Eleusine coracana: info from PIER (PIER species info)

Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk (PIER)

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Eleusine coracana
(L.) Gaertn., Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands? yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations? no

Risk assessment results: Evaluate, score: 2 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names: Cynosurus coracanus L; Eleusine africana Kenn.-O'Byrne; Eleusine indica subsp. africana (Kenn.-O'Byrne) S. M. Phillips

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: can

English: African finger millet, African millet, caracan millet, finger millet, koracan, ragi, ragi millet, wild finger millet

French: coracan, eleusine, mil rouge, raggee

Hindi: mandua

Spanish: coracán, dagussa, mijo africano

Habit: grass

Description: "Annual; caespitose. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms erect; 60-200 cm long; 5-20 mm in diameter. Culm-internodes elliptical in section. Leaves mostly basal. Leaf-sheaths keeled; outer margin hairy. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades conduplicate; 30-60 cm long; 6-12 mm wide. Inflorescence composed of racemes. Peduncle glabrous, or pilose above (at raceme base). Racemes 4-7; digitate; erect; linear, or oblong; incurved; unilateral; 3-8 cm long; 9-15 mm wide. Rhachis wingless; flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; crowded; regular; 2 -rowed. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile. Spikelets comprising 3-9 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; 5-10 mm long; persistent on plant. Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume lanceolate; 2-5 mm long; 0.6-0.7 length of upper glume; membranous; 1-keeled; winged on keel; 1-3 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 3.5 mm long; 0.8-0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; 1-keeled; winged on keel; 5-7 -veined. Upper glume apex acute. Fertile lemma lanceolate in profile; 4 mm long; membranous; 3 -veined (excluding subsidiaries). Lemma midvein with contiguous subsidiary veins (3-veined). Lemma apex acute. Palea 0.9-1 length of lemma; 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped. Lodicules 2; cuneate; fleshy. Caryopsis with free soft pericarp; orbicular; isodiametric; biconvex; exposed between gaping lemma and palea at maturity; 1.5-2.5 mm long; dark brown; rugose" (GrassBase).

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

Propagation: Seed

Native range: Africa, Oman and Yemen; cultivated elsewhere (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific

Country/Terr./St. &
Island group Location Cited status &
Cited as invasive &
Cited as cultivated &
Cited as aboriginal introduction? Reference &
Comments

Fiji
Fiji Islands Viti Levu Island introduced
cultivated
Smith, Albert C. (1979) (p. 305)
Vouchers cited: DA 2737, DA 2801, DA 3949, DA 8473

Guam
Guam Island Guam Island introduced
Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 192)
Rare if persisting at all.

Guam
Guam Island Guam Island introduced
Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 41)

Philippines
Philippine Islands Philippine Islands introduced
cultivated
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

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) introduced
cultivated
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Western Australia

Cambodia
Cambodia Cambodia (Kingdom of) introduced
cultivated
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

China
China China (People's Republic of) introduced
cultivated
Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)
Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Henan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Ningxia, Shandong, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang
"Cultivated cereal crop".

China
China Hong Kong native
cultivated
Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 334)

Indonesia
Indonesia Indonesia (Republic of) introduced
cultivated
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Japan
Japan Japan introduced
cultivated
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Malaysia
Malaysia Malaysia (country of) introduced
cultivated
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Singapore
Singapore Singapore (Republic of) introduced
cultivated
Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 38)
Cultivated only

Taiwan
Taiwan Island Taiwan Island introduced
cultivated
Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013)
"Cultivated cereal crop".

Thailand
Thailand Thailand (Kingdom of) Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 65)

Vietnam
Vietnam Vietnam (Socialist Republic of) introduced
cultivated
U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

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) introduced
U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Control: If you know of control methods for Eleusine coracana, please let us know.

Need more info? Have questions? Comments? Information to contribute? Contact PIER! (pier@hear.org)

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This page was created on 13 DEC 2008 and was last updated on 21 APR 2013.

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (p. 305) Vouchers cited: DA 2737, DA 2801, DA 3949, DA 8473
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 192) Rare if persisting at all.
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 41)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	introduced cultivated	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

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)	introduced cultivated	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013) Western Australia
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	introduced cultivated	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan, Henan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Ningxia, Shandong, Sichuan, Yunnan, Zhejiang "Cultivated cereal crop".
China China	Hong Kong	native cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 334)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced cultivated	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	introduced cultivated	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 38) Cultivated only
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	introduced cultivated	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2013) "Cultivated cereal crop".
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 65)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	introduced cultivated	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

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)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)