(Lam.) Roem. & Schult., Poaceae |
Present on Pacific Islands? yes
Primarily a threat at high elevations? no
Other Latin names: Digitaria commutata Schult.; Paspalum bicorne Lam.
Common name(s): [more details]
Chinese: yi ma tang |
English: Asian crab grass, crab grass, large crab grass, southern crabgrass |
Habit: grass
Description: "Annual, at first tufted, culms later decumbent, rooting at the nodes, forming loose mats; flowering culms ascendingly erect, up to 60 cm high. Cataphylls absent. Sheaths moderately pilose to glabrous. Ligule 1-3.5 mm high, truncate, erose. Blades linear, 2.5-13.5 (-23) cm by 2-9 mm, patent to ascending, soft, usually scabrous on both sides, glabrous but for some in the throat, rarely sparsely pilose. Peduncle up to 40 cm long, glabrous. Racemes 2-5 (-10), longest 3.5-14.5 cm long, digitate or in up to 3 whorls along an up to 5 cm long common axis. Rachis winged, serrate, spicules at least 0.05 mm long, rarely with some setae at base ('rachiseta'). Abscission of pedicels truncate, Spikelets binate, usually heteromorph, the sessile one glabrous to slightly pubescent, the pedicelled one pubescent, to both pectinate and pubescent, lanceolate, 2.75-3.5 mm long; hairs smooth, acute. Lower glume very variable, 0.15-0.4 (-0.75) mm long, from nearly absent to a triangular scale, acute to bifid. Upper glume 1-2.75 mm long, 0.35-0.8 times as long as the spikelet, nerves 3, pubescent, hairs overtopping. Sterile lemma as long as the spikelet, that of the sessile spikelet usually glabrous and equidistantly 7-nerved, to slightly pubescent and inequidistantly nerved (the pedicelled spikelet then always pectinate!), to pubescent and pectinate (spikelets then homomorphous), those of the pedicelled spikelet usually pubescent and inequidistantly nerved, pubescence usually mixed with bristles, these indistinct and appressed in youth, patent and protruding from the pubescence in fruit, rarely and then only the basal spikelets homomorphous, glabrous and equidistantly nerved (the whole raceme should therefore be inspected!); nerves usually smooth, the second nerves sometimes minutely serrulate towards the apex. Fertile lemma slightly shorter than the spikelet, yellowish in fruit. Anthers 0.5-0.6 mm long, purple. Stigma purple" (Veldkamp, 1973; pp. 30-32).
"Small grass with awnless spikelets in digitately arranged panicle branches" (Whistler, 1988; p. 50).
Description from GrassBase.
Habitat/ecology: "In American Samoa and Samoa, "uncommon in disturbed places" (Whistler, 1988; p. 50). "Waste places, often on sand, also along the shore and in the dunes, up to 2000 m in New Guinea, but to 2450 m in Assam." (Veldkamp, 1973; pp. 30-32)
Propagation: Seed
Native range: Eastern and southeastern Asia, Australia; naturalized elsewhere (GRIN).
Presence:
Pacific | |||
Country/Terr./St. & Island group |
Location |
Cited status &
Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction? |
Reference &
Comments |
American Samoa
Tutuila Islands |
Tutuila Island | Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 50) | |
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US)
Northern Mariana Islands |
Agrigan (Agrihan) Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C. (1980) (pp. 201-202)
Voucher cited: Fosberg 31606 (US, BISH, POM, NY, L) |
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US)
Northern Mariana Islands |
Guguan Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 37) |
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US)
Northern Mariana Islands |
Guguan Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C. (1980) (pp. 201-202)
Voucher cited: Falanruw 1801 (US) |
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US)
Northern Mariana Islands |
Pagan Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 37) |
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US)
Northern Mariana Islands |
Pagan Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C. (1980) (pp. 201-202)
Voucher cited: Fosberg 31366 (US, BISH, POM) |
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US)
Northern Mariana Islands |
Rota Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 37) |
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US)
Northern Mariana Islands |
Tinian Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 37) |
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US)
Northern Mariana Islands |
Tinian Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C. (1980) (pp. 201-202)
Vouchers cited: Hosaka 2836 (US, BISH, POM), Fosberg 24813 (US, BISH, POM) |
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US)
Saipan |
Saipan Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 37) |
Federated States of Micronesia
Pohnpei Islands |
Pohnpei Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 37)
? |
Federated States of Micronesia
Pohnpei Islands |
Pohnpei Island |
introduced
invasive |
Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 56)
Naturalized |
Federated States of Micronesia
Pohnpei Islands |
Pohnpei Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C. (1980) (pp. 201-202)
Voucher cited: Hatusima 10922 (FU) |
Federated States of Micronesia
Yap Islands |
Yap (Waqab) Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 37) |
Federated States of Micronesia
Yap Islands |
