Pennisetum setaceum (Forssk.) Chiov., Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results: 

High risk, score: 26 (Go to the risk assessment (Pacific))
Reject, score: 20 (Go to the risk assessment (U.S. (Florida)))

Other Latin names:  Cenchrus setaceus (Forssk.) Morrone; Pennisetum ruppelii Steud.

Common name(s): [more details]

English: African fountain grass, fountain grass

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Sparsely branching, tufted perennial [grass] 0.2-1 m high with feathery (bristly), spike-like inflorescences, the bristles long and detaching with the spikelets.  Leaves:  Up to 40 mm long x 3 mm wide, not rigid or ending in sharp points.  Inflorescence:  Cylindrical, 100-250 mm long or more, usually purple or rose-colored, bristles about 20 mm long.  Fruits:  Seeds" (Henderson, 1995; p. 28).

Description from GrassBase.

Habitat/ecology:  Dry forest, roadsides, grasslands, lava fields. This bunchgrass is a noxious weed, crowding out other herbs and seedlings. It is a fire-stimulated grass which carries intense fires throughout its range (Smith, 1985; p. 198).  "Adapted to harsh conditions, it thrives on unweathered lava flows, exposed subsoil, fire-prone areas, and droughty climatic zones"  (Motooka et al., 2003).  "Grass- and woodland, coastal dunes, desert scrub.  A very fire and drought tolerant bunch grass that displaces native grassland communities where invasive.  It forms thick stands that impede growth and regeneration of native plants, completely eliminating the native vegetation in time.  It promotes fires by accumulation of large quantities o dead biomass, and the grass spreads as a result of fires because it rapidly colonizes burned areas"  (Weber, 2003; p. 314).

In Hawai‘i, "cultivated and naturalized in dry, pen places such as barren lava flows and cinder fields, 40-2,140 m"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1581). In New Caledonia, "cultivé comme ornemental dans les jardins; aussi spontané et envahissant" (MacKee, 1994; p. 61).

Propagation:  The seeds are dispersed by wind. A prolific seed producer.

Native range:  Africa.

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	cultivated	Yuncker, T. G. (1945) (p. 24) Cultivated ornamental. Voucher cited: Yuncker 9214 (BISH)
Federated States of Micronesia Kosrae Island	Kosrae Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2005) (voucher ID: PTBG 47450) Taxon name on voucher: Pennisetum setaceum
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (p. 359) Vouchers cited: DA 16225, DA 12303 Semi-naturalized.
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Cultivée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Cultivée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: J. Florence 2618 (PAP) Ornementale assez commune à Tahiti.
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Cultivée
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 95) "Potential invader".
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Falanruw, Marjorie (1999) (p. 3)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	cultivated	Space, Jim (2004) Observed in cultivation (J. Space).
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1581)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaho‘olawe Island	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2006) (p. 39) Subject of an eradication program. Voucher cited: Starr, Starr, Higashino & Andrade 040216-1 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1581)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1581) Voucher cited: Munro 345 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2006) (p. 39) East Maui. Subjest of an eradication program. Vouchers cited: Starr & Martz 011121-1 (BISH), Starr, Starr & MISC 040106-1 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1581)
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands	introduced invasive	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 100)
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands	introduced invasive	Gargominy, Oliver/Bouchet, Philipe/Pascal, Michel/Jaffre, Tanguy/Tourneu, Jean-Christophe (1996) (p. 381) Envahissante.
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 61) Voucher cited: MacKee 42195
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (pp. 14, 86)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Ngerkebesang Island	introduced cultivated	Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar (2003) (pp. 14, 82)

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)	New South Wales	introduced invasive cultivated	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 186)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive cultivated	Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. (1998) (p. 186)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)		Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar (1980) (p. 116)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Owen, S. J. (1997)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Edgar, E./Connor, H. (2000) (p. 578) "Escape from cultivation; on roadsides".
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	introduced cultivated	Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. (2009) (p. 67) Cultivated only
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (Oregon)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2011)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2011)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Canary Islands Canary Islands	Canary Islands	introduced invasive	Lorence, David (year unknown)
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2011)

Comments:  On the State of Hawai‘i and New Zealand noxious weed lists. Very invasive in the Canary Islands (Tenerife and Gran Canaria) per David Lorence (personal communication).

Control:  Herbicides must be used on all except isolated plants.

Physical:  "The only practical management is probably by intensive grazing management in pastures and perhaps by replanting trees in dryland forests.  Unpalatable to cattle except for young shoots"  (Motooka et al., 2003).

Chemical:" Sensitive to glyphosate applied by spraying and by the drizzle method. HAVO staff reported control with hexazinone at 10-20% of liquid concentrate applied to wet the green foliage (Zimmer, HAVO)"  (Motooka et al., 2003).

