Pennisetum pedicellatum Trin., Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: annual kyasuwa grass, hairy fountain grass, kayasuwa grass, kyasuwa grass

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Habit: Annual. Culms geniculately ascending; 30-150 cm long. Lateral branches ample. Ligule a ciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 5-25 cm long; 4-15 mm wide. Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle spiciform; linear; straight, or curved; 5-15 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with sessile scars on axis. Panicle axis with briefly decurrent ribs; glabrous; bearing deciduous spikelet clusters. Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled; 1-5 in the cluster; 0-1 sessile. Involucre composed of bristles; ovate; 5-10 mm long; base obtuse. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; numerous; 15-25 in principal whorl; with one conspicuously longer bristle; 16-24 mm long; terete; flexible; woolly. Pedicels 0.5-3.5 mm long.  Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 3.5-6 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures; readily shedding fertile florets. Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate, or oblong; 1-3 mm long; 0.33-0.5 times length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0-1 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume surface pubescent; hairy below. Lower glume apex emarginate, or obtuse, or acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 times length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5-7 -veined. Upper glume surface pubescent; hairy below. Upper glume margins eciliate, or ciliate. Upper glume apex acute; muticous, or mucronate. Florets: Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea, or without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 times length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; puberulous; dentate; 3 -fid. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 2.5-3 mm long; coriaceous; shiny; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea coriaceous. Flower: Lodicules absent. Anthers 3; 1.5-2.5 mm long; anther tip smooth"  (GrassBase).

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

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Africa and India (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 61) "Seule spécimen"; voucher cited: MacKee 17564 Spontané
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar (1980) (p. 113)

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. 113)

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)	USA (Florida)	introduced invasive	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

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