Agrostis stolonifera L., Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 19 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Agrostis alba auct. Eur.; Agrostis palustris Huds.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: xi bo li ya jian gu ying

English: carpet bentgrass, creeping bent, creeping bentgrass, fiorin, marsh bent, redtop, redtop bent, redtop bentgrass, seaside bentgrass, spreading bent

French: agrostide stolonifère, traînasse, traîne

Spanish: agróstide estolonífera, heno ahumado, pasto fiorin

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Rhizomatous or stolonniferous perennials; culms decumbent, (3-) 4-10 (-13) dm long.  Sheaths smooth, glabrous, persistent; ligule truncate to obtuse, 1.5-5 (-8.5) mm long, erose-ciliolate, often lacerate; blades flat, folded, or involute, relatively wide, 2-5 (-6) mm wide when opened, scabrous.  Panicles (7-) 10-18 (-25) cm long, open, sometimes closing after anthesis, the branches scabrous, verticillate, ascending, floriferous from base; glumes lanceolate, acute, rounded on the back, nerves scabrous, purplish, first glume 2-2.5 mm long; second glume 1.8-22 (-2.5) mm long; lemma membranous, 1.4-1.8 (-2.3) mm long, 3-5-nerved, awnless, callus minutely bearded; palea membranous, translucent, 0.7-1.5 mm long.  Caryopsis pale brown to reddish brown, 0.5-0.8 mm long"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1494).

Description from GrassBase.

Habitat/ecology:  "Riparian habitats, seasonal freshwater wetlands, marshes, coastal scrub and beaches.  In the native range, this grass is commonly found in wet meadows and riparian habitats.  It is a polyploid complex in which clonal propagation is predominant.  It is fast growing and invasive because it forms mat-like dense colonies due to vegetative growth, displacing native vegetation and reducing species richness"  (Weber, 2003; p. 31).

In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in disturbed places, especially in moist sites, 640-1,680 m"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1494).

Propagation:  Seed? "Plants in Australia do not fruit and spread solely by stolons. Fragments of stolons easily root and regenerate to new plants" (Weber, 2003; p. 31).

Native range:  "Europe, widely naturalized"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1494).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (p. 550)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced	Skottsberg, Carl (1953) (p. 215)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced invasive	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más Afuera (Alejandro Selkirk Island)	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (p. 550)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1494)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1494)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1494)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1494) Voucher cited: Forbes 98.Mo (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1494)

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. 9)
China China	China (People's Republic of)		Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Moist places along roadsides.
Japan Japan	Japan	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Hokkaido
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 191)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Edgar, E./Connor, H. (2000) (p. 240) "Sea level to subalpine, often in damp or boggy sites, in disturbed ground, modified grassland or open scrub".
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Chile (Republic of)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Chile (Republic of)		Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar (1980) (p. 9)

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	Weber, Ewald (2003) (p. 31)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Canada Canada	Canada	introduced cultivated	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	introduced cultivated	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Naturalized

Control: 

Physical:  Small patches may be dug out.

Chemical:  Spray with grass-selective herbicides.