Eriochloa procera (Retz.) C. E. Hubb., Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Eriochloa ramosa (Retz.) Kuntze

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: gao ye shu

English: slender cup grass, spring grass, tropical cupgrass

Habit:  grass

Description: 

Genus: "Annuals or perennials; panicle terminal, of several to many racemes, these spreading or appressed, generally approximate along a common axis; spikelets pubescent, solitary, occasionally in pairs, short-stalked or subsessile, in 2 rows on one side of a narrow rachis, the lower rachilla joint thickened, forming a dark-colored, ringlike callus below upper glume; fertle lemma indurate, mucronate or awned, the margins slightly inrolled." (Smith, 1979)

Species:  "Annual, tufted grass, the culms spreading at base, 22-90 cm high; leaf blades flat, 2.5-10 cm long, 3-5 mm broad; axis and rachis villous, the pedicels with several long hairs; spikelets about 3 mm long, appressed-pubescent except near tip, a marked calluslike ring below each spikelet"  (Smith, 1979; p. 328).

"Annual. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20-100 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 2-30 cm long; 2-4 mm wide. Inflorescence: Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 3-10; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 2-10 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 4-20 cm long. Rhachis angular; puberulous on surface. Spikelet packing regular; 2-rowed. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels free, or fused to each other; united below; oblong; glabrous. Fertile spikelets: Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; cuspidate, or acuminate; (2.5-)3-4 mm long; falling entire. Spikelet callus globular; incorporating lowest rhachilla internode with adnate lower glume; glabrous. Glumes: Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume elliptic; 1 times length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5-veined. Upper glume surface pubescent. Upper glume apex acute, or acuminate; muticous. Florets: Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; elliptic; 0.9 times length of spikelet; 5-veined; pubescent; acute, or acuminate; muticous. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface granulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse; mucronate. Principal lemma awn 0.3-0.5 mm long overall. Palea involute; indurate" (GrassBase).

Habitat/ecology:  In Fiji, "a fairly common weed of gardens, roadsides, hillsides, pathways, and lawns, occurring from sea level to about 100 m" (Smith, 1979; p. 328).  "Uncommon in sunny, disturbed places" (Whistler, 1988; p. 52).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Eastern and southeastern Asia, Australia; naturalized in Africa and the neotropics (GRIN). Fosberg et al., (1987; p. 43) list as native in Micronesia.

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. 52)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Saipan	Saipan Island		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
Cook Islands Cook Islands	Cook Islands		McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 43)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1982) (p. 100) Voucher cigted: Fosberg 60321 (US, BISH, POM, K)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Kandavu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (p. 328) Voucher cited: DA 8677
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (p. 328) Voucher cited: DA 14306
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (p. 328) Vouchers cited: DA 5603, Gillespie 3163.8, DA 8034, DA 9054, DA 9383, DA 7725, DA 8582, DA 9056, DA 17344, DA 9090
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Wagner, W. L./ Herbst, D. R./Weitzman, A./Lorence, D.H. (2013)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank (2008) (p. 32) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H50627 (BISH, PTBG)
Japan (offshore islands) Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced	Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 43)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 101)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 43)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	native	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 97)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1982) (p. 100) Voucher cited: Otobed PW-10006 (US, BISH)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1977) (voucher ID: BNM 10006) Taxon name on voucher: Eriochloa procera (Retz.) Hubb.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Malakal (Ngemelachel) Island	native	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 97)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)		Henty, E. E. (1969) (p. 101)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 52)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 52)
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Midway Atoll	Sand Island	introduced invasive	Snow, Neil/Lau, Alex (2010) (p. 52) Voucher cited: Starr 990620-1 & Martz (BISH)
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Midway Atoll	Sand Island	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim (2011) (p. 30) Voucher cited: Starr & Starr 080611-01 (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)	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) Queensland, 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)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Streams, moist places. Fujian, Guangdong, Hainan.
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
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)	uncertain if introduced invasive	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 39) Weed of uncertain origin
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	native	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Streams, moist places.
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
British Indian Ocean Territory Chagos Archipelago	Diego Garcia Island	introduced invasive	Whistler, W. Arthur (1996) (p. 24)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Eriochloa procera, please let us know.