Paspalum setaceum Michx., Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: bullgrass, hairy bead grass, thin paspalum

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Culms slender, erect, usually 30 to 50 cm tall; sheaths pilose; blades rather firm, erect or nearly so, linear, about 10 to 12 cm long, 2 to 6 mm wide, densely pilose on both surfaces and papillose-ciliate on the margin; racemes on slender peduncles, solitary or sometimes 2, arching, 5 to 7 cm long; spikelets elliptic-obovate, about 1.5 mm long, glabrous or minutely pubescent"  (Hitchcock, 1935; p. 584). "Grass with a solitary inflorescence branch on the rachis and bearing round, flattened spikelets" (Whistler, 1988; p. 55).

Description from GrassBase.

Habitat/ecology:  In American Samoa, "common in lawns in the Tafuna Housing Area of Tutuila)" (Whistler, 1988; p. 55). "Common in Micronesia" (Whistler, 1988; p. 55).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  US, Mexico (Hitchcock, 1935; p. 584).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2002) (voucher ID: PTBG 38850) Taxon name on voucher: Paspalum setaceum Michx.
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 55) Voucher cited: Whistler 4987
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 55) Var. ciliatifolium (Michx.) Vasey
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Rota Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1982) (p. 84) Var. ciliatifolium (Michx.) Vasey; vouchers cited: Fosberg & Moore 58241 (US, BISH, POM, NY, L), Raulerson 1493 (US, GUAM)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island	introduced	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 11) Var. ciliatifolium (Michx.) Vasey
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island	introduced invasive	Josekutty, P. C./Wakuk, E. E./Joseph, M. J. (2002) (p. 63)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 55) Var. ciliatifolium (Michx.) Vasey
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1982) (p. 84) Var. ciliatifolium (Michx.) Vasey; vouchers cited: Fosberg 59816 (US, BISH), Fosberg 59636 (US,BISH, L), Fosberg & Evans 46207 (US, BISH, MO, NY, A, CANB, UC), Fosberg 46223 (US, BISH, POM, MO, L, K, BRI), Fosberg 43497 (US, BISIH, POM, TI, P, BM)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank (2007) (p. 29) East Maui. Voucher cited: Oppenheimer & G. Hansen H90403 (BISH, PTBG)
Kiribati Tungaru (Gilbert) Islands	Tarawa Atoll	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Imada, Clyde T. (2004) (p. 74) var. ciliatifolium (Michx.) Vasey. Voucher: Imada 2003-24 (BISH 697639)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Bikini (Pikinni) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R. (1988) (p. 11)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Jaluit (Jãlwõj) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. Raymond (1990) (p. 34)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kili (Kõle) Atoll	introduced invasive	Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian (2006) (p. 4) "Common to abundant; major component of grassy fields, in ruderal areas, around houses".
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 55)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced invasive	Whistler, W. A./Steele, O. (1999) (pp. 87-88) Vouchers cited: Fosberg 36641, Fosberg 39488, Fosberg 48025, Fosberg 48045, Herbst 8889, Herbst 8953, Herbst 9006, Herbst 9021, Whistler 11182
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1982) (p. 84) Var. ciliatifolium (Michx.) Vasey; vouchers cited: Fosberg 36641 (US, BISH, POM), Fosberg 39488 (US, BISH), Fosberg 48025 (US, BISH, POM, NY, L), Fosberg 48045 (US, BISH, CANB, MO, POM)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R. (1959) (p. 2) Voucher cited: Fosberg 36641 (US)
Marshall Islands Ralik Chain	Kwajalein (Kuwajleen) Atoll		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1998) (voucher ID: PTBG 43967) Taxon name on voucher: Paspalum setaceum Michx.
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Arno Atoll	introduced invasive	Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian (2007) (p. 3) "Abundant; lawns and ruderal areas".
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 55)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced invasive	Vander Velde, Nancy (2003) (p. 52)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Majuro (Mãjro) Atoll	introduced invasive	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, M.-H. (1982) (p. 84) Var. ciliatifolium (Michx.) Vasey; voucher cited: Fosberg 58815 (US)
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Maloelap Atoll		Imada, Clyde (2006) var. ciliatiflolium (Michx.) Vasey
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Mili (Mile) Atoll	introduced invasive	Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian (2010) (p. A7) Abundant, runway and most grassy areas on Mili, Tokewa.
Marshall Islands Ratak Chain	Wotje (Wõjjã) Atoll	introduced	Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian (2009) (p. 1) Voucher cited: Vander Velde 0513200919
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Midway Atoll	Midway Atoll	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Martz, Kim (2000) (pp. 11-12) Voucher cited: Starr & Martz 990622-1 (BISH)
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Midway Atoll	Sand Island	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd (2008) (pp. B-11)
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Palmyra Atoll	Palmyra Atoll		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1995) (voucher ID: PTBG 38253) Taxon name on voucher: Paspalum setaceum Michx.

