Setaria palmifolia (J.Koenig) Stapf, Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

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

Other Latin names:  Panicum palmaefolium Koenig

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: zong ye gou wei cao

English: bristlegrass, broadleaved bristlegrass, hailans pitpit, highland pitpit, knotroot, palmgrass, short pitpit

Samoan: vao ‘ofe‘ofe

Spanish: pasto de palma

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Perennial [grass]; culms erect,  10-20 dm tall, appressed-hispid below and at nodes.  Sheaths papillose-hispid; ligule membranous, margins ciliate, apex rounded to truncate; blades narrowly elliptic, up to 50 cm long, up to 90 mm wide, strongly nerved, plicate, upper surface scabrous, lower surface pubescent, apex acuminate, base narrowed.  Panicles open, up to 60 cm long, axis scabrous, nodes puberulent, primary branches numerous, ascending to spreading, up to 20 cm long, slender, scabrous, the bristles subtending the spikelet solitary, ca. 10 mm long; spikelets green, in racemose clusters on short, secondary or tertiary branchlets, lanceolate, ca. 4 mm long, glabrous, pedicels scabrous, 1-4 mm long; first glume ovate, 0.8-1.5 mm long, 3-nerved, apex obtuse; second glume 2-2.5 mm long, 7-nerved; first lemma with a point extending slightly beyond the caryopsis, 5-nerved; first palea narrow, hyaline, ca. 2/3 as long as the first lemma; second lemma lanceolate, with a short, somewhat incurved point, obscurely transversely rugose; second palea similar to second lemma.  Caryopsis pale brown, ovoid, compressed, ca. 2 mm long"  (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 1592-1593).

Description from GrassBase.

Habitat/ecology:  This large-leaved, perennial grass reaches heights of almost 2 m, shading out other herbaceous vegetation.  It is well adapted to fire.  It is usually found in wet areas from 300-2000 m (Smith, 1985; p. 203).  In Hawai‘i, "naturalized and often common in mesic valleys, wet forest, and along streams, 240-1,160 m" (Wagner et al., 1999; pp. 1592-1593); displaces forages in pastures and natives in disturbed areas in mesic to wet forests" (Motooka et al., 2003).  In Fiji, "naturalized in places in the vicinity of Suva"  (Smith, 1979; . 350).

Propagation:  Seed distributed by wind or granivorous birds.

Native range:  India.

Impacts and invaded habitats:  In Hawaii: ".nbsp;. .displaces forages in pastures and natives in disturbed areas in mesic to wet forests." (Motooka et al., 2003)

In New Zealand: "Escaping from gardens and becoming weed of roadsides, amenity areas and abandoned land. Crowds out desirable grasses and low-growing herbs." "Banned from sale, propagation, and distribution througout New Zealand." (Friendly Alternatives, p. 7)

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced	Pickard, J. (1984) (p. 205)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Lord Howe Island	Lord Howe Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 22) "Presumably first introduced to the Islands as an ornamental. It may well be established and spreading.". Vouchers cited: L.M. Bingley 33 (K), A.C. Beauglehole 5462 (CANB, MEL), A.C. Beauglehole 5758 (CANB, MEL), J. Pickard 2681 (NSW), I.R. Telford 10382 (CBG, K)
Australia (Pacific offshore islands) Norfolk Islands	Norfolk Island	introduced invasive	Orchard, Anthony E., ed. (1994) (p. 12) "Presumably first introduced to the Islands as an ornamental. Only one specimen has been seen from Norfolk Is., collected in 1943". Voucher cited: F.C. Allen 170 (CHR)
Chile (offshore islands) Rapa Nui (Easter) Island	Rapa Nui (Easter) Island (Isla de Pasqua)	introduced invasive	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2008) (pp. 40, 43) "La graminée Setaria cf. palmifolia reconnaissable à ses larges feuilles, considérée « commun et envahissant dans les zones habitées » (Lefeuvre et al., 2005; page 49), est localement naturalisée en bordure de route à Mataveri et à la CONAF où elle forme des couverts denses" (Meyer, 2008; p. 40).
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	cultivated	Sykes, Bill (year unknown)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive cultivated	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (p. 350) Vouchers cited: DA 2538, B.E.V. Parham 10873 (CHR 181988)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1940) (voucher ID: BISH 31628) Taxon name on voucher: Setaria palmifolia (J.Koenig) Stapf
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1962) (voucher ID: BISH 31681) Taxon name on voucher: Setaria palmifolia (J.Koenig) Stapf
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced	Meyer, Jean-Yves (2000) (p. 94) "Potential invader".
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		Space, Jim (2004)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced cultivated	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Cultivée
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1592-1593) Voucher cited: Carter s. n. (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Staples, George W./Imada, Clyde T./Herbst, Derral R. (2003) (p. 18) Voucher cited: C. Imada 2001-73 (BISH, K, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Lāna‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1592-1593)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1592-1593)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2006) (p. 13) Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H30414 (BISH, PTBG)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (pp. 1592-1593)
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 96)
Papua New Guinea Bougainville Islands	Bougainville Island		Foreman, D. B. (1971) (p. 26)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)		Henty, E. E. (1969) (p. 172) Throughout New Guinea from near sea level to 7,000 ft., mainly in damp, partially shaded situations.
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. (2013)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands	native	Merrill, Elmer D. (1925) (pp. 73-74) Common in thickets, old clearings, abacá plantations, etc., at low and medium altitudes, ascending to 200 m.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Flynn, Tim (2002) (p. 11)
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1973) (voucher ID: BISH 417677) Taxon name on voucher: Setaria palmifolia (J.Koenig) Stapf
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1974) (voucher ID: BISH 417854) Taxon name on voucher: Setaria palmifolia (J.Koenig) Stapf
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Bishop Museum (Honolulu) (1979) (voucher ID: BISH 439231) Taxon name on voucher: Setaria palmifolia (J.Koenig) Stapf
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2002) (voucher ID: PTBG 330) Taxon name on voucher: Setaria palmifolia
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 96)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced invasive	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 109)

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. 128)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Queensland Herbarium (2002) (p. 7)
Cambodia Cambodia	Cambodia (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China China	Hong Kong	native	Wu, Te-lin (2001) (p. 347) In valleys and in wet places under forests.
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Japan Japan	Japan	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Japan Ryukyu Islands	Ryukyu Islands	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Owen, S. J. (1997)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive cultivated	Edgar, E./Connor, H. (2000) (p. 584) "Escape from gardens; waste ground".
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 333)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Comments:  Forming extensive monospecific stands on Upolu, Samoa, particularly in the Vailima Reserve and around Alaoa (Space & Flynn, 2002).

Weedy in pastures in Tahiti.

Invasive in Hawai‘i.

On New Zealand noxious weed list and banned from sale in that country.

Control:  "Rhizomes and root masses resprout constantly and seed banks occasionally reinfest bared areas.  Frequent and regular follow up required until eradication. 

Physical:  Dig out small patches (all year round). Dispose of at refuse transfer station or burn"  (Weedbusters New Zealand).

Chemical: "DOFAW foresters on Kauai controlled palmgrass with drizzle applications of glyphosate at 0.75 lb/acre.  However, reinvasion required constant monitoring and re-treatment until the seed reservoir was exhausted.  HAVO staff reported control with foliar application of glyphosate at 1% of product (Chris Zimmer, HAVO)"  (Motooka et al., 2003).

"1. Spray (active growth stage): glyphosate (20ml/L + penetrant). 2. Stem injection (active growth stage): 2 ml undiluted glyphosate into root masses, 150 mm apart"  (Weedbusters New Zealand).