Chloris radiata (L.) Sw., Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: plush grass, radiate fingergrass, radiate windmill grass

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Loosely tufted annual [grass], the culms branching, up to 60 cm high; often purplish at the nodes; leaf-sheaths glabrous, up to 7.5 cm long; blade to 15 cm long and 3 mm wide.  Spikes 5-15 usually 10 or more, up to 7.5 cm long, slender, silvery-purplish; rachis slightly hairy.  Glumes narrow.  Fertile lemma 1.5 mm long, awned; awn slender, 3-9 mm long; rudiment of 1 reduced sterile lemma with a shorter awn"  (Stone, 1970; p. 195).

"Habit: Annual. Culms 30-60 cm long; without nodal roots, or rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 10-30 cm long; 5-10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface pilose. Leaf-blade apex acute. Inflorescence: Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 5-15; digitate; simply spaced, or in several whorls; unilateral; 5-8 cm long. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile. Fertile spikelets: Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 2.8-3.3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus pubescent; obtuse. Glumes: Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma; gaping. Lower glume lanceolate; 0.7-1.6 mm long; 0.4-0.6 times length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; 1-veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 2-2.7 mm long; 0.7-0.8 times length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; 1-veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute. Florets: Fertile lemma elliptic; laterally compressed; lanceolate in profile; 2.8-3.3 mm long; cartilaginous; pallid; keeled; 3-veined. Lemma midvein eciliate. Lemma lateral veins close to margins. Lemma margins ciliolate; hairy above. Lemma apex acute; awned; 1-awned. Principal lemma awn subapical; 6-13 mm long overall. Apical sterile florets 1 in number; barren; lanceolate; 0.4-0.7 mm long. Apical sterile lemmas acute; awned; 1-awned. Apical sterile lemma awns subapical; 3-5 mm long; 1 per spikelet in number. Flower: Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Anthers 3. Stigmas 2. Fruit: Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; trigonous; 1.4-1.5 mm long. Hilum punctiform" (GrassBase).

Habitat/ecology:  Abandoned fields, roadsides, and other disturbed areas.  In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in mesic sites along roadsides and in disturbed areas and fields"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1515). In Guam, "abandoned fields and roadsides; often invading neglected pastures" (Stone, 1970; p. 195).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Jamaica, the West Indies and Tropical America; widespread through introductions.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1972) (voucher ID: BISH 83855) Taxon name on voucher: Chloris radiata (L.) Sw.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Anatahan Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 7)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 34)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1946) (voucher ID: BISH 123725) Taxon name on voucher: Chloris radiata (L.) Sw.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 34)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1946) (voucher ID: BISH 123724) Taxon name on voucher: Chloris radiata (L.) Sw.
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 34)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Española Group	Española Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Fernandina Group	Fernandina Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Floreana Group	Floreana Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Isabela Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Sierra Negra, Isabela Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Isabela Group	Volcán Wolf, Isabela Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santiago Group	Mao Islet, Santiago Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santiago Group	Santiago Island	possibly introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island	introduced	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Denslow, Julie S./Nelson, Duane/Mazawa, Thomas R. (2000) (p. 26)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 34)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1949) (voucher ID: BISH 123718) Taxon name on voucher: Chloris radiata (L.) Sw.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced invasive	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 195) Vouchers cited: Stone 4325 (GUAM), Stone 4419 (GUAM)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 34)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 123712) Taxon name on voucher: Chloris radiata (L.) Sw.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1950) (voucher ID: BISH 123726) Taxon name on voucher: Chloris radiata (L.) Sw.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1962) (voucher ID: BISH 123728) Taxon name on voucher: Chloris radiata (L.) Sw.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1515)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1515)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1515)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Ni‘ihau, Lehua Islet	introduced invasive	Wood, K. R./LeGrande, Maya (2006) (p. 25)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1515)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2003) (p. 20) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H110124 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1515) Voucher cited: Heller 1963 (BISH)
Japan (offshore islands) Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands	introduced	Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 34)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 84)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 20)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (p. 80)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1977) (voucher ID: BISH 428425) Taxon name on voucher: Chloris radiata (L.) Sw.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1977) (voucher ID: BNM 10011) Taxon name on voucher: Chloris radiata (L.) Sw.
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1981) (voucher ID: BNM 3134) Taxon name on voucher: Chloris radiata (L.) Sw.
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 48)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2001) (p. 51) Rare

