Chusquea culeou E. Desv., Poaceae

Click on an image for links to BIGGER PICTURES

Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

Spanish: caña coligüe, caña colihue, coleu, colihue, matorral de colihue

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Perennial. Culms erect; 100-700 cm long; woody; without nodal roots. Culm-internodes terete; solid; smooth. Lateral branches dendroid. Branch complement several; in a clump; with 1 branch dominant; thinner than stem. Leaf-sheaths longer than adjacent culm internode. Ligule an eciliate membrane; obtuse. Leaf-blade base with a brief petiole-like connection to sheath; petiole glabrous. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate; revolute; 2.5-8 cm long; 4-8 mm wide; coriaceous; stiff. Leaf-blade midrib evident. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins. Leaf-blade surface glabrous. Leaf-blade margins cartilaginous; scabrous. Leaf-blade apex pungent.  Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle contracted; oblong; 3-6 cm long; 1.5-2 cm wide. Primary panicle branches bearing 1-3 fertile spikelets on each lower branch. Panicle axis pubescent. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets: Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 6-8 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 1.5-2 mm long; 0.66 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume ovate; 2.5-3 mm long; 0.33 length of adjacent fertile lemma; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex obtuse, or acute. Basal sterile florets similar; barren; without significant palea; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 0.66 length of fertile lemma; chartaceous; purple; 3 -veined; pubescent; hairy above; acuminate; muticous, or mucronate. Lemma of upper sterile floret ovate; 6-8.5 mm long; 1.5 length of lower sterile floret; chartaceous; pubescent; acuminate; muticous, or mucronate. Fertile lemma ovate; 6-8 mm long; coriaceous; purple; without keel; 9-10 -veined. Lemma lateral veins with cross-veins. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex obtuse; muticous, or mucronate. Flower: Lodicules 3; 1.2-1.7 mm long; membranous; veined; ciliate. Anthers 3; 5 mm long. Stigmas 2. Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 4-6 mm long; light brown; apex unappendaged"  (GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora).

Habitat/ecology:  "In Chile this species grows in the following environmental conditions:  Low altitude, interior valleys; medium altitude up to the timber line; high altitude close to the timber line.  Somewhat dry areas where the drought may last 3-5 months, precipitations of 400-800 mm. are concentrated in winter; humid areas, with almost constant rainfall, short dry periods are possible (generally not longer than 1 month).  Fully exposed to the sun, level areas or slopes facing north"  (Chileflora).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Argentina and Chile (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive cultivated	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced cultivated	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (pp. 478, 524, 552) Voucher cited: Danton I(5/288)1633. "En RC, ésta presente en algunos jardines del pueblo de San Juan Bautista".

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Chile (Republic of)	native cultivated	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) La Araucania, Los Lagos

Control:  If you know of control methods for Chusquea culeou, please let us know.