(L.) Nees, Poaceae |
Present on Pacific Islands? no
Primarily a threat at high elevations? no
Other Latin names: Dinebra chinensis (L.) P. M. Peterson & N. Snow; Poa chinensis L.
Common name(s): [more details]
Chinese: qian jin zi |
English: Asian sprangletop, Chinese sprangletop, red sprangletop |
Filipino: malay-palay |
French: herbe fine de Chine |
Japanese: azegaya |
Habit: grass
Description: "A strongly tufted annual or perennial grass; roots fibrous; culms erect or geniculately ascending, 12 to 120 cm high smooth, leafy; leaf sheath smooth; ligule 1.2 to 2 mm, membranous, deeply divided into hairlike segments; blade linear, acute, rough on the upper surface, otherwise smooth, 6 to 32 cm long, 4 to 9 mm wide; inflorescence a panicle, the axis 10 to 40 cm long, straight, marked, with longitudinal lines (striate), slightly rough; racemes solitary or two to four together, ultimately widely spreading, 1 to 10 cm long; pedicels of spikelets 0.5 to 0.75 mm long; spikelets four- to six- (often five-) flowered, 2.5 to 3.5 mm, often purplish; glumes unequal, with a small sharp point, the upper larger, with scattered harsh hairs on the midnerves; lemma with submarginal lateral nerves, higher lemmas successively smaller, all lemmas with appressed hairs along nerves; palea smooth or hairy along the nerves; grain (caryopsis) brown, smoothly or finely roughly reticulated (rugose), 0.7 to 0.8 mm long" (Holm et al., 1977; pp. 309-310).
"Tufted, erect annual or perennial grass, 10-120 cm tall, with fibrous roots. Stems hollow, glabrous, commonly reclining at base and rooting at nodes. Leaf sheaths loose, 4-10 cm long, with a membranous ligule 1.25-2 mm long and split into hairlike segments; leaf blades linear, acute, flat, 6-30 cm - 4-9 mm, roughish. Inflorescence a terminal panicle of many slender branches arising from a narrow main axis, 20-60 cm long; racemes solitary or 2-4 together; 1-10 cm long, shortly pedunculate. Spikelets 2.5-3.5 mm long, usually 5-flowered, on alternating sides of the rachis. Caryopsis ellipsoidal, 0.8 mm long, brown, smooth or wrinkled." (Waterhouse & Mitchell, 1998).
"The closely related L. panicea can be distinguished from [this species] in that it has scattered, long, fine, tubercle-based hairs, and fewer florets (2-4) per spikelet" (Waterhouse & Mitchell, 1998; pp. 77-78).
Description from GrassBase.
See also Leptochloa mucronata.
Habitat/ecology: "Associated with wetlands, swamps, or streams in open lowland regions. Can grow in heavy or light soils, along streams and watercourses, in marshy grounds and in lowland rice fields" (Holm et al., 1977; p. 310). "Heavy or light soils in soggy or inundated areas. It is able to establish and grow profusely in waterlogged conditions before crops can take a hold. 0-900 m altitude. A weed of rice, sugarcane, vegetables, cotton, corn." (Waterhouse & Mitchell, 1998; pp. 77-78).
Propagation: "Seed dispersed by water and animals" (Waterhouse & Mitchell, 1998; pp. 77-78).
Native range: Africa and temperate and tropical Asia (GRIN).
Presence:
Pacific | |||
Country/Terr./St. & Island group |
Location |
Cited status &
Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction? |
Reference &
Comments |
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) |
Australia (continental) | Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar (1980) (p. 94) | |
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)
Moist places; 200-1000 m. Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Henan, Hubei,Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Shandong, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang. |
China
China |
Hong Kong |
native
|
Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 339)
In wet places. |
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) |
South Korea
South Korea |
South Korea (Republic of) | Holm, Leroy G./Plucknett, D. L./Pancho, J. V./Herberger, J. P. (1977) (p. 313) | |
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. 54)
Weed of uncertain origin |
Taiwan
Taiwan Island |
Taiwan Island |
native
|
Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)
Moist places; 200-1000 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) |
Comments: "A serious weed in Indonesia, Philippines, Swaziland, Thailand; and a principal weed in India, Japan and Malaysia" (Waterhouse & Mitchell, 1998; pp. 77-78).
Control: If you know of control methods for Leptochloa chinensis, please let us know.