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Costa Rica Costa Rica	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
El Salvador El Salvador	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Honduras Honduras	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Nicaragua Nicaragua	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)
Panama Panama	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2011)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
British Indian Ocean Territory Chagos Archipelago	Diego Garcia Island	introduced invasive	Whistler, W. Arthur (1996) (p. 25)

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

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

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

References:

Fosberg, F. R. 1959. Additional records of phanerogams from the northern Marshall Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 68. Pacific Science Board, National Academy of Sciences, Washington. 9 pp.

Fosberg, F. R. 1988. Vegetation of Bikini Atoll. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. Atoll Research Bulletin 315:1-28.

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.

Fosberg, F. Raymond. 1990. A review of the natural history of the Marshall Islands. Atoll Research Bulletin No. 330. Smithsonian Institution, Washington. 100 pp.

Imada, Clyde. 2006. Flora of the Marshall Islands: Maloelap Atoll. Species determinations by Clyde Imada, Bishop Museum Herbarium, Hawai‘i. Unpublished checklist, 2 pp.

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.

National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.). 1995. Voucher specimen #PTBG38253(Art Whistler 9905).

National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.). 1998. Voucher specimen #PTBG43967(Art Whistler 11182).

National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.). 2002. Voucher specimen #PTBG38850(David H. Lorence 8871).

Oppenheimer, Hank. 2007. New plant records from Moloka‘i, Lāna‘i, Maui, and Hawai‘i for 2006. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucias G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2006. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 96:17-34.

Raulerson, L. 2006. Checklist of Plants of the Mariana Islands. University of Guam Herbarium Contribution 37:1-69. .

Space, James C./Imada, Clyde T. 2004. Report to the Republic of Kiribati on invasive plant species on the islands of Tarawa, Abemama, Butaritari and Maiana. Cont. no. 2003-006 to the Pac. Biol. Surv. USDA Forest Service and Bishop Museum, Honolulu. 103 pp.

Starr, Forest/Martz, Kim. 2000. New plant records from Midway Atoll for 1999. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 1999. Part 2: Notes. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 64:10-12.

Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd. 2008. Botanical survey of Midway Atoll. Prepared for: United States Fish and Wildlife Service. 27 pp. plus appendices.

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

Vander Velde, Nancy. 0. Nancy Vander Velde, pers. com.

Vander Velde, Nancy. 2003. The vascular plants of Majuro Atoll, Republic of the Marshall Islands. Smithsonian Institution, Atoll Research Bulletin No. 503:1-141.

Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian. 2006. Plants of Kili Island, Marshall Islands. Unpublished checklist. 12 pp.

Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian. 2007. Arno plants [preliminary working listing of plant species]. Unpublished checklist, 13 pp.

Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian. 2009. Specimens from Likiep, Majuro, Wotje and Arno (unpublished checklist). 4 pp.

Vander Velde, Nancy/Vander Velde, Brian. 2010. Survey of Invasive Plant Species and Other Plants of Mili Atoll, Marshall Islands. USDA Forest Resource Management Grant Program. Unpublished report. 6 pp, plus tabulation of plants of Mili Atoll, 23 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. A./Steele, O. 1999. Botanical survey of the United States of America Kwajalein Atoll (USAKA) Islands. Prepared for Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education and the U. S. Army Environmental Center. 111 pp.

Whistler, W. Arthur. 1996. Botanical survey of Diego Garcia, Chagos Archipelago, British Indian Ocean Territory. Isle Botanica. 49 pp.