Kyllinga polyphylla Willd. ex Kunth., Cyperaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  Risk assessment from the Government of Queensland, Australia (PDF format).

Other Latin names:  Cyperus aromaticus (Ridl.) Mattf. & Kuek.; Cyperus aromaticus (Ridl.) Mattf. & Kukenth.; Kyllinga aromatica Ridley

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: shui wu gong

English: Navua sedge

Samoan: tuise Fiti, tuise tele

Habit:  sedge

Description:  "A medium-sized, clump-forming, rhizomatous sedge; culms closely spaced, 20-50 cm tall, sharply 3-angled.  Leaves mostly basal, acute, ± flat, glabrous; lamina often reduced, to 15 cm long, 3-5 mm wide; sheath and basal scales purplish red.  Bracts 5-7, in a spreading whorl, 8-20 cm long, resembling leaves.  Inflorescence a sessile, subspherical head of spikelets 7-12 mm diameter, green becoming pale brown, often combined with 1-few secondary heads.  Spikelets densely crowded, falcate, compressed, ca 4 mm long, ca 1 mm wide.  Glumes several, the basal pair very short, the next pair as long as and enclosing spikelet, mucronate, keeled; keel toothed.  Nutlet ± lens-shaped, blackish"  (Du Puy, 1993; p. 383).

Habitat/ecology:  "A major weed of improved pastures, but also occurs in crops, gardens, plantations and roadsides.  It grows best in moist fertile soil that is seldom cultivated and in full sunshine"  (Swarbrick, 1997; pp. 16-17). May be a threat to native wetlands.  In Fiji, "a vigorous and noxious weed, occurring near sea level along roadsides, on hillsides and river banks, and in pastures, open swamps, and rice fields"  (Smith, 1979; pp. 260-261). In New Caledonia, "largement répandu; envahissant dans les pâturages" (MacKee, 1994; p. 48).

Propagation:  Seed, rhizomes (Whistler, 1983; p. 79).

Native range:  Tropical eastern Africa.

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 Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced	Josekutty, P. C./Wakuk, E. E./Joseph, M. J. (2002) (p. 63)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Taveuni Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 260-261) Voucher cited: DA 11533
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 260-261) Vouchers cited: DA 5020
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 260-261) Vouchers cited: DA 8633, DA 10099, Greenwood 984, DA 10544, DA 10902, DA 10808, DA 9611, DA 10930, DA 8031, DA 10448, DA 10093
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1957) (voucher ID: BISH 34160) Taxon name on voucher: Cyperus aromaticus (Ridley) Mattf. & Kukenth.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1956) (voucher ID: BISH 34161) Taxon name on voucher: Cyperus aromaticus (Ridley) Mattf. & Kukenth.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1956) (voucher ID: BISH 34167) Taxon name on voucher: Cyperus aromaticus (Ridley) Mattf. & Kukenth.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1957) (voucher ID: BISH 34168) Taxon name on voucher: Cyperus aromaticus (Ridley) Mattf. & Kukenth.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1959) (voucher ID: BISH 34169) Taxon name on voucher: Cyperus aromaticus (Ridley) Mattf. & Kukenth.
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1977) (voucher ID: BISH 415787) Taxon name on voucher: Cyperus aromaticus (Ridley) Mattf. & Kukenth.
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: J. Florence , D.H. Lorence , S.P. Perlman & W.L. Wagner 9434 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1988) (voucher ID: BISH 601627) Taxon name on voucher: Kyllinga polyphylla Willd. ex Kunth.
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1988) (voucher ID: BISH 1000648) Taxon name on voucher: Kyllinga polyphylla Willd. ex Kunth.
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1988) (voucher ID: PTBG 8925) Taxon name on voucher: Kyllinga polyphylla
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2004) (voucher ID: PTBG 42491) Taxon name on voucher: Cyperus aromaticus
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: J. Florence 4454 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1981) (voucher ID: PTBG 50333) Taxon name on voucher: Kyllinga polyphylla
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands	introduced invasive	Gargominy, Oliver/Bouchet, Philipe/Pascal, Michel/Jaffre, Tanguy/Tourneu, Jean-Christophe (1996) (p. 380) Largement répandue; envahissante dans les pâturages.
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 48) Vouchers cited: Buchholz 1415, MacKee 1069, MacKee 2061, MacKee 12830, MacKee 24372, MacKee 28359, MacKee 30714, Toutain 1198 (NOU)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 7)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 7) Voucher: Flynn 6924 (PTBG, US, SAMOA)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2002) (voucher ID: PTBG 316) Taxon name on voucher: Kyllinga polyphylla
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 93) As Kyllinga monophylla Willd. ex Kunth
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced invasive	Orapa, Warea (2005)
Tokelau Tokelau Islands	Tokelau Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 93) As Kyllinga monophylla Willd. ex Kunth
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Vanuatu (Republic of)		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 93) As Kyllinga monophylla Willd. ex Kunth

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
China China	China (People's Republic of)	introduced invasive	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2011) Naturalized in moist or brackish sandy areas; below 300 m. Hong Kong.
China China	Hong Kong	introduced cultivated	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 316) As Kyllinga aromatica (Ridl.) Mattf. & Kunth. In wasteland.
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 64)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 260-261)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 64)
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced invasive	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 53) Naturalised
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	introduced invasive	Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong (2011) Naturalized in moist or brackish sandy areas; below 300 m.

