Paspalum plicatulum Michx., Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: zhou fu que bai

English: brownseed paspalum, circularfruited birdseed

Spanish: camalote, pajilla, zacatón

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Culms erect, 60-12 cm. high; leaf blades 15-35 cm. long, 3-7 mm. broad, the margin ciliate near junction with sheath; racemes 5-10, regularly spaced, alternate, ascending, 4-6 cm. long; spikelets irregularly arranged in 3 rows, sparsely pubescent, 2.5-3 mm long, the lower lemma with short transverse wrinkles inside the raised margin"  (Smith, 1979; p. 336).

"Habit: Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 30-120 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2-3 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or conduplicate; 15-30 cm long; 2-7 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or pilose. Leaf-blade apex acuminate. Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 2-7; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 2-15 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 3-15 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular; 1 mm wide. Spikelet packing irregular; 2-4 -rowed. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Fertile spikelets: Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or obovate; dorsally compressed; plano-convex; obtuse; 2.3-3.2 mm long; falling entire. Glumes one the lower absent or obscure; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Upper glume ovate; 1 times length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or puberulous. Upper glume apex obtuse. Florets:  Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 times length of spikelet; membranous; thicker on margins; 5 -veined; wrinkled; glabrous, or puberulous; obtuse. Fertile lemma ovate; gibbous; 2-3 mm long; indurate; dark brown; without keel. Lemma surface granulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate. GrassBase.

Habitat/ecology:  "Introduced into Fiji in 1957 for trial as a pasture grass"  (Smith, 1979; p. 336).  In New Caledonia, "en pâturages et parfois spontané sans être commun"  (MacKee 1994; p. 61).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  "The warmer parts of North and South America and the West Indies"  (Smith, 1979; p. 336).

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	Vanua Levu Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (p. 336) Vouchers cited: DA 15294, DA 15391
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (p. 336) Voucher cited: DA 12581
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 61) Voucher cited: MacKee 38686
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis (‘Uvea) Island	introduced cultivated	Morat, Ph./Veillon, J.-M. (1985) Morat & Veillon, 1985, cited in Meyer, 2007

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)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
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)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Cultivated in Gansu.
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	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 Paspalum plicatulum, please let us know.