Plants native to South China Sea

We document 177 of the 205 species Kew’s World Checklist records as native to South China Sea. Native means native: introduced, extinct and doubtful records are excluded, so this is where these plants are from, not everywhere they now grow.

Documented 177 Native, per Kew 205 Coverage 86% TDWG SCS

Best documented by photographic coverage

Every documented species 177 native to South China Sea

SpeciesAuthorityFamily Photographs
Abrus precatorius L. Fabaceae 8
Abutilon indicum (L.) Sweet Malvaceae 8
Acalypha australis L. Euphorbiaceae 8
Acalypha indica L. Euphorbiaceae 8
Achyranthes aspera L. Amaranthaceae 8
Adenostemma lavenia (L.) Kuntze Asteraceae 8
Aleuritopteris argentea (S.G.Gmel.) Fée Pteridaceae 8
Alysicarpus vaginalis (L.) DC. Fabaceae 8
Bacopa monnieri (L.) Wettst. Plantaginaceae 8
Barringtonia asiatica Kurz Lecythidaceae 8
Boerhavia diffusa L. Nyctaginaceae 8
Boerhavia repens L. Nyctaginaceae 8
Bothriochloa bladhii (Retz.) S.T.Blake Poaceae 8
Bothriochloa ischaemum (L.) Keng Poaceae 8
Cajanus scarabaeoides (L.) Thouars Fabaceae 8
Calophyllum inophyllum L. Calophyllaceae 8
Canavalia cathartica Thouars Fabaceae 8
Canavalia rosea (Sw.) DC. Fabaceae 8
Cassytha filiformis L. Lauraceae 8
Casuarina equisetifolia L. Casuarinaceae 8
Causonis trifolia (L.) Mabb. & J.Wen Vitaceae 8
Cerbera manghas L. Apocynaceae 8
Chenopodium acuminatum Willd. Chenopodiaceae 8
Chloris barbata Sw. Poaceae 8
Chloris formosana (Honda) Keng Poaceae 8
Chrysopogon aciculatus (Retz.) Trin. Poaceae 8
Cleome gynandra L. Cleomaceae 8
Cleome viscosa L. Cleomaceae 8
Coccinia grandis (L.) Voigt Cucurbitaceae 8
Colubrina asiatica Brongn. Rhamnaceae 8
Commelina benghalensis L. Commelinaceae 8
Commelina diffusa Burm.f. Commelinaceae 8
Corchorus aestuans L. Malvaceae 8
Corchorus olitorius L. Malvaceae 8
Cordia subcordata Lam. Cordiaceae 8
Crinum asiaticum L. Amaryllidaceae 8
Cyanthillium cinereum (L.) H.Rob. Asteraceae 8
Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. Poaceae 8
Cyperus brevifolius (Rottb.) Hassk. Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus compressus L. Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus cyperoides (L.) Kuntze Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus distans L.f. Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus iria L. Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus javanicus Houtt. Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus pedunculatus (R.Br.) J.Kern Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus polystachyos Rottb. Cyperaceae 8
Cyperus rotundus L. Cyperaceae 8
Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) Willd. Poaceae 8
Dentella repens (L.) J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. Rubiaceae 8
Dichanthium annulatum (Forssk.) Stapf Poaceae 8
Digitaria ciliaris (Retz.) Koeler Poaceae 8
Digitaria heterantha (Hook.f.) Merr. Poaceae 8
Digitaria radicosa (J.Presl) Miq. Poaceae 8
Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop. Poaceae 8
Digitaria setigera Roth Poaceae 8
Echinochloa colona (L.) Link Poaceae 8
Ehretia resinosa Hance Ehretiaceae 8
Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn. Poaceae 8
Emilia sonchifolia (L.) DC. Asteraceae 8
Entada phaseoloides (L.) Merr. Fabaceae 8
Eragrostis tenella (L.) P.Beauv. ex Roem. & Schult. Poaceae 8
Eriochloa procera (Retz.) C.E.Hubb. Poaceae 8
Erythrina variegata L. Fabaceae 8
Evolvulus alsinoides (L.) L. Convolvulaceae 8
Ficus microcarpa L.f. Moraceae 8
Fimbristylis cymosa R.Br. Cyperaceae 8
Fimbristylis dichotoma (L.) Vahl Cyperaceae 8
Fimbristylis ferruginea (L.) Vahl Cyperaceae 8
Fimbristylis sieboldii Miq. Cyperaceae 8
Flueggea virosa (Roxb. ex Willd.) Royle Phyllanthaceae 8
Glinus oppositifolius Aug.DC. Molluginaceae 8
Grona heterophylla (Willd.) H.Ohashi & K.Ohashi Fabaceae 8
Grona triflora (L.) H.Ohashi & K.Ohashi Fabaceae 8
Guettarda speciosa L. Rubiaceae 8
Guilandina bonduc L. Fabaceae 8
Guilandina minax (Hance) G.P.Lewis Fabaceae 8
Halophila ovalis (R.Br.) Hook.f. Hydrocharitaceae 8
Heliotropium arboreum (Blanco) Mabb. Heliotropiaceae 8
Hernandia nymphaeifolia (C.Presl) Kubitzki Hernandiaceae 8
Heteropogon contortus (L.) P.Beauv. ex Roem. & Schult. Poaceae 8
Hewittia malabarica (L.) Suresh Convolvulaceae 8
Indigofera hirsuta L. Fabaceae 8
Indigofera tsiangiana Metcalf Fabaceae 8
Ipomoea cairica (L.) Sweet Convolvulaceae 8
Ipomoea littoralis Blume Convolvulaceae 8
Ipomoea obscura (L.) Ker Gawl. Convolvulaceae 8
Ipomoea pes-caprae (L.) R.Br. Convolvulaceae 8
Ipomoea pes-tigridis L. Convolvulaceae 8
Ipomoea polymorpha Roem. & Schult. Convolvulaceae 8
Ipomoea violacea L. Convolvulaceae 8
Jacquemontia paniculata (Burm.f.) Hallier f. Convolvulaceae 8
Launaea sarmentosa (Willd.) Kuntze Asteraceae 8
Leptochloa chinensis (L.) Nees Poaceae 8
Leptopetalum racemosum (Lam.) Shih H.Chen & M.J.Wu Rubiaceae 8
Leptopetalum strigulosum (DC.) Neupane & N.Wikstr. Rubiaceae 8
Leptospron adenanthum (G.Mey.) A.Delgado Fabaceae 8
Lepturus repens (G.Forst.) R.Br. Poaceae 8
Leucas aspera (Willd.) Link Lamiaceae 8
Lumnitzera racemosa Willd. Combretaceae 8
Melochia corchorifolia L. Malvaceae 8
Microsorum scolopendria (Burm.f.) Copel. Polypodiaceae 8
Microstachys chamaelea (L.) Müll.Arg. Euphorbiaceae 8
Miscanthus sinensis Andersson Poaceae 8
Morinda citrifolia L. Rubiaceae 8
Morus indica L. Moraceae 8
Myoporum bontioides (Siebold & Zucc.) A.Gray Scrophulariaceae 8
Nephrolepis biserrata (Sw.) Schott Nephrolepidaceae 8
Nephrolepis cordifolia (L.) C.Presl Nephrolepidaceae 8
Ocimum tenuiflorum L. Lamiaceae 8
Odontosoria biflora (Kaulf.) C.Chr. Lindsaeaceae 8
Oldenlandia corymbosa L. Rubiaceae 8
Paederia foetida L. Rubiaceae 8
Pandanus odorifer (Forssk.) Kuntze Pandanaceae 8
Panicum repens L. Poaceae 8
Pemphis acidula J.R.Forst. & G.Forst. Lythraceae 8
Phyla nodiflora (L.) Greene Verbenaceae 8
Phyllanthus urinaria L. Phyllanthaceae 8
Pipturus asper Wedd. Urticaceae 8
Pisonia grandis R.Br. Nyctaginaceae 8
Pistia stratiotes L. Araceae 8
Pluchea indica Less. Asteraceae 8
Portulaca psammotropha Hance Portulacaceae 8
Portulaca quadrifida L. Portulacaceae 8
Premna serratifolia L. Lamiaceae 8
Psilotum nudum (L.) P.Beauv. Psilotaceae 8
Rhynchosia minima (L.) DC. Fabaceae 8
Rottboellia cochinchinensis (Lour.) Clayton Poaceae 8
