Nassella cernua (Stebb. & Á. Lõve) Barkworth, Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  yes

Other Latin names:  Stipa cernua Stebbins & A. Lõve

Common name(s): [more details]

English: foothill needlegrass, needlegrass, nodding tussockgrass

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Perennials; culms erect, forming large, dense clumps, usually 6-9 dm tall.  Sheath glabrous, margins overlapping, membranous; ligule membranous, ca. 2 mm long, margins entire to erose, apex unevenly rounded.  Blades glaucous, cauline, 1.2-2.4 mm wide, flat to involute, upper surface evenly pilose, lower surface sparsely pilose or glabrous.  Panicles 30-50 cm long or longer, branches numerous, flexuous, ascending or spreading, partially or fully exserted from the subtending sheath; glumes membranous, linear to lanceolate, glabrous, apex acuminate, first glume 12-19 mm long, 3-nerved, second glume ca. 11 mm long, 3-nerved; lemma chartaceous, 5-10 mm long, papillose, pilose in lower part and on the nerves, awn 60-110 mm long, twice geniculate, the terminal segment flexuous, scabrous or basally short-pubescent; palea membranous, ovate, 1-1.5 mm long, glabrous, nerveless, apex rounded.  Caryopsis pale brown, cylindrical, trigonous, ca. 4 mm long"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1599).

Description from GrassBase.

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in subalpine woodland and shrubland, 1,830-2,140 m" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1599).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  California (US) (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1599).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1599)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Baja California
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Nassella cernua, please let us know.