Ischaemum indicum (Houtt.) Merr., Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Ischaemum ciliare Retz.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Batiki bluegrass, Indian murainagrass, smut grass

Fijian: mbalanga grass, Mbatiki blue grass, small Mbatiki

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Perennial, the culms arising from long stolons, 15-90 cm high, the nodes bearded; leaf blades 15-30 cm long, 5-7.5 mm broad, often red-purple-tinged; racemes paired, 3.5-6.5 cm long, with jointed, hairy rachis; spikelets about 4.5 mm long, with an awn 8-12 mm long" (Smith, 1979; pp. 373-374).

"Tuft-forming plant with stolons and erect flowering stems.  Leaves pubescent, sheaths often densely pilose, blades to c. 15 cm long.  Racemes single or paired, purplish, 1.5-3 cm long in the few observed.  Rachis strongly flattened, jointed, long ciliate.  Spikelets c. 5 mm long excluding the floret awn which is 2 x the spikelet or more.  Lemmas membranous"  (Sykes, 1970; pp. 243-244).

"Perennial, caespitose; culms 6-75 cm tall, erect, geniculate or decumbent and rooting at the lower nodes, sometimes creeping extensively to form colonies, the internodes glabrous, the nodes usually pilose on the sheath base, sometimes nearly glabrous.  Sheaths glabrous to papillose-villous, the margin glabrous to ciliate, the collar glabrous to villous; ligule 0.6-1.3 mm long, brown, usually glabrous, sometimes the tip ciliolate and/or the back appressed-puberulent, obtuse or rounded to truncate; blades 3-11 cm long, 2-6 mm wide, linear to linear-lanceolate, usually at least sparsely pubescent, sometimes villous, pseudopetioles not developed, the base gradually narrowed to abruptly rounded, the tip acuminate, the margins scaberulous.  Racemes 2, 1-5 cm long, appressed to spreading; peduncle glabrous, usually long-exserted; rhachis internodes 1.8-2.6 mm long, triangular in cross-section, the upper 4/5 slightly winged on the lateral keels, forming a groove and with the similarly shaped pedicel enclosing the sides of the sessile spikelet, dorsal keel ciliate, the hairs to c. 1.5 mm long, the lateral keels ciliolate, glabrous below the wings.  Sessile spikelets 3.5-4.9 mm long; callus 0.5-1.5 mm long, truncate, short-pilose with hairs 0.5-1.6 mm long; lower glume 2.7-4.2 mm long, 9-15-nerved, the lower 1/3 indurate, yellowish, the upper 2/3 herbaceous with 1-4-deep wrinkles or rarely flat, usually glabrous, sometimes with a few long hairs, the margin broadly incurved in the lower 1/2, narrowly inflexed in the upper 1/2, 2-keeled in the upper 1/2, the keels equally and broadly winged, the membranous wings 0.3-0.9 mm wide, usually ciliolate, sometimes serrulate, the tip emarginate, sometimes 2-toothed; upper glume 3.5-4.9 mm long excluding the awn, 5-nerved, distinctly 2-humped on the back, keeled towards the tip, the keel winged, the wings 0.2-0.6 mm wide, the tip usually with an awn 0.3-2 mm long, the margin sometimes ciliate in the upper 1/2; lower floret staminate, membranous-hyaline, the lemma 2.9-3.5 mm long, 3-nerved, acute, usually ciliolate in the upper 1/3-1/2, the palea 2.9-3.5 mm long, 2-keeled, ciliolate in the upper 1/3, the anthers 1.6-2.2 mm long, yellow;  upper floret perfect, hyaline, the lemma 2.6-3.2 mm long, the lobes 1.0-1.5 mm long, sometimes ciliolate on the inner margin, the awn 7-13 mm long, the column 3-5 mm long, the bristle 4-9 mm long, the base of the awn fitting into the upper hump of the upper glume, the palea 2.9-3.5 mm long, 2-keeled, the anthers 1.8-2.5 mm long, yellow, the stigmas purple, the caryopsis 1.2-1.3 mm long, 0.6-0.7 mm wide, fitting into the lower hump of the upper glume.  Pedicellate spikelets 3.0-5.1 mm long; pedicel 1.8-2.8 mm long, similar to the rhachis internodes; callus 0.3-0.6 mm long, truncate, glabrous or pilose with hairs to 1.2 mm long; lower glume 2.7-4.5 mm long including an awn 0-0.7 mm long, 11-15-nerved, boat-shaped, the lower 1/4-1/3 indurate, yellowish, smooth, the upper 2/3-3/4 herbaceous, conspicuously or inconspicuously wrinkled, rounded in the lower 1/2, keeled in the upper 1/2, the keel winged, the membranous wing 0.2-0.7 mm wide, minutely ciliolate to strongly ciliate; upper glume 3-5.1 mm long including an awn 0-2 mm long, 3-5-nerved, boat-shaped or 2-hmped, the lower 1/2 indurate and rounded, the upper 1/2 herbaceous, often with 1 or 2 wrinkles, keeled, the keel narrowly winged, the wing 0.1-0.4 mm wide, minutely ciliolate to strongly ciliate, the upper 1/3-1/2 of the margin sometimes ciliate; lower floret staminate, hyaline, similar to that of the sessile spikelet, 2.7-4 mm long, the anthers 1.5-1.7 mm long, yellow; upper floret perfect, hyaline, similar to that of the sessile spikelet, 2.7-3.5 mm long, the anthers 1.8-1.9 mm long, yellow, the stigmas purple, the caryopsis 1.3-1.6 mm long, 0.6-0.7 mm wide  (Dassanayake, 1994; pp. 279-281).