"1. Weed wipe: glyphosate (200ml/L) or Gallant (200ml/L). 2. Spray (spring-summer): glyphosate (15ml/L) + penetrant. 3. Slash and spray regrowth (spring-autumn): Gallant (150ml/10L)"  (Weedbusters New Zealand).

Additional information:
Excerpt from the book "Weeds of Hawaii‘s Pastures and Natural Areas; An Identification and Management Guide" (Motooka et al., 2003). (PDF format).
Fact sheet on Pennisetum setaceum on the web site of the Alien Plants Working Group, "Weeds Gone Wild"
Pennisetum setaceum factsheetfrom PCA-APWG 
Excerpt from "Alien Plant Invasions..." book re: fountain grass (Tunison) (Courtesy HEAR)
Excerpt from "Alien Plant Invasions..." book re: fountain grass (Loope et al.) (Courtesy HEAR).
Information from the Global Invasive Species Database.
Fact sheet from the Government of Queensland, Australia.
Information sheet from Weedbusters New Zealand.

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

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

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

References:

Chong, Kwek Yan/Tan, Hugh T. W./Corlett, Richard T. 2009. A checklist of the total vascular plant flora of Singapore: native, naturalised and cultivated species. Raffles Museum of Biodiversity Research, National University of Singapore. 273 pp.

Csurhes, S./Edwards, R. 1998. Potential environmental weeds in Australia: Candidate species for preventative control. Canberra, Australia. Biodiversity Group, Environment Australia. 208 pp.

Edgar, E./Connor, H. 2000. Flora of New Zealand, vol. V: Gramineae. Manaaki Whenua Press. .

Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. 2011. Base de données botaniques Nadeaud de l'Herbier de la Polynésie Française (PAP). (online resource).

Gargominy, Oliver/Bouchet, Philipe/Pascal, Michel/Jaffre, Tanguy/Tourneu, Jean-Christophe. 1996. Conséquences des introductions d'espèces animales et végétales sur la biodiversité en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Rev. Ecol. (Terre Vie) 51:375-401.

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

Henderson, Lesley. 1995. Plant invaders of Southern Africa. Plant Protection Research Institute Handbook No. 5, Agriculture Research Council, ARC/LNR, Pretoria, South Africa. 177 pp.

Lorence, David. 0. David Lorence, pers. com.

MacKee, H. S. 1994. Catalogue des plantes introduites et cultivées en Nouvelle-Calédonie. Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, 164 p.

Meyer, Jean-Yves. 2000. Preliminary review of the invasive plants in the Pacific islands (SPREP Member Countries). In: Sherley, G. (tech. ed.). Invasive species in the Pacific: A technical review and draft regional strategy. South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, Samoa. 190 pp.

Motooka, Philip/Castro, Luisa/Nelson, Duane/Nagai, Guy/Ching, Lincoln. 2003. Weeds of Hawaii‘s Pastures and Natural Areas; An Identification and Management Guide. College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawaii at Manoa. 184 pp.

Motooka, Philip/Ching, Lincoln/Nagai, Guy. 2002. Herbicidal Weed Control Methods for Pasture and Natural Areas of Hawaii. Cooperative Extension Service, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, University of Hawai‘i. CTAHR free publication WC-8.

Owen, S. J. 1997. Ecological weeds on conservation land in New Zealand: A database. Working draft. Wellington, New Zealand. Department of Conservation.

Smith, Albert C. 1979. Flora Vitiensis nova: a new flora of Fiji. National Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kauai, Hawaii. Volume 1. 494 pp.

Smith, Clifford W. 1985. Impact of Alien Plants on Hawai‘i's Native Biota. In: Stone, Charles P. and Scott, J. Michael, eds. Hawai‘i's terrestrial ecosystems: preservation and Management. Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit, University of Hawaii, Manoa.

Space, James C./Falanruw, Marjorie. 1999. Observations on invasive plant species in Micronesia. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. Report to the Pacific Islands Committee, Council of Western State Foresters. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 32 pp.

Space, James C./Waterhouse, Barbara/Miles, Joel E./Tiobech, Joseph/Rengulbai, Kashgar. 2003. Report to the Republic of Palau on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 174 pp.

Space, Jim. 2004. Jim Space, pers. com.

Starr, Forest/Starr, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. 2006. New plant records from the Hawaiian Archipelago. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucias G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 2004-2005. Part 1: Articles. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers 87:31-43.

Tunison, J. T./Zimmer, N. G./Gates, M. R./Mattos, R. M. 1994. Fountain grass control in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park 1985 -1992. Cooperative National Park Resources Studies Unit, University of Hawai‘i, Department of Botany. Technical Report 91.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. 2011. The PLANTS Database. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

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).

Weber, Ewald. 2003. Invasive plants of the World. CABI Publishing, CAB International, Wallingford, UK. 548 pp.

Yuncker, T. G. 1945. Plants of the Manua Islands. Bishop Mus. Bull. 184. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. 73 pp.