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Colombia Colombia	Colombia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Costa Rica Costa Rica	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Ecuador (Mainland) Ecuador	Ecuador (Republic of) (continental)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
El Salvador El Salvador	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Guatemala Guatemala	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Honduras Honduras	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Japan Japan	Japan (country)	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 192)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Nicaragua Nicaragua	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Panama Panama	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Perú Perú	Perú (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 85)

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

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

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

References:

Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.). 1977. Voucher specimen #BNM10011(Otobed, D.O. PW-10011).

Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.). 1981. Voucher specimen #BNM3134(Timberlake, J. 3134).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1946. Voucher specimen #BISH 123724 (Hosaka, E.Y. 2922).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1946. Voucher specimen #BISH 123725 (Fosberg, F.R. 24971).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1949. Voucher specimen #BISH 123718 (Glassman, S.F. 2668).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1950. Voucher specimen #BISH 123726 (Fosberg, F.R. 31217).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1953. Voucher specimen #BISH 123712 (Fosberg, F.R. 35313).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1962. Voucher specimen #BISH 123728 (Stone, B.C.M. 4325).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1972. Voucher specimen #BISH 83855 (Whistler, W.A. W 305).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1977. Voucher specimen #BISH 428425 (Otobed, D.O. PW-10011).

Charles Darwin Foundation. 2008. Database inventory of introduced plant species in the rural and urban zones of Galapagos. Charles Darwin Foundation, Galapagos, Ecuador.

Charles Darwin Research Station. 2005. CDRS Herbarium records.

Clayton, W. D./Harman, K. T./Williamson, H. 2002. World Grass Species: Descriptions, Identification, and Information Retrieval (online resource).

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1987. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian monocotyledonae. Micronesica 20:1-126.

Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 391 pp.

Kato, Hidetoshi. 2007. Herbarium records of Makino Herbarium, Tokyo Metropolitan University. Personal communication.

Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro. 2004. Invasive alien species in Japan: the status quo and the new regulation for prevention of their adverse effects. Global Environmental Research 8(2)/2004: 171-191.

Oppenheimer, Hank L. 2003. New plant records from Maui and Hawai‘i Counties. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2001-2002. Part 1: Articles. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 73:3-30.

Raulerson, L. 2006. Checklist of Plants of the Mariana Islands. University of Guam Herbarium Contribution 37:1-69. .

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2001. Report to the Kingdom of Tonga on invasive plant species of environmental concern.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 78 pp.

Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie. 2009. Report to the Republic of Palau: 2008 update on Invasive Plant Species. USDA Forest Service, Hilo, Hawai‘i. 227 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Denslow, Julie S./Nelson, Duane/Mazawa, Thomas R. 2000. Invasive plant species in Chuuk, Federated States of Micronesia.  USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 41 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar. 2003. Report to the Republic of Palau on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 174 pp.

Stone, Benjamin C. 1970. The flora of Guam. Micronesica 6:1-659.

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

Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. 1999. Manual of the flowering plants of Hawaii. Revised edition. Bernice P. Bishop Museum special publication. University of Hawai‘i Press/Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 1919 pp. (two volumes).

Whistler, W. A. 1988. Checklist of the weed flora of western Polynesia. Technical Paper No. 194, South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 69 pp.

Wiggins, I. L./Porter, D. M. 1971. Flora of the Galapágos Islands. Stanford University Press. 998 pp.

Wood, K. R./LeGrande, Maya. 2006. An annotated checklist and new island records of flowering plants from Lehua Islet, Ni‘ihau, Hawai‘i. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucias G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2004-2005. Part 1: Articles. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 87:19-29.