Nassella cernua (Stebb. & Á. Lõve) Barkworth, Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  yes

Other Latin names:  Stipa cernua Stebbins & A. Lõve

Common name(s): [more details]

English: foothill needlegrass, needlegrass, nodding tussockgrass

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Perennials; culms erect, forming large, dense clumps, usually 6-9 dm tall.  Sheath glabrous, margins overlapping, membranous; ligule membranous, ca. 2 mm long, margins entire to erose, apex unevenly rounded.  Blades glaucous, cauline, 1.2-2.4 mm wide, flat to involute, upper surface evenly pilose, lower surface sparsely pilose or glabrous.  Panicles 30-50 cm long or longer, branches numerous, flexuous, ascending or spreading, partially or fully exserted from the subtending sheath; glumes membranous, linear to lanceolate, glabrous, apex acuminate, first glume 12-19 mm long, 3-nerved, second glume ca. 11 mm long, 3-nerved; lemma chartaceous, 5-10 mm long, papillose, pilose in lower part and on the nerves, awn 60-110 mm long, twice geniculate, the terminal segment flexuous, scabrous or basally short-pubescent; palea membranous, ovate, 1-1.5 mm long, glabrous, nerveless, apex rounded.  Caryopsis pale brown, cylindrical, trigonous, ca. 4 mm long"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1599).

Description from World Grass Species.

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "naturalized in subalpine woodland and shrubland, 1,830-2,140 m" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1599).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  California (US) (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1599).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1599)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2007)

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

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

References:

Haselwood, E. L./Motter, G. G. 1983. Handbook of Hawaiian Weeds. Second edition, revised and expanded by Robert T. Hirano. University of Hawaii Press. 491 pp.

U. S. Government. 2006. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (on-line resource).

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).