Phalaris minor Retz., Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: xi ge cao

English: lesser canarygrass, little-seed Canary grass, small Canary grass

French: alpiste mineur, phalaris mineur

Spanish: alfarin, alpiste, alpiste valillo, alpistillo, pasto romano

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Habit: Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 20-100 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2-7.5 mm long. Leaf-blades 5-10 cm long; 3-12 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous. Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle spiciform, or capitate; oblong, or ovate; 1-6 cm long; 1-2 cm wide. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 4-6.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 4-6.5 mm long; 1 times length of upper glume; chartaceous; 1-keeled; winged on keel; winged above; 3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 4-6.5 mm long; 1.5-1.6 times length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; 1-keeled; winged on keel; winged above; 3 -veined. Upper glume apex acute. Florets: Basal sterile florets dissimilar; with vestigial lower floret; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Lemma of upper sterile floret subulate; 1-1.8 mm long. Fertile lemma elliptic; laterally compressed; 2.7-4 mm long; cartilaginous; shiny; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous; 2 -veined; without keels. Palea surface pubescent. Flower: Anthers 3; 1-1.5 mm long. Ovary glabrous. Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2.3-2.5 mm long. Hilum linear"  (GrassBase).

Habitat/ecology:  "Forests, riparian habitats, freshwater wetlands, coastal beaches.  A native of dry, open places that grows generally on sandy soils.  It is invasive because it forms dense swards and becomes dominant, displacing native plants and preventing overstorey regeneration.  It is also a significant agricultural weed"  (Weber, 2003; p. 319).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Macaronesia, northern Africa, Europe, western and central Asia (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 12) "Probably introduced as a fodder plant". Voucher cited: P.S. Green 1488 (A)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Herbst, Derral R./Wagner, Warren L. (1999) (p. 29) Vouchers cited: Olson s.n. (BISH 120196), Herbst 5945 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Herbst, Derral R./Wagner, Warren L. (1999) (p. 29) Voucher cited: Munro 126 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Herbst, Derral R./Wagner, Warren L. (1999) (p. 29) Voucher cited: Hitchcock 13915 (BISH)
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 61) "Seul spécimen"; voucher cited: Deplanche 70. Present status unknown.
New Zealand (offshore islands) Kermadec Islands	Kermadec Islands	introduced invasive	Edgar, E./Connor, H. (2000) (p. 354) "Waste ground, roadsides, poor pasture, shingle and ballast".
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Merrill, Elmer D. (1925) (p. 78) Altitude about 1,500 m; probably a mere casual here.

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)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	El Salvador (Republic of)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 273)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced invasive	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Wheat fields, introduced. Yunnan.
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)		Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar (1980) (p. 115)
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 192)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)		Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar (1980) (p. 115)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Edgar, E./Connor, H. (2000) (p. 354) "Waste ground, roadsides, poor pasture, shingle and ballast".
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 273)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 273)

Control: 

Physical:  "Scattered plants can be dug out.  Cutting before fruits ripen prevents seed formation".

Chemical:  "Larger patches can be treated with herbicides"  (Weber, 2003; p. 319).