Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Cyperus melanospermus (Nees) J. V. Suringar

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: hei zi shui wu gong

Fijian: tanivori

Habit:  sedge

Description:  "Rhizome horizontal, lignescent, covered with dark brown scales; culms close together, arranged in a row along the rhizome, 30-100 cm tall, 2.5-4 mm thick, clothed at base with purple-brown sheaths; leaves mostly reduced to bladeless sheaths 2-5 cm long, the uppermost 1 or 2 sometimes developing a short blade about 3 mm broad; inflorescence a single terminal greenish spike, ovoid to subglobose, 6-12 mm long, 6-8 mm across; leafy bracts usually 3, patent; spikelets many, densely disposed, narrowly elliptic, about 3 mm long, 1- or 2-flowerd; glumes lance-ovate, pale straw-colored, often tinged with brown, 3-nerved, often spinulose on the acute keel, mucronate at apex; stamens 3; achene 1/2-1/3 as long as the subtending glume, oblong, lenticular, maturing blackish; style long, 2-fid at apex" (Smith, 1979; p. 260).

Habitat/ecology:  In China (native), "places along trails, water margins, sandy areas; below 100-1000 m" (Flora of China online).  In Fiji, "a naturalized adventive occurring sparingly in southern Viti Levu from near sea level to 460 m, in open swampy places along forest streams, on river banks, in forest clearings, and occasionally along roadsides" (Smith, 1979; p. 260).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  "Tropical Africa, southern and southeastern Asia, and eastward to Melanesia" (Smith, 1979; p. 260).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (p. 260) Vouchers cited: Degener 15181, DA 8640, DA 9197 (McKee 2760), Smith 8570, DA 1401, DA 1445
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 93)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
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)

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)	Queensland	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) Wet places along trails, water margins, sandy areas; below 100-1000 m. Guangdong, S Guangxi, Hainan, Yunnan.
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Celebes, Java, Lesser Sunda Islands, Sumatra
Indonesia Indonesia	West Papua Province (Indonesia) (western New Guinea Island) (formerly Irian Jaya)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Malaya
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	uncertain if introduced invasive	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 53) Weed of uncertain origin
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
Comoros Comoro Islands	Comoro Islands	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 Kyllinga melanosperma, please let us know.