L., Poaceae |
Present on Pacific Islands? yes
Primarily a threat at high elevations? no
Common name(s): [more details]
English: annual witchgrass, common panic grass, common witchgrass, old-witch grass, tickle grass, tumbleweed, witch's hair, witchgrass |
French: panic capillaire |
Spanish: borona, pasto de la perdiz, pelillo brujo, zacate encantado, zacate lisonjero |
Habit: grass
Description: "Habit: Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20-80 cm long. Culm-nodes bearded. Leaf-sheaths hispid; with tubercle-based hairs. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades linear, or lanceolate; 7-30 cm long; 5-14 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex attenuate. Inflorescence a panicle; deciduous as a whole. Panicle open; oblong, or ovate; effuse; 15-50 cm long. Panicle branches capillary. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; dorsally compressed; acute, or acuminate; 1.8-2.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Glumes reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.33-0.5 times length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse to acuminate. Upper glume ovate; 1 times length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5-7 -veined. Upper glume apex acuminate. Florets: Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 times length of spikelet; membranous; 5-7 -veined; acute. Palea of lower sterile floret 0.5 length of lemma. Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.5 mm long; indurate; pallid, or yellow; shiny; without keel. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate. Flower: Anthers 3. Caryopsis with adherent pericarp" (GrassBase).
Habitat/ecology: (no habitat/ecology info known by PIER)
Propagation: Seed
Native range: Canada and the United States (GRIN).
Presence:
Pacific | |||
Country/Terr./St. & Island group |
Location |
Cited status &
Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction? |
Reference &
Comments |
New Caledonia
New Caledonia Archipelago |
Île Grande Terre |
introduced
invasive |
MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 60)
"Présent depuis longtemps; maintenant bien dispersé en savanes sur la Grande-Terre mais jamais commun" voucher cited: Vieillard 1473 |
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. 78) | |
New Zealand
New Zealand |
New Zealand (country) |
introduced
invasive |
Edgar, E./Connor, H. (2000) (p. 558)
"Weed of pastures, orchards, gardens, roadsides and crops". |
South America (Pacific rim)
South America (Pacific rim) |
Chile (Republic of) | Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar (1980) (p. 78) | |
United States (west coast)
United States (west coast states) |
USA (Oregon) |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
United States (west coast)
United States (west coast states) |
USA (California) |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
United States (west coast)
United States (west coast states) |
USA (Washington) |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
Control: If you know of control methods for Panicum capillare, please let us know.