L., Poaceae |
Present on Pacific Islands? yes
Primarily a threat at high elevations? no
Common name(s): [more details]
Chinese: ti mu cao |
English: meadow cat's-tail, timothy |
French: fléole des près |
Spanish: cola de topo, timoti |
Habit: grass
Description: "Loose or dense tufts to 1 m. Leaf-sheath subcoriaceous, rounded, open, striate, glabrous, green to dark brown at base. Ligule 1-2.5-(4) mm, membranous, truncate or slightly rounded. Leaf-blade 9-17.5-(25) cm x 3-4.5 mm, flat, narrowed to finely pointed tip, striate, minutely scabrid throughout or only towards tip; margins minutely scabrid. Culm (30)-60-85 cm, erect or ascending from geniculate base, usually stout, internodes smooth, or finely scabrid below panicle; basal nodes sometimes swollen and tuberous. Panicle (4)-12-23 cm x 6-9 mm, dense, spike-like, cylindric, green, greyish green or purplish; rachis very stout, with scattered fine hairs concealed beneath spikelets, pedicels very short. Spikelets 2.5-3.5 mm, tightly packed. Glumes (3)-3.5-5 mm, oblong, truncate, 3-nerved, membranous, covered with short fine hairs, margin of lower glume softly hairy; keel stout, with large stiff hairs, and produced to a short scabrid awn (0.8)-1-1.5 mm. Lemma 1.5-2.5-(3) mm, 5-7-nerved, membranous, broadly oblong, obtuse, minutely hairy. Palea (1.2)-1.5-2-(2.5) mm. Lodicules 0.4-0.6 mm. Anthers 1.3-2.2 mm. Caryopsis slightly > 1 mm" (Edgar & Connor, 2000; p. 286).
Description from GrassBase.
Habitat/ecology: "Grassland, coastal scrub, disturbed sites. A common grass of meadows and pastures in the native range. The grass is invasive because it spreads quickly and forms dense colonies that crowd out native plants and prevent their regeneration" (Weber, 2003; p. 320).
Propagation: Seed
Native range: Northern Africa, Europe and Asia (GRIN).
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 |
Kauai Island |
introduced
invasive |
Herbst, Derral R./Wagner, Warren L. (1999) (p. 29)
Voucher cited: Forbes 1019.K (BISH) |
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands |
Maui Island |
introduced
invasive |
Herbst, Derral R./Wagner, Warren L. (1999) (p. 29)
Voucher cited: Hosaka 2597 (BISH) |
State of Hawaii
Hawaiian Islands |
Oahu Island |
introduced
invasive |
Herbst, Derral R./Wagner, Warren L. (1999) (p. 29)
Voucher cited: Hatheway et al. 338 (BISH) |
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) |
China
China |
China (People's Republic of) |
native
|
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Northern China. |
Japan
Japan |
Japan |
introduced
|
Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 192) |
New Zealand
New Zealand |
New Zealand (country) |
introduced
invasive |
Edgar, E./Connor, H. (2000) (p. 286)
"Pastures, waste land, roadsides and track margins". |
South America (Pacific rim)
South America (Pacific rim) |
Colombia | Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 275) |
Indian Ocean | |||
Country/Terr./St. & Island group |
Location |
Cited status &
Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction? |
Reference &
Comments |
Mascarene Islands
Mascarene Islands (Mauritius, La Reunion, Rodrigues) |
Mascarene Islands |
introduced
invasive |
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) |
Control:
Physical: "Mowing close to the ground or slipping may reduce the plant's vigor".
Chemical: Large populations can be treated with herbicide (Weber, 2003; p. 320).