Ischaemum timorense Kunth., Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: di wen ya zui cao

English: centipede grass, lacuntu grass, lucuntu grass, stalkleaf murainagrass, waidoi grass

Fijian: Waindoi grass

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Culms sometimes rooting at the lower nodes and substoloniferous, giving rise to axillary and terminal flowering shoots 15-60 cm tall; leaf-sheaths tight, hairy round the node, fringed towards the throat, 3-6 cm long; blades commonly to 12 cm long by 8 mm wide, exceptionally larger, stiff, petioled, gradually narrowed to the base, surface glabrous or with scattered soft hairs and prominent long stiff bulbous-based hairs toward the throat, margins crisped; ligule a membrane confluent with the auricles 2 mm deep.  Inflorescence well exserted, of 2 (rarely 3) closely opposed racemes to 10 cm long, of pairs of spikelets, one sessile, one pedicelled, alternately on one side of the triangular rachis, hairy along the angles, rachis-internode 3 mm long, pedicels a little longer, similarly hairy, more or less divergent.  Sessile spikelet:  4-5 mm long, callus rather narrow, hairy; lower glume 8-nerved, indurated below, foliar above and infolded about the outermost nerves which are prolonged to form 2 points, on the back of these 2 narrow fringed wings for the upper one-quarter, the whole narrowing upwards, 4.8 mm long; upper glume narrowly boat-shaped, narrowed to a long slender point with a distinct scaberulous point from the midnerve, 6 mm long plus point 2.2 mm; lower lemma 3-nerved, hyaline, 3-nerved below the notch, the 3 nerves confluent into a kneed and twisted awn, lemma 2.0 mm to the notch plus 1.6 mm to the tips plus awn 1.65 cm long; palea 3.6 mm, hyaline, 2-nerved, stigmata 2, purple.  Pedicelled spikelet with the lower glume slightly winged on the keel, apex not bilobed, awn of the upper lemma shorter and weaker"  (Gilliland, 1971; pp. 264-265).

Description from GrassBase.

Habitat/ecology:  "Roadsides, forest margins, heavy and light soils, rain-fed and upland rice fields.  Prefers sites that are neither too wet nor too dry.  Lowlands to 2000 m altitude.  Weed of cropping and plantations."  (Waterhouse & Mitchell, 1998; pp. 75-76).

In Malaya, common in open grassy places (Gilliland, 1971; pp. 264-265).  In Fiji, "reported to have been accidentally introduced into Fiji about 1914.  [C]ommon in the vicinity of Waindoi, where it occurs up to an elevation of about 90 m on flat land and open hillsides" (Smith, 1979; p. 373).

Propagation:  "Seed reported to be wind-dispersed.  Vegetative propagation from stem fragments broken during cultivation"  (Waterhouse & Mitchell, 1998; pp. 75-76).

Native range:  Ceylon, India, Burma, Thailand, Sumatra, Java, Borneo to Micronesia and Polynesia.

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 83860) Taxon name on voucher: Ischaemum timorense Kunth.
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 47)
Federated States of Micronesia Chuuk Islands	Weno (Moen) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1982) (pp. 69-70) Voucher cited: Fosberg 60260 (US)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 47)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	possibly introduced invasive	Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. (2010) (p. 58) Vouchers cited: F.R. Fosberg 26273 (BISH), F.R. Fosberg 58457 (BISH), F.R. Fosberg 58561 (BISH), F.R. Fosberg 60529 (BISH), L. Raulerson 25203 (BISH) Naturalized
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1982) (pp. 69-70) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 58561 (US, BISH), Fosberg 60529 (US, BISH), Fosberg 58457 (US, BISH)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1946) (voucher ID: BISH 595022) Taxon name on voucher: Ischaemum timorense Kunth.
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1980) (voucher ID: BISH 595041) Taxon name on voucher: Ischaemum timorense Kunth.
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1978) (voucher ID: BISH 595042) Taxon name on voucher: Ischaemum timorense Kunth.
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1978) (voucher ID: BISH 595043) Taxon name on voucher: Ischaemum timorense Kunth.
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1993) (voucher ID: BISH 660166) Taxon name on voucher: Ischaemum timorense Kunth.
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1987) (voucher ID: BISH 1001458) Taxon name on voucher: Ischaemum timorense Kunth.
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Woleai Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 47)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Woleai Atoll	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1982) (pp. 69-70) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 47039 (US, BISH, POM), Fosberg 47036 (US)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 47)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1982) (pp. 69-70) Vouchers cited: Hosaka 3286 (US, BISH, POM), Cushing & Cushing 340b (US)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (p. 372) Vouchers cited: DA 8361, DA 8370, DA 11425, DA 8454, DA 3957
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1958) (voucher ID: BISH 31708) Taxon name on voucher: Ischaemum timorense Kunth.
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Herbst, Derral R./Wagner, Warren L. (1996) (pp. 11-12) East Maui. Voucher cited: Hosaka 2596 (US)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 47)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1982) (pp. 69-70) Voucher cited: Stone 4617 (GUAM)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Peleliu Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 47)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Peleliu Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1982) (pp. 69-70) Voucher cited: Burcham 151 (US)
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)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1973) (voucher ID: BISH 417638) Taxon name on voucher: Ischaemum timorense Kunth.

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
China China	China (People's Republic of)		Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar (1980) (p. 67)
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)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	uncertain if introduced invasive	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 51) Weed of uncertain origin
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom 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)

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

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

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

References:

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1946. Voucher specimen #BISH 595022 (Fosberg, F.R. 26273).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1958. Voucher specimen #BISH 31708 (J.W.Parham 11425).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1972. Voucher specimen #BISH 83860 (Whistler, W.A. W 310).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1973. Voucher specimen #BISH 417638 (Whistler, W.A. W 732).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1978. Voucher specimen #BISH 595042 (Fosberg, F.R. 58457).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1978. Voucher specimen #BISH 595043 (Fosberg, F.R. 58561).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1980. Voucher specimen #BISH 595041 (Fosberg, F.R. 60529).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1987. Voucher specimen #BISH 1001458 (Fosberg, F.R. 58457).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1993. Voucher specimen #BISH 660166 (Raulerson, L. 25203).

Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. 2009. A checklist of the total vascular plant flora of Singapore: native, naturalised and cultivated species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. 273 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.

Gilliland, H. B. 1971. A revised flora of Malaya. Volume III, Grasses of Malaya. Government Printing Office, Singapore.

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

Herbst, Derral R./Wagner, Warren L. 1996. Contributions to the Flora of Hawai‘i. V. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Miller, Scott, E., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 1995. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 46:8-12.

Herrera, Katherine/Lorence, David H./Flynn, Timothy/Balick, Michael J. 2010. Checklist of the vascular plants of Pohnpei with local names and uses. Allertonia, in press. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Hawai‘i. 146 pp.

Parham, J. W. 1958. The weeds of Fiji. Department of Agriculture, Fiji. Bulletin No. 35. 196 pp.

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

U. S. Government. 2011. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (on-line resource).

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).

Waterhouse, B. M./Mitchell, A. A. 1998. Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy: weeds target list. Second edition. Australian Quarantine & Inspection Service, Miscellaneous Publication No. 6/98. 110 pp.

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