Cyrtococcum oxyphyllum (Hochst. ex Steud.) Stapf, Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: jian ye gong guo shu

English: long-leaf cyrtococcum grass, shining panicgrass

Fijian: osalasala, thovatu

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Perennial, the culms ascending from a slender creeping base, 15-45 cm high; leaf blades 2.5-10 cm or more long, 3-12 mm broad; panicle dense, narrow, 2.5-10 cm long, the branches ascending to erect, 1.5-38. cm long; spikelets alike, asymmetrical, compressed, glabrous, awnless, falling entire, 1.5-2 mm long, light brown in color." (Smith, 1979)"Creeping perennial, culms prostrate and rooting at the nodes, erect portions to 60 cm tall, internodes cylindrical or slightly flattened, hollow with irregular strips of pith remnants appressed to the culm wall, glabrous, the nodes glabrous or appressed-pubescent.  Leaves with sheaths slightly keeled toward the tip, glabrous to pubescent and ciliate, often with a few auricular cilia, collar glabrous; ligule 0.7-1.1 mm long, minutely ciliolate; longest blades 6-20 cm long, 4-15 mm wide, linear-lanceolate, acuminate, the base narrowed, slightly asymmetrical, glabrous to sparsely pubescent, usually puberulent behind the ligule, margin minutely scabrous, sometimes ciliate in the lower half.  Panicle 5-20 cm long, the branches usually appressed to ascending, usually sparsely pilose, sometimes merely scabrid, the lower branches naked up to 1/2 their lengths, the tips of the pedicels often with a few spicules, the pulvini pilose, rarely glabrous.  Spikelets 1.7-2.2 mm long, glabrous, rarely pubescent, green or purplish to reddish-brown at maturity; lower glume 1.1-1.6 mm long, 3-nerved; upper glume 1.6-1.7 mm long, 3-nerved; lower floret with lemma 5-nerved, palea absent or rudimentary; upper floret 1.4-1.8 mm long, 0.8-1.1 mm wide, smooth; anthers 0.8-0.9 mm long.  Caryopsis 1-1.2 mm long, 0.6-0.7 mm wide" (Dassanayake, 1994; pp. 140-142).

Description from GrassBase.

Habitat/ecology:  In Fiji, "a minor weed of coconut plantations" (Smith, 1979; pp. 351, 353).  In Samoa, "occasional in sunny, disturbed places" (Whistler, 1988; p. 49).  In Ceylon, "in forest shade at elevations of 100-1400 m" (Dassanayake, 1994; pp. 140-142).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Indo-Malesia. An early introduction into the Pacific (Whistler, 1988; p. 49). Fosberg et al. (1987; p. 35) list as native in Micronesia.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ofu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1990) Vouchers cited: Garber 975, Whistler 3815
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island		Whistler, W. A. (1990) Vouchers cited: Harris 166, Whistler 1393
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1990) (voucher ID: PTBG 10391) Taxon name on voucher: Cyrtococcum oxyphyllum
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		McCormack, Gerald (2011) ?
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 35)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Kandavu Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 351, 353) Voucher cited: DA 9067
Fiji Fiji Islands	Koro Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 351, 353)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Mango Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 351, 353)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Matuku Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 351, 353)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Mbatiki Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 351, 353)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Moala Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 351, 353)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Moturiki Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 351, 353)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Naitamba Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 351, 353)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Ngau Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 351, 353) Vouchers cited: Macgillivray s. n., Smith 7922
Fiji Fiji Islands	Ovalau Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 351, 353) Voucher cited: Seemann 693
Fiji Fiji Islands	Totoya Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 351, 353)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 351, 353) Vouchers cited: Seemann 693, Greenwood 165A, DA 8795, Degener & Ordonez 14037, DA 16880
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Mbalavu Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 351, 353)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 351, 353) Vouchers cited: Smith 4283, Degener 15231, DA 13981, DA 8416, DA 1611, Smith 7147, DA 16528, Meebold 17098
Fiji Fiji Islands	Yasawas Island	introduced invasive abo. intro.	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 351, 353) Voucher cited: St. John 18127
French Polynesia Society Islands	Bora Bora Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 333) Voucher cited: Grant 4918
French Polynesia Society Islands	Huahine Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: J. Florence & R. Tahuaitu 11679 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 333) Voucher cited: Florence 4947
French Polynesia Society Islands	Moorea Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: J. Florence 4947 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 333) Vouchers cited: Moore 143, Florence 3799
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Vouchers cited: J. Florence 3705 (PAP), J. Florence 3799 (PAP), P. Morat 7008 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: J. Florence 5308 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: J. Florence 5308 (PAP) Adventice
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	native	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 7)
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced abo. intro.	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (pp. 238-239) Voucher cited: CHR 168745
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced abo. intro.	Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 49) Uncommon
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 35)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 35)
Papua New Guinea Bismarck Archipelago	New Britain Island		Burcham, L. T. (1948) (p. 418) Voucher cited: Burcham 139 (US)
Papua New Guinea Bougainville Islands	Bougainville Island		Foreman, D. B. (1971) (p. 25)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 65)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Western Samoa Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 49)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 91)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	native	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 63)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Tofua Island	introduced abo. intro.	Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 98) Vouchers cited: Hotta 4336, Scarth-Johnson 107
Tonga Tonga Islands	Tonga Islands		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 60) "Occasional throughout Tonga"
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island	introduced abo. intro.	Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 98) Vouchers cited: Soakai 339, Syskes 266, Palmer 146, Whistler 5984, Whistler 6459, Whistler 7186, Whistler 7231, Martin 19
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island	introduced abo. intro.	Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 98) Vouchers cited: Moseley (n.s.), Yuncker 15234, Whistler 6457
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 60) Voucher cited: Yuncker 15234
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Late Island	introduced	Sykes, W. R. (1981) (p. 352)
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Late Island	introduced abo. intro.	Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 98) Vouchers cited: Hotta 4824! (cf. 4826), Buelow & Sykes 101
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Niuafo‘ou Island	introduced abo. intro.	Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 98) Voucher cited: Whistler 6413
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Tafahi Island	introduced abo. intro.	Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 98) Vouchers cited: Hurlimann 436, Whistler 6268
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island	introduced abo. intro.	Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 98) Vouchers cited: Barclay s.n., Crosby 197, Yuncker 16047, Yuncker 16152, Soakai 1057
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Yuncker, T. G. (1959) (p. 60) Vouchers cited: Yuncker 16047, Yuncker 16152
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Vanuatu (Republic of)		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 91)
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis (‘Uvea) Island	native	Morat, Ph./Veillon, J.-M. (1985) Morat & Veillon, 1985, cited in Meyer, 2007
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis and Futuna Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 49)