Description from World Grass Species.

Habitat/ecology:  In Fiji, "occurs near sea level in pastures and cultivated areas, along roadsides, and on hillsides. It is a useful pasture and lawn grass, but is sometimes a weed of cultivation."  (Smith, 1979; pp. 373-374).  In Samoa and Niue, mostly a cultivated pasture grass (Whistler, 1988; p. 53). Adventive in Hawai‘i (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1556).  In open, grassy glades in lowland forests, roadsides, ditch banks, pond margins, lawns; to 500 m elevation but mostly below 200 m  (Dassanayake, 1994; pp. 279-281).

Propagation:  Seed, locally by rooting from nodes.

Native range:  India, southeastern Asia and parts of Malesia (Smith, 1979; pp. 373-374). Fosberg et al. (1987; p. 46) 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
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Losap Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 46)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Losap Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1982) (p. 61) Voucher cited: Evans 1334 (US)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Lukunor (Núkúnooch) Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 46)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Lukunor (Núkúnooch) Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1982) (p. 61) Vouchers cited: Anderson 2096 (US, BISH, POM), Anderson 2148 (US, BISH, POM)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Murilo (Mwiriné) Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 46)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Murilo (Mwiriné) Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1982) (p. 61) Voucher cited: Evans 1177 (US, BISH, POM, NY)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Satawan Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 46)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Satawan Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1982) (p. 61) Voucher cited: Anderson 969 (US, BISH, POM)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 46)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1982) (p. 61) Voucher cited: Hosaka 2711 (US)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 46)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 46)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1982) (p. 61) Voucher cited: Wong 523 (US)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 373-374) Vouchers cited: DA 8816, DA 8824
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 373-374) Vouchers cited: DA 8310, DA 11451, DA 17207, DA 8439, DA 7869, DA 7639, DA 8029, DA 3956, DA 436, DA 2623, DA 7763, DA 3282, Greenwood 1138, DA 8606, DA 9146
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1556) Voucher cited: Shinbara s. n. (BISH) Adventive.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Herbst, Derral R./Clayton, W. D. (1998) (p. 29) Voucher cited: Hobdy 3726 (BISH) Naturalized
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Sykes, W. R. (1970) (pp. 243-244) Voucher cited: CHR 168771
Niue Niue	Niue Island	introduced cultivated	Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 53)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 66, 77)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Western Samoa Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 53)
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis and Futuna Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 53)

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)		Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar (1980) (p. 64)
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 66, 77)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (pp. 66, 77)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)

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

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

References:

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

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. 1982. Micronesian Poaceae: Critical and distributional notes. Micronesica 18(2):45-102.

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.

Herbst, Derral R./Clayton, W. D. 1998. Notes on the grasses of Hawai‘i: new records, corrections, and name changes. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Miller, Scott, E., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 1997. Part 1: Articles. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 55:17-38.

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

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

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2007. 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).

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