Chasmanthium latifolium (Michx.) H. O. Yates, Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 8.5 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Uniola latifolia Michx.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: broadleaf chasmanthium, broadleaf uniola, Indian woodoats

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short; knotty. Culms 100-150 cm long. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 9-20 cm long; 10-20 mm wide. Leaf-blade venation with distinct cross veins.  Inflorescence a panicle.  Panicle open; ovate; 10-15(-35) cm long. Primary panicle branches drooping.  Spikelets pendulous; solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled.  Spikelets comprising 1-2 basal sterile florets; 5-15(-24) fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets elliptic, or ovate; laterally compressed; 20-40 mm long; 6-16 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pilose.  Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 5-7 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 5-7 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 5-7 mm long; 0.5-0.7 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 5-7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.  Basal sterile florets similar; barren; without significant palea; persisting on inflorescence. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to fertile lemma; elliptic; 6-8 mm long; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 7-11 -veined; acute. Fertile florets decreasing in size upwards. Fertile lemma ovate; 9-12 mm long; herbaceous; keeled; 11-15 -veined. Lemma midvein ciliolate. Lemma apex entire, or dentate; 2 -fid; acute. Palea bowed outwards; 2 -veined. Palea keels winged; conspicuously winged; ciliolate. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.  Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 1; 4 mm long; yellow.  Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ovoid; laterally compressed; 2-2.5 mm long"  (GrassBase).

Habitat/ecology:  (no habitat/ecology info known by PIER)

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Eastern and central United States, northern Mexico (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2011)
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2011)

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

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

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

References:

U. S. Government. 2011. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (on-line resource).

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

U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. 2011. The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.