Panicum polygonatum Schrad., Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Panicum boliviense Hack.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Bolivian panicgrass

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Perennial; culms slender, widely decumbent-spreading, branching, the nodes pubescent, rooting at the lower nodes, the internodes usually rather short; sheaths shorter than the internodes, glabrous, the margins ciliate; ligule about 0.3 mm long, membranaceous, erose; blades rather thin, cordate, mostly 5-8 cm long, 5-10 mm (rarely 15 mm) wide, glabrous or sparsely pilose; panicles 6-15 cm long, the usually numerous branches ascending, the branchlets appressed or spreading, mostly on the lower side of the branches; spikelets 1.5 mm long, glabrous" (Swallen, 1955; p. 258).

Description from GrassBase.

Habitat/ecology:  In Guatemala, "moist river banks, lake shores, and openings in forests; sometimes a week in cultivated places" (Swallen, 1955; p. 258).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Southern Mexico to Paraguay (Swallen, 1955; p. 258).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008) Collected in survey, herbarium record pending.
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Panicum polygonatum, please let us know.