Briza subaristata Lam., Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Briza stricta (Hook. & Arn.) Steud.; Briza subaristata var. interrupta (Hack. ex Stuck.) Roseng. et al.; Briza triloba Nees; Chascolytrum subaristatum (Lam.) Desv.

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations extravaginal. Culms erect; 30-60 cm long; 2 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 0.5-3 mm long. Leaf-blades flat, or involute; 6-25 cm long; 1.5-4 mm wide. Leaf-blade midrib scarcely raised beneath. Leaf-blade surface ribbed; glabrous. Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open, or contracted; lanceolate, or elliptic; 2.5-15 cm long. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels 2-7 mm long; pubescent. Fertile spikelets: Spikelets comprising 6-11 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets orbicular; laterally compressed; 3.5-5.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Rhachilla internodes 0.1-0.4 mm long. Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume orbicular; 1.5-3.1 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 3-7 -veined. Lower glume surface puberulous. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume orbicular; 1.5-3.3 mm long; 0.66-0.75 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface puberulous. Upper glume apex acute. Florets: Fertile lemma oblate; auriculate at base; 1.8-5 mm long; 1.8-5 mm wide; coriaceous; much thinner on margins; mid-green; keeled; winged on margins; 5 -veined. Lemma apex dentate; 2 -fid; muticous, or awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; 0.5-1 mm long overall. Palea orbicular; 1-2.5 mm long; coriaceous; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped. Flower: Lodicules 2; cuneate; 0.3-0.6 mm long; membranous; truncate. Anthers 1; 0.8-1.1 mm long. Ovary glabrous. Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; orbicular; 1-1.5 mm long. Hilum punctiform"  (GrassBase).

Habitat/ecology:  In Australia, "grows in long-established low-fertile soils but not disturbed pastures"  (New South Wales PlantNET).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Southern South America (GRIN).

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. 551)

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)	New South Wales	introduced invasive	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2011) "Grows in long-established low-fertile soils but not disturbed pastures".
Chile (continental) Chile	Chile (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)

Additional information:
Additional online information about Briza subaristata is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

Information about Briza subaristata as a weed (worldwide references) may be available from the Global Compendium of Weeds (GCW).

Taxonomic information about Briza subaristata may be available from the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN).

References:

Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John. 2011. Naturalized species in the Juan Fernández Archipelago, Chile. Unpublished spreadsheet.

Clayton, W.D./Harman, K.T./Williamson, H. 2011. World Grass Species: Descriptions, Identification, and Information Retrieval [GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora]. The Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido. 2006. Nouveau catalogue de la flore vaculaire de l'archipel Juan Fernández (Chile) [Nuevo catálogo de la flora vacular del Archipélago Juan Fernández (Chile)]. Acta Bot. Gallica 153(4):399-587.

National Herbarium of New South Wales. 2011. PlantNet: New South Wales Flora online. The Plant Information Network System of the Botanic Gardens Trust Version 2.0. Online resource.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2011. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.