Present on Pacific Islands?  no

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 7 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Beckeropsis petiolaris (Hochst.) Fig. & De Not.; Gymnotrix petiolaris Hochst.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: petioled fountaingrass

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Annual. Culms erect; 45-120 cm long; compressible; with prop roots. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blade base broadly rounded, or cordate; with a false petiole; petiole 2-12 cm long. Leaf-blades 10-25 cm long; 8-25 mm wide; flaccid. Leaf-blade surface glabrous, or puberulous. Leaf-blade margins scaberulous.  Synflorescence compound; scanty. Inflorescence a panicle; terminal and axillary.  Panicle spiciform; linear; 1.5-3 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with lateral stumps on axis. Panicle axis scaberulous; glabrous.  Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster.  Involucre composed of bristles; base obtuse. Involucral bristles deciduous with the fertile spikelets; in one whorl; 1 in principal whorl; 10-20 mm long; terete; flexible; glabrous. Fertile spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets oblong; dorsally compressed; acute; 2-3 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus base truncate.  Glumes similar; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblong; 0.1-0.5 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; 0.05-0.15 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume oblong; 0.1-0.5 mm long; 0.05-0.15 length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Upper glume primary vein absent. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex emarginate.  Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; smooth, or scaberulous; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 2-3 mm long; cartilaginous; without keel; 5 -veined. Lemma surface smooth, or scaberulous. Lemma margins flat. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous" (GrassBase).

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

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Northeast tropical Africa (GrassBase).

Presence:

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 and Florida) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2009)

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

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

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

Other Latin names:  Beckeropsis petiolaris (Hochst.) Fig. & De Not.; Gymnotrix petiolaris Hochst.

References:

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

U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. 2009. The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.