Sacciolepis indica (L.) Chase, Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: glenwood grass

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Annuals or perennials, more or less weakly rhizomatous; culms tufted, decumbent, branching from base, 15-50 cm long, slender, glabrous.  Leaves usually near base of culm; sheaths glabrous, shorter than internodes; ligule membranous, 0.1-0.3 mm long; blades 3-10 cm long, 2-4 mm wide, glabrous.  Inflorescences 1.5-7 cm long, usually less than 5 mm in diameter, often tinged purple, peduncle slender, 10-23 cm long, often constituting more than " the height of the plant; spikelets pedicellate, strongly imbricate and concealing the rachis; first glume ovate, boat-shaped, 1.1-1.5 mm long, 5-nerved, second glume boat-shaped, 2.5-2.8 mm long, 7-nerved, apex blunt; first floret sterile, biconvex, 2.5-2.8 mm long, glumes striate, first lemma similar to glumes, saccate at base, 7-9-nerved, concealing a narrow, stiff palea ca. 1 mm long; second floret fertile, second lemma chartaceous, narrowly ovate, ca. 1.5 mm long, smooth, lustrous, nerves obscure, apex acute; palea nearly as long as lemma.  Caryopsis brown, ovoid, slightly compressed, ca. 1 mm long"  (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1589).

Description from GrassBase.

Habitat/ecology:  "Swamps and stagnant water, occurring in dense swards.  A weed of drainage channels and dams."  (Waterhouse & Mitchell, 1998; pp. 81-82).

In Hawai‘i, "naturalized and common in open, wet areas such as grasslands, crests of ridges, openings in wet forest, and along trails (15-) 150-1,700 m" (Wagner et al., 1999; p. 1589); "infests openings and trails in wet forests, displacing low-growing natives"  (Motooka et al., 2003).  In Fiji, "moderately common...from sea level to about 1,000 m. on open hillsides, sand and gravel banks in stream beds, in weedy thickets along roadsides and trails, and as a weed of cultivation and waste places"  (Smith, 1979; pp. 360-361). In New Caledonia, "sans valeur fourragère évidente. Maintenant répandu sur la Grande-Terre, bien intégré à la végétation naturelle en lieux humides, lisières de forêts et même à l'intérieur de forêts peu dégradées" (MacKee, 1994; p. 62).

Propagation:  Seed, commonly dispersed by sticking to animal fur. Seed and rhizome fragments also dispersed by water (Waterhouse & Mitchell, 1998; pp. 81-82).

Native range:  Tropical Asia, Australia and into Polynesia.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (pp. 57-58)
Federated States of Micronesia Pohnpei Islands	Pohnpei Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1977) (voucher ID: BISH 432322) Taxon name on voucher: Sacciolepis indica (L.) Chase
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (pp. 57-58)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1978) (voucher ID: BISH 432323) Taxon name on voucher: Sacciolepis indica (L.) Chase
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	native	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 360-361) Voucher cited: DA 5024
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	native	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 360-361) Vouchers cited: DA 10374, Smith 5645, DA 8636, DA 8660, Smith 8768, DA 9099, DA 7797, DA 8697, DA 9608, Smith 7009, DA 8475, DA 1172, DA 8602
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1955) (voucher ID: BISH 31605) Taxon name on voucher: Sacciolepis indica (L.) Chase
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1939) (voucher ID: BISH 31606) Taxon name on voucher: Sacciolepis indica (L.) Chase
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1947) (voucher ID: BISH 126731) Taxon name on voucher: Sacciolepis indica (L.) Chase
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 699982) Taxon name on voucher: Sacciolepis indica (L.) Chase
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1953) (voucher ID: BISH 699983) Taxon name on voucher: Sacciolepis indica (L.) Chase
French Polynesia French Polynesia Islands	French Polynesia Islands	probably native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	native	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 343) Vouchers cited: BRY 26071, BRY 26505
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 106)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1982) (voucher ID: BISH 492167) Taxon name on voucher: Sacciolepis indica (L.) Chase
French Polynesia Society Islands	Taha‘a Island	native	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 343) Voucher cited: BRY 26537
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 106)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1983) (voucher ID: BISH 607524) Taxon name on voucher: Sacciolepis indica (L.) Chase
French Polynesia Tubuai (Austral) Islands	Rapa Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1984) (voucher ID: BISH 493259) Taxon name on voucher: Sacciolepis indica (L.) Chase
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	native	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 224) Voucher cited: Stone 4968-A (GUAM)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (pp. 57-58)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1589)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1589)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive	Herbarium Pacificum Staff (1999) (p. 8) Voucher cited: C. Imada, H. Oppenheimer, J.S. Meidell & C. Gemmill 98-6 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1589) Voucher cited: Lyon s. n. (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1589)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1589)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	Gargominy, Oliver/Bouchet, Philipe/Pascal, Michel/Jaffre, Tanguy/Tourneu, Jean-Christophe (1996) (p. 381) Répandue sur la Grande-Terre, bien intégrée à la végétation naturelle en lieux humides, lisière de forêts et même à l'intérieur de forêt peu dégradées.
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 62) Voucher cited: Guillaumin & Baumann 10198
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1992) (voucher ID: BISH 652080) Taxon name on voucher: Sacciolepis indica (L.) Chase
New Zealand (offshore islands) Kermadec Islands	Raoul Island	introduced invasive	Sykes, W. R. (1977) (p. 176)
New Zealand (offshore islands) Kermadec Islands	Raoul Island	introduced invasive	Edgar, E./Connor, H. (2000) (p. 580) "Rough pasture".
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (pp. 57-58)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	native	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 21) Voucher: Lorence 9836 (BNM, PTBG)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1978) (voucher ID: BISH 432321) Taxon name on voucher: Sacciolepis indica (L.) Chase
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1946) (voucher ID: BISH 589080) Taxon name on voucher: Sacciolepis indica (L.) Chase
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1996) (voucher ID: BISH 689480) Taxon name on voucher: Sacciolepis indica (L.) Chase
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1981) (voucher ID: BNM 3091) Taxon name on voucher: Sacciolepis indica (L.) Chase
Palau Palau (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1981) (voucher ID: BNM 3104) Taxon name on voucher: Sacciolepis indica (L.) Chase
Palau Palau (main island group)	Koror Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (pp. 57-58)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 68)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Savai‘i Island	probably native invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 71)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	probably native	Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 56) Voucher cited: Whistler 2129
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	probably native invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 68)