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Christmas Island Group	Christmas Island	introduced invasive	Swarbrick, J. T. (1997) (p. 117)
British Indian Ocean Territory Chagos Archipelago	Diego Garcia Island	introduced invasive	Whistler, W. Arthur (1996) (p. 24)
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Alphonse Island		Robertson, I. A. D./Robertson, S. A./Fosberg, F. R. (1983) (p. 180) Voucher cited: Robertson 2890 (K)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Coetivy Island		Robertson, S. A./Fosberg, F. R. (1983) (p. 148) Voucher cited: Robertson 3100 (K)

Comments:  Very prevalent in pastures and along roadsides and other disturbed places in Samoa.

Control: 

Physical: "Checked by cultivation in most soils and controlled by cultivation in dry soils.  Fairly unpalatable to stock, but maly be eaten if cut and fed mixed with other forage.  Not susceptible to burning.  Slashing will only give temporary control.  Competition from vigous well-adapted and well-managed grasses will suppress the weed." (Swarbrick, 1997)

Chemical: Susceptible to the translocated herbicide, glyphosate, at standard rate" (Swarbrick, 1997; p. 26).

Additional information:
Fact sheet from the Government of Queensland, Australia. (PDF format).

Additional online information about Kyllinga polyphylla is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

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

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

References:

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1956. Voucher specimen #BISH 34161 (Parham, J.W. 10099).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1956. Voucher specimen #BISH 34167 (Koroiveibau, D. 34167).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1957. Voucher specimen #BISH 34160 (Parham, J.W. 10895).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1957. Voucher specimen #BISH 34168 (Vorai, S. 10930).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1959. Voucher specimen #BISH 34169 (Koroiveibau, D. 10902).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1977. Voucher specimen #BISH 415787 (Krauss, N.L.H. 1470).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1988. Voucher specimen #BISH 601627 (J.Florence 9434).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1988. Voucher specimen #BISH 1000648 (W.L.Wagner 6108).

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.

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).

Gargominy, Oliver/Bouchet, Philipe/Pascal, Michel/Jaffre, Tanguy/Tourneu, Jean-Christophe. 1996. Conséquences des introductions d'espèces animales et végétales sur la biodiversité en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Rev. Ecol. (Terre Vie) 51:375-401.

Josekutty, P. C./Wakuk, E. E./Joseph, M. J. 2002. Invasive/weedy angiosperms in Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia. In: Invasive species and their management. Micronesica Suppl. 6:61-65.

Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. 2008. Flora of the Marquesas Islands. National Tropical Botanical Garden and the Smithsonian Institution. Online database.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.). 2002. Voucher specimen #PTBG316(Tim Flynn 6924).

Orapa, Warea. 2005. Warea Orapa, Weed Mangement Officer, Secretariat of the Pacific Community, pers. com. (Trip Report, Solomon Islands, 19 April to 10 May, 2005).

Orchard, Anthony E., ed. 1993. Flora of Australia. Vol. 50, Oceanic islands 2. Australian Government Publishing Service, Canberra.

Robertson, I. A. D./Robertson, S. A./Fosberg, F. R. 1983. List of plants collected on Alphonse Island, Amirantes. In: Sachet, M. H., D. R. Stoddart, and F. R. Fosberg. Floristics and ecology of Western Indian Ocean islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 273. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 253 pp.

Robertson, S. A./Fosberg, F. R. 1983. List of plants collected on Coetivy Island, Seychelles. In: Sachet, M. H., D. R. Stoddart, and F. R. Fosberg. Floristics and ecology of Western Indian Ocean islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 273. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 253 pp.

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

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of Samoa on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 83 pp.

Swarbrick, J. T. 1997. Environmental weeds and exotic plants on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean: a report to Parks Australia. 101 pp. plus appendix.

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

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.

Whistler, W. A. 1983. Weed Handbook of Western Polynesia. Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH, Eschborn. 151 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. Arthur. 1996. Botanical survey of Diego Garcia, Chagos Archipelago, British Indian Ocean Territory. Isle Botanica. 49 pp.

Wu, Te-lin. 2001. Check List of Hong Kong Plants. Hong Kong Herbarium and the South China Institute of Botany. Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department Bulletin 1 (revised). 384 pp.

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