(Burm.f.) Trin. ex Henschel, Cyperaceae |
Present on Pacific Islands? yes
Primarily a threat at high elevations? no
Other Latin names: Andropogon dulcis Burm. f.; Eleocharis tuberosa (Roxb.) Schult.; Scirpus tuberosus Roxb.
Common name(s): [more details]
Chamorro: uchaga-lane |
Chinese: bi qi |
English: Chinese waterchestnut, ground-chestnut, waternut |
Fijian: kuta, sasa, taria |
French: cevuga vula, châtaigne d'eau, scirpe doux |
Kwaraae: ngwano |
Palauan: kerdikes, redil kerdikes, sechal kerdikes |
Samoan: utuutu, utuutu |
Spanish: cabezas de negrito, nuez China, pitsi |
Tongan: kuta, kutu |
Wallisian: kutu |
Habit: sedge
Description: "Tufted perennial with short rhizome and elongated stolons, most of these terminated by a globose tuber; culms terete, 50-200 cm tall, 2-8 mm thick, empty and transversely septate, glaucous to shining deep green, clothed at base with a purplish membranous sheath truncate at orifice; spike cylindric, 2-6 cm long, 3-6 mm broad, terete, obtuse at apex, glaucous to straw-colored, many-flowerd; glumes subdensely imbricated, oblong to oblong-obovate, 4-6 mm long, 2-3 mm broad, thickly herbaceous, obtuse at apex, the obtuse median area with a distinct midvein and many slender veins; achenes obovate to broadly so, thickly biconvex, 1.5-2 mm long, 1-1.5 mm broad, maturing shining brown, weakly cancellate by hexagonal epidermal cells, the apex with an inconspicuous annual thickening, the style base deltoid, about 2/3 as broad as the achene apex; style 2- or 3-fid; hypogynous bristles 6-8, as long as to nearly twice as long as the achene body, retrorsely scabrous; stamens 3." (Smith, 1979)"Culms robust, 60 (or 90) cm tall, glabrous, transversely septate, stoloniferous; corms globose, edible; sheaths few, truncate; inflorescence a solitary terminal spikelet; perianthoid bristles mostly 6, but 5-8; stamens 1, 2 or 3; style either bifed or trifid; nut obovoid" (Stone, 1970; p. 171).
Habitat/ecology: Found in marshes on Guam (Stone, 1970; p. 171). In Fiji, "it occurs from near sea level to 825 m, in swamps and rotting in the mud of shallow lakes and ponds to a depth of 1 m" (Smith, 1979; pp. 239-240).
Propagation: Seed.
Native range: "Tropical West Africa and Madagascar to southern Asia and Japan, Micronesia, Malesia, northern Australia and eastward in the Pacific to Samoa and Tonga" (Smith, 1979; pp. 239-240). Widely cultivated in tropics (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
Manua Islands |
Tau Island | Whistler, W. A. (1980) (p. 163) | |
American Samoa
Manua Islands |
Tau Island |
Yuncker, T. G. (1945) (p. 26)
Voucher cited: Yuncker 9296 (BISH) |
|
American Samoa
Tutuila Islands |
Aunuu Island | Whistler, W. A. (1980) (p. 163) | |
American Samoa
Tutuila Islands |
Tutuila Island |
Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 91)
Native? |
|
American Samoa
Tutuila Islands |
Tutuila Island |
Anon. (1988) (p. 1)
Native? |
|
Federated States of Micronesia
Chuuk Islands |
Chuuk Islands |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 69) |
Federated States of Micronesia
Chuuk Islands |
Fefan Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 69) |
Federated States of Micronesia
Pohnpei Islands |
Pohnpei Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 69) |
Federated States of Micronesia
Pohnpei Islands |
Pohnpei Island |
introduced
invasive |
Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 42)
Vouchers cited: N.S. Tangalin 1261 (PTBG), C. Trauernicht 100 (BISH, NY) Naturalized |
Federated States of Micronesia
Pohnpei Islands |
Pohnpei Island |
National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2005) (voucher ID: PTBG 48703)
Taxon name on voucher: Eleocharis dulcis |
|
Federated States of Micronesia
Yap Islands |
Yap (Waqab) Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 69) |
Fiji
Fiji Islands |
Vanua Levu Island |
native
|
Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 239-240)
Voucher cited: Smith 6887 |
Fiji
Fiji Islands |
Viti Levu Island |
native
|
Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 239-240)
Voucher cited: Smith 6887 |
Guam
Guam Island |
Guam Island |
probably introduced
invasive |
Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 171)
Vouchers cited: MacGregor 469, Rodin 689 |
Guam
Guam Island |
Guam Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 69) |
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands |
Hawaiian Islands |
introduced
cultivated |
Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1402) |
New Caledonia
New Caledonia |
New Caledonia Islands |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
Palau
Palau (Belau ) (main island group) |
Babeldaob Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 69) |
Palau
Palau (Belau ) (main island group) |
Babeldaob Island |
Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1977) (voucher ID: BNM 10098)
Taxon name on voucher: Eleocharis dulcis (Burm. f.) Trin. ex Henschel |
|
Palau
Palau (Belau ) (main island group) |
Koror (Oreor) Island |
introduced
|
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 69) |
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island) |
Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island) |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
Philippines
Philippine Islands |
Philippine Islands |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
Philippines
Philippine Islands |
Philippine Islands |
Merrill, Elmer D. (1925) (pp. 119-120)
In open wet lands, shallow swamps, etc., at low altitudes. |
|
Samoa
Western Samoa Islands |
Western Samoa Islands |
native
|
Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 239-240) |
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands |
Solomon Islands |
Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 91)
Native? |
|
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands |
Solomon Islands |
native
|
Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 71) |
Tonga
Haapai Group |
Haapai Islands |
native
|
Whistler, W. A. (1992) (pp. 84-85)
Voucher cited: Hotta 4873 |
Tonga
Tongatapu Group |
Eua Island |
native
|
Whistler, W. A. (1992) (pp. 84-85)
Vouchers cited: Hotta 5499, Sykes 404, Whistler 6507, Whistler 7472 |
Tonga
Vavau Group |
Niuafoou Island |
native
|
Whistler, W. A. (1992) (pp. 84-85)
Voucher cited: Whistler 6369 |
Tonga
Vavau Group |
Vavau Island |
native
|
Whistler, W. A. (1992) (pp. 84-85)
Vouchers cited: Crosby 180, Yuncker 16027, Hotta 5070, Soakai 1055, Buelow 1037, Buelow & Sykes 15a |
Tonga
Vavau Group |
Vavau Island |
Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 71)
Voucher cited: Yuncker 16027 |
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) |
New South Wales |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
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) | Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 65) | |
China
China |
China (People's Republic of) |
native
|
Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)
Field margins, lake margins, commonly cultivated; near sea level to 1500 m. Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Hainan, Hubei, W Hunan, Jiangsu. |
China
China |
Hong Kong |
introduced
cultivated |
Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 312)
Cultivated. In ponds, marshes and paddy fields. |
Indonesia
Indonesia |
Indonesia (Republic of) |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
Japan
Japan |
Japan |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Honshu, Kyushu |
Japan
Ryukyu Islands |
Ryukyu Islands |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
Malaysia
Malaysia |
Malaysia (country of) |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
Singapore
Singapore |
Singapore (Republic of) |
native
|
Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 38)
Common |
Taiwan
Taiwan Island |
Taiwan Island |
native
|
Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)
Field margins, lake margins, commonly cultivated; near sea level to 1500 m. |
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 |
Mauritius
Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues) |
Mauritius Island |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
Seychelles
Seychelles Islands |
Seychelles Islands |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
Control: If you know of control methods for Eleocharis dulcis, please let us know.