Gastridium phleoides (Nees & Meyen) C. E. Hubb., Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  yes

Other Latin names:  Lachnagrostis phleoides Nees & Meyen

Common name(s): [more details]

English: eastern nit grass, nit grass

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Annual; culms solitary, or caespitose. Culms erect, or decumbent; 10-60 cm long. Ligule an eciliate membrane; 2-7 mm long. Leaf-blades 2.5-15 cm long; 1-4 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; rough on both sides. Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle spiciform; lanceolate to oblong; 5-18 cm long; 0.5-1.5 cm wide. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels linear; scaberulous; tip pyriform. Spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; with a barren rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; laterally compressed; 5-7.5 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus obtuse. Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma; shiny. Lower glume lanceolate; saccate; 1.1-1.5 length of upper glume; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 1-keeled; keeled above; 1 -veined. Lower glume primary vein scaberulous. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acuminate. Upper glume lanceolate; saccate; 4-5 mm long; 3 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; much thinner above; 1-keeled; keeled above; 1 -veined. Upper glume primary vein scaberulous. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex attenuate. Florets: Fertile lemma oblong; 1.3-1.5 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface pubescent; hairy all along. Lemma apex erose; truncate; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn dorsal; arising 0.8 way up back of lemma; geniculate; 5-7 mm long overall; not or scarcely exserted from spikelet; with twisted column. Palea 1 length of lemma; cartilaginous; 2 -veined. Rhachilla extension 0.5 length of fertile floret; pilose. Flower: Anthers 3; 1 mm long. Caryopsis with adherent pericarp. Hilum punctiform"  (GrassBase).

Habitat/ecology:  In New South Wales, Australia, "a weed of disturbed areas"  (NSW PlantNET).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Canary and Madeira Islands, northern Africa, Europe, western Asia; naturalized elsewhere (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. 554)

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 (2013) "A weed of disturbed areas". Naturalised
Australia Australia (continental)	Australia (continental)	introduced invasive	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013) South Australia, Victoria, Western Australia Naturalised
British Columbia (province of Canada) Province of British Columbia	Canada (British Columbia)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Perú (Republic of)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (Oregon)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. 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 Gastridium phleoides, please let us know.