Lagurus ovatus L., Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 7 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: hare's-tail, hare's-tail grass

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Softly hairy, erect, tufted annuals, 6-80 cm, with velvety greyish green leaves and erect to nodding, soft, silky, rounded panicles. Leaf-sheath densely pubescent, rounded, firmly membranous, distinctly ribbed; uppermost sheath ± inflated. Ligule 1.4-2.6 mm, membranous, truncate, abaxially densely pubescent. Leaf-blade (2)-4-17 cm x (2)-4-9 mm, flat, soft, densely pubescent, linear-lanceolate, tapered to acuminate tip. Culm slender, erect or ascending, simple or branched near base, internodes minutely pubescent. Panicle 1.5-7.5 x 1.6-4.5 cm, pale silvery green to cream, sometimes purplish, dense, ovoid to cylindric or globose, with numerous, soft, projecting bristles; rachis and very short branches hidden among spikelets, sparsely hairy. Spikelets 7-10 mm, 1-flowered, laterally compressed, subsessile; disarticulation above glumes; rachilla prolonged, hairy. Glumes equaling spikelet, 1-nerved, membranous, narrow-lanceolate, tapering to a fine bristle, covered throughout with long, fine silky hairs. Lemma ≈ glumes, 5-nerved, membranous, rounded, 4-5.6 mm, elliptic, hairy below, much narrowed above and narrowly diverging into 2 apical, fine, straight, minutely scabrid bristles 2-6 mm; awn dorsal, arising from upper 1/3 of lemma, 13-22 mm, somewhat geniculate near base, often purplish. Palea ≈ lemma and much narrower, 2-nerved. Lodicules 2, hyaline. Stamens 3; anthers 1.4-2.7 mm. Ovary glabrous, styles short. Caryopsis 1.6-2.6 x (0.3)-0.5-0.7 mm; embryo small; hilum short; endosperm liquid"  (Edgar & Connor, 2000; p. 284).

Description from GrassBase.

Habitat/ecology:  In New Zealand, "usually near the coast in sandy ground or in shingle, often locally abundant"  (Edgar & Connor, 2000; p. 284).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Mediterranean (Edgar & Connor, 2000; p. 284).  Macaronesia, northern Africa, Europe and western Asia (GRIN).

Presence:

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 invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Japan Japan	Japan (country)	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 192)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Edgar, E./Connor, H. (2000) (p. 284)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (Oregon)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2011)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2011)

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 invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2011)
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2011)

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

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

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

References:

Edgar, E./Connor, H. 2000. Flora of New Zealand, vol. V: Gramineae. Manaaki Whenua Press. .

Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro. 2004. Invasive alien species in Japan: the status quo and the new regulation for prevention of their adverse effects. Global Environmental Research 8(2)/2004: 171-191.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2011. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. 2011. The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.