Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R.Br., Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results: 

High risk, score: 12 (Go to the risk assessment).
var. 'purple majesty' Low risk (based on second screen), score: 3 (Go to the risk assessment).

Other Latin names:  Cenchrus americanus (L.) Morrone; Panicum glaucum L.; Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke; Pennisetum spicatum (L.) Körn.; Pennisetum typhoides (Burm. f.) Stapf & C. E. Hubb.; Pennisetum typhoideum Rich.; Setaria glauca (L.) P. Beauv.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: yu gu

English: bulrush millet, burr bristle grass, cat's tail grass, cattail millet, mongoose tail grass, pale pigeongrass, pearl millet, yellow bristle grass, yellow foxtail

French: mil à chandelle, mil chandelle, millet à chandelles, millet perle, pénicillaire, petit mil, sétaire glauque

Hindi: bajra

Japanese: kin-enokoro

Spanish: almorejo glauco, cola de zorra amarilla, hopillo, limpio frasco, mijo negro, rabo de zorro

Tongan: tetefa

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Annual, in tufted clumps, the culms slender, 15-75 cm high; leaf blades linear or linear-lanceolate, 5-30 cm long, 3-10 mm broad, glabrous or with some long white hairs toward base on upper surface; spike erect, cylindric, golden-brown in color, 1-15 cm long, 6-12 mm broad; spikelets broadly oblong, 3-3.5 mm long, the upper lemma rugose; spikelets subtended by 4-12 bristles in each involucre, these 3-10 mm long, finely antrorsely scabrous"  (Smith, 1979; pp. 347-348).

Description from GrassBase.

Habitat/ecology:  In Fiji, "a very common grass found from sea level to an elevation of several hundred meters along roadsides and tracks, in cultivated areas such as rice fields, on dry open hillsides and open rocky places, in swampy areas, and on the inner edges of mangrove swamps.  ...a weed of cultivation and waste places." (Smith, 1979; pp. 347-348). In New Caledonia, "commun comme mauvaise herbe" (MacKee, 1994; p. 62).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  "Warmer parts of the north temperate zone of the Old World, but now widely distributed in America, Australia, and the tropical areas of the Old World" (Smith, 1979; pp. 347-348).

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		Whistler, W. A. (1990) Voucher cited: Whistler 3184
American Samoa Manu‘a Islands	Ta‘u Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1990) (voucher ID: PTBG 9105) Taxon name on voucher: Setaria glauca
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 96)
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		Anon. (1988)
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1994) (voucher ID: PTBG 26892) Taxon name on voucher: Setaria glauca
American Samoa Tutuila Islands	Tutuila Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1993) (voucher ID: PTBG 27474) Taxon name on voucher: Setaria glauca
Fiji Fiji Islands	Kandavu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 347-350) As Setaria glauca. Voucher cited: DA 9071
Fiji Fiji Islands	Nggamea Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 347-350) As Setaria glauca. Voucher cited: DA 8984
Fiji Fiji Islands	Ovalau Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 347-350) As Setaria glauca. Voucher cited: Bryan 609
Fiji Fiji Islands	Taveuni Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 347-350) As Setaria glauca. Vouchers cited: Smith 8125, DA 8909, DA 8910
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 347-350) As Setaria glauca. Vouchers cited: Smith 6631, DA 8744, DA 8731, DA 8858
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Mbalavu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 347-350) As Setaria glauca. Voucher cited: Garnock-Jones 1011
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 347-350, 359) As Setaria glauca; vouchers cited: Gillespie 4150.1, DA 2349, DA 8278, DA 7996, DA 9028, Smith 9455, DA 8649, DA 7317, DA 7800, DA 7944, DA 8129, DA 7789, DA 730, DA 3637, DA 8691, DA 9346, Gillespie 3607, DA 7776, DA 7684, DA 7728, DA 7647, Degener & Ordonez 13514, DA 9088, DA 8610; also as Pennisetum americanum (L.) K. Schum.; vouchers cited: DA 5621, DDA 3600, DA 3601, DA 3602, DA 3603, DA 3604, DA 3618, DA 3623, DA 3170
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 344) As Setaria glauca (L.) P. Beauv.; voucher cited: BRY 26013
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank (2007) (pp. 29-30) West Maui. Vouchers cited: Oppenheimer, R. Bartlett & G. Hansen H100402 (BISH, PTBG), Oppenheimer & G. Hansen H120401 (BISH, PTBG)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 62) Voucher cited: Vieillard 1472
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île des Pins (Isle of Pines)	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 62)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Western Samoa Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 56)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 101) As Setaria glaucum. Voucher cited: Soakai 909 (EI)
Tonga Tongatapu Group	Tongatapu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 101) As Setaria glaucum. Vouchers cited: Setchell & Parks 15398, Soakai 164
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island		Whistler, W. A. (1992) (p. 101) As Setaria glaucum. Voucher cited: Crosby 199
Tonga Vava‘u Group	Vava‘u Island	introduced	Burkill, I. H. (1900) (p. 60)

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)		Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar (1980) (p. 124)
China China	China (People's Republic of)		Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar (1980) (p. 124)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)		Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar (1980) (p. 124)
Japan Japan	Japan		Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar (1980) (p. plate)
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 192)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)		Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar (1980) (p. 124)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island		Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar (1980) (p. plate)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
French Territory of Mayotte Mayotte Islands	Mayotte Island	introduced invasive	Comité français de l'Union Internationale pour la Conservation de la Nature en France (2013)
Seychelles Seychelles Islands	Seychelles Islands	introduced	Invasive Species Specialist Group (2017)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Pennisetum glaucum, please let us know.