Malvaceae	3	
					
 Gossypium	hirsutum	L.	Malvaceae	2	
 Ricinus	communis	L.	Euphorbiaceae	2	

 VINES 					
					
 GENUS	SPECIES	AUTHORITY	FAMILY	DI	
				 	
 Caesalpinia	decapetala	(Roth) Alston	Caesalpiniaceae	3	
 Cardiospermum	halicacabum	L.	Sapindaceae	3	
 Cryptostegia	grandiflora	R.Br.	Asclepiadaceae	3	
 Ipomoea	carnea spp fistulosa	(Martius ex. Choisy) Austin	Convolvulaceae	3	
 Lonicera	japonica	Thunb.	Caprifoliaceae	3	
 * Passiflora	mollissima	(H.B.K.) Bailey	Passifloraceae	3	
 Passiflora	suberosa	L.	Passifloraceae	3	
					
 Anredera	cordifolia	(Ten.) Steenis	Basellaceae	2	
 Aristolochia	littoralis	Parodi	Aristolochiaceae	2	
 Hedera	helix	L.	Araliaceae	2	
 Hiptage	benghalensis	(L.) Kurz	Malpighiaceae	2	
 Merremia	tuberosa	(L.) Rendle	Convolvulaceae	2	
 Mikania	scandens	(L.) Willd.	Asteraceae	2	
 Passiflora	edulis	Sims	Passifloraceae	2	
 Passiflora	ligularis	Juss.	Passifloraceae	2	
					
 Derris	elliptica	(Wallich) Benth.	Mimosaceae	1	
 Thunbergia	alata	Boj. ex Sims	Acanthaceae	1	
 Thunbergia	grandiflora	Roxb.	Acanthaceae	1	
 
HOW REPRESENTATIVE IS THE INVASIVE WOODY PLANT DATABASE?
Although the data presented in this report are preliminary and therefore not comprehensive it was difficult to estimate how representative the dataset is. When the report was near completion a search of Forestry Abstracts for 1995 yielded a reference of a report on naturalized exotic tree species in Puerto Rico by Francis & Liogier (1991). The authors list and rate the invasive potential of 118 introduced tree species. This information could not be included in the database but can be used to estimate the coverage of the Invasive Woody Plant Database. Out of Francis and Liogier's 118 species only 42% are included in the database and two (1.7%) are recorded as invasive in Puerto Rico. They identified 16 species as widespread and competing in primary and secondary forests and a second group of 16 species able to regenerate and spread in forests which they forecast as becoming common or abundant within 100 years. The respective percentage of species not held in the database are 31% and 58%. Highly and moderately invasive species in Puerto Rico not held in the database and not found in Table 5.1 are listed in Table 4.1. The percentage of possibly/potentially, moderately and highly invasive species is 72%, 14% and 14% respectively. The relative proportion of these three groups of invasive species in Puerto Rico is markedly different from the database figures of 16%, 60% and 24% (Table 8) indicating that possibly/potentially invaders are under reported.
Table 4.1. Invasive woody plants reported by Francis & Liogier (1991) not found in the Invasive Woody Plant Database.
"Species common or abundant, widespread,	"Species that have been able to regenerate and	
and competing in primary or secondary	compete in forests stands and are likely to 	
forests stands"	become common or abundant within the next century"	
		
Ardisia solanaceae Roxb.	Albizia adinocephala (D.Donn. Sm.) Britt & Rose	
Artocarpus altilis (S.Park.) Fosb.	Castilla elastica Cerv.	
Muntingia calabura L.	Haematoxylon campechianum L.	
Senna siamea (Lam.) Irwin & Barnaby	Hibiscus elatus Sw.	
Thespesia populnea (L.) Soland ex Correa	Lysiloma latisiliqua (L.) Benth.	
	Mimosa arenosa (Willd.) Poir	
	Pterocarpus macrocarpus Kuez	
	Senna mutijuga (L.C. Rich.) Irwin & Barneby	
	Senna spectabilis (L.C. Rich.) Irwin & Barneby	
	Simaboura amara Aubl.	
	Sterculia apetala (Jacq.) Karst.