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)	Queensland	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)

Comments:  Not common in Niue and Tonga (Whistler, 1988; p. 49).

See also Cyrtococcum patens.

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

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

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

References:

Burcham, L. T. 1948. Observations on the grass flora of certain Pacific islands. Contributions from the United States National Herbarium 30(2):405-447.

Dassanayake, M. D., gen. ed. 1994. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon. Vol VIII. Amerind Pub. Co., New Delhi. 458 pp.

Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. 2011. Base de données botaniques Nadeaud de l'Herbier de la Polynésie Française (PAP). (online resource).

Foreman, D. B. 1971. A check list of the vascular plants of Bougainville, with descriptions of some common forest trees. Botany Bulletin No. 5. Division of Botany, Department of Forests. Lae, New Guinea. 194 pp.

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

Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar. 1980. Grass weeds, vol. 1. CIBA-GEIGY Ltd., Basle, Switzerland. 142 pp. + plates.

Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. 1988. Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin No. 7. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Honiara. 203 pp.

McCormack, Gerald. 2011. Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga.

Meyer, Jean-Yves. 2007. Rapport de mission sur l'Ile d'Uvea (Wallis & Futuna) du 6 au 17 Novembre 2007: Inventaire preliminaire de la flore vasculaire secondaire [unpublished report]. Délégation à la Recherche, Ministère de l'Education, l'Enseignement Supérieur et la Recherche, B.P. 20981 Papeete, Tahiti, Polynésie française. 39 pp.

Morat, Ph./Veillon, J.-M. 1985. Contribution à la connaissance de la végétation et de la flore de Wallis & Futuna. Bull. Mus. Natn. Hist. Nat., Paris, 4e sér., 7, section B. Adansonia 3 : 259-329.

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

Smith, Albert C. 1979. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 1. 494 pp.

Swarbrick, John T. 1997. Weeds of the Pacific Islands. Technical paper no. 209. South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 124 pp.

Sykes, W. R. 1970. Contributions to the flora of Niue. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 200, Wellington. 321 pp.

Sykes, W. R. 1981. The vegetation of Late, Tonga. Allertonia 2(6):323-353.

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

Waterhouse, D. F. 1993. The major arthropod pests and weeds of agriculture in Southeast Asia. The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra. 141 pp.

Welsh, S. L. 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. E.P.S. Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 pp.

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

Whistler, W. A. 1990. The weeds of Manu‘a [unpublished checklist]. 18 pp.

Whistler, W. A. 1992. Flora of Tonga [unpublished checklist]. 107 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1959. Plants of Tonga. Bishop Museum Bull. 220. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 343 pp.

Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong. 2011. Flora of China (online resource).