Panicum virgatum L., Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 11 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: Blackwell switch grass, old switch panic grass, switchgrass

French: millet effilé, millet vivace, panic érigé, panic vierge

Spanish: cortadero

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Rhizomatous perennials 60-200 cm tall, rhizomes well-developed, scaly.  Ligule a ciliate membrane, 1.8-3.2 mm long; blades 10-60 cm long, 0.3-1.5 cm wide, usually glabrous.  Panicles 15-55 cm long; spikelets 4-5.5 mm long, ovoid, acuminate, glabrous; first glume 2-4 mm long, 2/3 - 3/4 as long as spikelet, 5-nerved, acuminate, second glume 5-7-nerved, longer than first lemma; first floret staminate, first lemma 5-7-nerved, first palea as long as first lemma; second floret 2.8-3.4 mm long, obtuse, glossy, smooth; anthers 2-3 mm long"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1574).

Description from GrassBase.

Habitat/ecology:  (no habitat/ecology info known by PIER)

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  "Native to the North America"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1574). North America, Mesoamerica, Cuba (GRIN).

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	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1574) Voucher cited: Collector unknown s.n. (BISH) Single naturalized collection, present status unknown.

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)		Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar (1980) (p. 90)
Costa Rica Costa Rica	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
El Salvador El Salvador	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Guatemala Guatemala	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Honduras Honduras	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Nicaragua Nicaragua	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Panama Panama	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)

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

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

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

References:

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

U. S. Government. 2009. Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS) (on-line resource).

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2009. 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).