Yap (Waqab) Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C. (1980) (pp. 201-202)
Voucher cited: Hosaka 3297 (US, BISH, POM, NY) |
Guam
Guam Island |
Guam Island |
introduced
|
Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 8) |
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands |
Maui Island |
introduced
invasive |
Snow, Neil/Lau, Alex (2010) (p. 50)
West Maui. Voucher cited: H. Oppenheimer H20816 (BISH) |
Nauru
Nauru Island |
Nauru Island |
introduced
invasive |
Thaman, R. R./Fosberg, F. R./Manner, H. I./Hassall, D. C. (1994) (p. 69)
Voucher cited: Scully 152N (US?) |
New Guinea (Indonesia and Papua New Guinea)
New Guinea Island |
New Guinea Island |
native
|
Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) |
Palau
Palau (Belau ) (main island group) |
Babeldaob Island | Raulerson, L./Rinehart, A. F./Falanruw, M. C. (1996) (p. 21) | |
Palau
Palau (Belau ) (main island group) |
Ngerkebesang Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 37) |
Palau
Palau (Belau ) (main island group) |
Ngerkebesang Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C. (1980) (pp. 201-202)
Voucher cited: Takamatsu 1867a (BISH) |
Philippines
Philippine Islands |
Philippine Islands |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
Samoa
Western Samoa Islands |
Upolu Island | Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 50) | |
United States (other Pacific offshore islands)
Wake Islands |
Wake Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 37) |
United States (other Pacific offshore islands)
Wake Islands |
Wake Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Falanruw, M. V. C. (1980) (pp. 201-202)
Vouchers cited: Fosberg 34936 (US), Brankamp in 1936 (BISH), Lyons 10 (BISH) |
Pacific Rim | |||
Country/Terr./St. & Island group |
Location |
Cited status &
Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction? |
Reference &
Comments |
Australia
Australia (continental) |
Australia (continental) |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Western Australia |
Australia
Australia (continental) |
Northern Territory |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
Australia
Australia (continental) |
Queensland |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
Cambodia
Cambodia |
Cambodia (Kingdom of) |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
Central America
Central America (Pacific rim) |
El Salvador (Republic of) |
introduced
invasive |
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Naturalized |
Central America
Central America (Pacific rim) |
Guatemala (Republic of) |
introduced
invasive |
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Naturalized |
Central America
Central America (Pacific rim) |
Honduras (Republic of) |
introduced
invasive |
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Naturalized |
Central America
Central America (Pacific rim) |
Nicaragua (Republic of) |
introduced
invasive |
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Naturalized |
Central America
Central America (Pacific rim) |
Panama (Republic of) |
introduced
invasive |
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Naturalized |
China
China |
China (People's Republic of) |
native
|
Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)
Waste ground, often on sand, including seashore sand; below 2000 m. Fujian, Hainan, Yunnan. |
Indonesia
Indonesia |
Indonesia (Republic of) |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
Malaysia
Malaysia |
Malaysia (country of) |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
Mexico
Mexico |
Mexico (United Mexican States) |
introduced
invasive |
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Naturalized |
Singapore
Singapore |
Singapore (Republic of) |
native
|
Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 34)
Common |
South America (Pacific rim)
South America (Pacific rim) |
Colombia |
introduced
invasive |
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Naturalized |
South America (Pacific rim)
South America (Pacific rim) |
Ecuador (Republic of) (continental) |
introduced
invasive |
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Naturalized |
Thailand
Thailand |
Thailand (Kingdom of) |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
Vietnam
Vietnam |
Vietnam (Socialist Republic of) |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
Indian Ocean | |||
Country/Terr./St. & Island group |
Location |
Cited status &
Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction? |
Reference &
Comments |
Seychelles
Seychelles Islands |
Agalega Island |
native
|
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Stoddart, D. R. (1983) (p. 132) |
Also reported from | |||
Country/Terr./St. & Island group |
Location |
Cited status &
Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction? |
Reference &
Comments |
United States (continental except west coast)
United States (other states) |
United States (other states) |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013) |
United States (continental except west coast)
United States (other states) |
USA (Florida) |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013) |
Comments: GRIN and the Flora of China online say it is naturalized in the United States while the PLANTS database says it is native.
Control: If you know of control methods for Digitaria bicornis, please let us know.