Ruppia maritima L. Ruppiaceae 8
Sacciolepis indica Chase Poaceae 8
Salvinia natans (L.) All. Salviniaceae 8
Scaevola plumieri (L.) Vahl Goodeniaceae 8
Sesbania bispinosa (Jacq.) W.Wight Fabaceae 8
Sesuvium portulacastrum (L.) L. Aizoaceae 8
Sida acuta Burm.f. Malvaceae 8
Sida cordata (Burm.f.) Borss.Waalk. Malvaceae 8
Sida cordifolia L. Malvaceae 8
Sida rhombifolia L. Malvaceae 8
Solanum melongena L. Solanaceae 8
Solanum nigrum L. Solanaceae 8
Sophora tomentosa L. Fabaceae 8
Spinifex littoreus (Burm.f.) Merr. Poaceae 8
Sporobolus fertilis (Steud.) Clayton Poaceae 8
Suriana maritima L. Surianaceae 8
Synostemon bacciformis (L.) G.L.Webster Phyllanthaceae 8
Tephrosia pumila (Lam.) Pers. Fabaceae 8
Tephrosia purpurea (L.) Pers. Fabaceae 8
Terminalia catappa L. Combretaceae 8
Thespesia populnea Sol. ex Corrêa Malvaceae 8
Thuarea involuta (G.Forst.) R.Br. ex Sm. Poaceae 8
Ticanto crista (L.) R.Clark & Gagnon Fabaceae 8
Trema orientale (L.) Blume Cannabaceae 8
Trianthema portulacastrum L. Aizoaceae 8
Tribulus cistoides L. Zygophyllaceae 8
Tribulus terrestris L. Zygophyllaceae 8
Triumfetta rhomboidea Jacq. Malvaceae 8
Typhonium blumei Nicolson & Sivad. Araceae 8
Vigna marina (Burm.) Merr. Fabaceae 8
Vitex rotundifolia L.f. Lamiaceae 8
Volkameria inermis L. Lamiaceae 8
Wollastonia biflora DC. Asteraceae 8
Zoysia matrella (L.) Merr. Poaceae 8
Chamaecrista pumila (Lam.) V.Singh Fabaceae 6
Ochrosia oppositifolia K.Schum. Apocynaceae 6
Paspalum scrobiculatum L. Poaceae 6
Scaevola hainanensis Hance Goodeniaceae 6
Sorghum nitidum (Vahl) Pers. Poaceae 6
Stephania longa Lour. Menispermaceae 6
Crotalaria uncinella Lam. Fabaceae 5
Halodule uninervis (Forssk.) Boiss. Cymodoceaceae 5
Paramollugo nudicaulis (Lam.) Thulin Molluginaceae 5
Spermacoce hispida L. Rubiaceae 5
Boerhavia albiflora Fosberg Nyctaginaceae 4
Cyanthillium patulum (Aiton) H.Rob. Asteraceae 4
Cyclea barbata Miers Menispermaceae 4
Triumfetta procumbens G.Forst. Malvaceae 4
Enhalus acoroides (L.f.) Royle Hydrocharitaceae 3
Leptopetalum biflorum (L.) Neupane & N.Wikstr. Rubiaceae 3

What this page does not tell you

Kew records 28 more species as native to South China Sea that we do not document. They are real, accepted plants. They have no page here because we could not find three photographs of them licensed for commercial use, and this site publishes no species it cannot show you. That gap is the honest measure of what we are missing, and it is why we print both numbers rather than the flattering one.

This is a checklist of what is native, not a guide to what will grow in your garden, and it carries no care advice and no toxicity claim, because we do not have those from a source we can cite.

Sourcesevery claim on this page

  1. Kew, World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP v16). Native distribution by TDWG level-3 botanical country (SCS). Introduced, extinct and doubtful records excluded. CC BY 3.0. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  2. World Flora Online Plant List. Accepted names, authorities, classification. CC0. Retrieved 2026-07-12.
  3. iNaturalist. Photographs, restricted to CC0 / CC BY / CC BY-SA. Retrieved 2026-06-27.