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	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Australia Australia (continental)	Northern Territory	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Japan Japan	Japan (country)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
North Korea North Korea	North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
South Korea South Korea	South Korea (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Edgar, E./Connor, H. (2000) (p. 580) "damp ground near roadsides".
Singapore Singapore	Singapore (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2009)

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
La Réunion (France) La Réunion Island	La Réunion Island	uncertain if native	Lavergne, Christophe (2006) "Naturalisé/±envahissant (indigène?)"

Comments:  Should not be introduced where not native.

Control: 

Chemical: "Probably sensitive to glyphosate"  (Motooka et al., 2003).

Additional information:
Information from the book "Weeds of Hawaii‘s Pastures and Natural Areas; An Identification and Management Guide" (Motooka et al., 2003). (PDF format).

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

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

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

References:

Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.). 1981. Voucher specimen #BNM3091(Timberlake, J. 3091).

Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.). 1981. Voucher specimen #BNM3104(Timberlake, J. 3104).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1939. Voucher specimen #BISH 31606 (Parham, J.W. 1592).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1946. Voucher specimen #BISH 589080 (Hosaka, E.Y. 3396).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1947. Voucher specimen #BISH 126731 (Smith, A.C. 5645).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1953. Voucher specimen #BISH 699982 (Smith, A.C. 8768).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1953. Voucher specimen #BISH 699983 (Smith, A.C. 7009).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1955. Voucher specimen #BISH 31605 (Parham, J.W. 9608).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1977. Voucher specimen #BISH 432322 (Stemmermann, R.L. 2910).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1978. Voucher specimen #BISH 432321 (Stemmermann, R.L. 3349).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1978. Voucher specimen #BISH 432323 (Stemmermann, R.L. 3177).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1982. Voucher specimen #BISH 492167 (Florence, J. 3602).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1983. Voucher specimen #BISH 607524 (Sachet, M.-H. 2614).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1984. Voucher specimen #BISH 493259 (Florence, J. 6582).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1992. Voucher specimen #BISH 652080 (Koyama, H. 8209).

Bishop Museum (Honolulu). 1996. Voucher specimen #BISH 689480 (Rinehart, A.F. LR26523).

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

Fosberg, F. R. 1997. Preliminary checklist of the flowering plants and ferns of the Society Islands. Ed. by David R. Stoddart. U. Cal. Berkeley.

Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce. 1987. A geographical checklist of the Micronesian monocotyledonae. Micronesica 20:1-126.

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.

Herbarium Pacificum Staff. 1999. New Hawaiian plant records for 1998. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Eldredge, Lucius G., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 1998. Part 1: Articles. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 58:3-11.

Lavergne, Christophe. 2006. List des especes exotiques envahissantes a La Reunion. Unpublished manuscript (Excel file). .

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

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.

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

Space, James C./Flynn, Tim. 2002. Report to the Government of Samoa on invasive plant species of environmental concern. USDA Forest Service, Honolulu. 83 pp.

Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie. 2009. Report to the Republic of Palau: 2008 update on Invasive Plant Species. USDA Forest Service, Hilo, Hawai‘i. (In press).

Stone, Benjamin C. 1970. The flora of Guam. Micronesica 6:1-659.

Sykes, W. R. 1977. Kermadec Islands flora: an annotated checklist. New Zealand Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Bulletin 219, Wellington. 216 pp.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2009. National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Online searchable database.

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).

Waterhouse, B. M./Mitchell, A. A. 1998. Northern Australia Quarantine Strategy: weeds target list. Second edition. Australian Quarantine & Inspection Service, Miscellaneous Publication No. 6/98. 110 pp.

Waterhouse, D. F. 1993. The major arthropod pests and weeds of agriculture in Southeast Asia. The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra. 141 pp.

Welsh, S. L. 1998. Flora Societensis: A summary revision of the flowering plants of the Society Islands. E.P.S. Inc., Orem, Utah. 420 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.