Setaria sphacelata (Schumach.) Stapf & C.E.Hubb ex M.B.Moss, Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 19 (Go to the risk assessment)

Common name(s): [more details]

English: African bristle grass, golden timothy

French: queue de chien

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Habit: Perennial; caespitose. Rhizomes short, or elongated. Butt sheaths withering, or persistent and investing base of culm; with fibrous dead sheaths. Basal innovations subterete, or flabellate. Culms 20-300 cm long. Culm-nodes glabrous. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades flat, or convolute; 10-50 cm long; 2-17 mm wide. Leaf-blade apex acuminate. Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle spiciform; linear; 3-50 cm long. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with evident branchlets on axis. Panicle axis pubescent. Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1-4 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; 1.5-12 mm long. Involucral bristles persistent; 6-15 in principal whorl; flexible; antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous. Fertile spikelets: Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; 1.5-3.5 mm long; falling entire. Glumes shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume ovate; 0.25-0.5 times length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 3(-5) -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse, or acute. Upper glume ovate; 0.33-0.66(-0.75) times length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute. Florets: Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret ovate; 1 times length of spikelet; membranous; 5 -veined; acute. Fertile lemma ovate; dorsally compressed; gibbous; 1-3 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute. Palea involute; indurate"  GrassBase.

"Tufted perennial, glabrous or nearly so, often with stout rhizomes; culms 0.5-1.5 m tall, flattened; blades flat, rather lax, 4-10 mm wide; panicle dense, cylindric, 8-15 cm long, usually orange to purple, bristles mostly 5 or more, 3-6 mm long; spikelets 2.5-3 mm long; fruit finely rugose"  (Hitchcock, 1971).

Habitat/ecology:  In Hawai‘i, "in mesic pastures in Kokomo, Maui"  (Starr, Martz & Loope, 2000).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Africa and Yemen (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Saipan	Saipan Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 59)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island	introduced invasive	McCormack, Gerald (2013)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced cultivated	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced cultivated	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2013)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) cv. 'Kazungula' Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R. (1997) (p. 106)
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) cv. 'Kazungula'. Voucher cited: W.A. Whistler & M. Guérin 27 (PAP) Naturalisée
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1981) (voucher ID: PTBG 38250) Taxon name on voucher: Setaria sphacelata (Schumach.) Stapf & C. E. Hubb ex M. B. Moss
French Polynesia Austral (Tubuai) Islands	Rurutu Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) cv. 'Kazungula' Naturalisée
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Herbst, Derral R./Staples, George W./Imada, Clyde T. (2004) (p. 10) Voucher cited: R. Kami s.n. (BISH 427545), R. Kami s.n. (BISH 516906)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Kaua‘i Island	introduced invasive	Herbst, Derral R./Staples, George W./Imada, Clyde T. (2004) (p. 10) Voucher cited: C. Imada & T. Perkins 2002-11 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Martz, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2002) (p. 23) East Maui. Voucher cited: Starr & Martz 990804-1 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Herbst, Derral R./Staples, George W./Imada, Clyde T. (2004) (p. 10) Voucher cited: K. Kawelo & J. Rohrer s.n. (BISH 687842)
New Caledonia New Caledonia	New Caledonia Islands	introduced cultivated	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 62) "Cultivé en pâturages".
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 59)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island	introduced invasive	Space, James C./Lorence, David H./LaRosa, Anne Marie (2009) (p. 5) Voucher: Lorence 9835 (PTBG, BNM, BISH, NY, US)
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		Beleu National Museum (Republic of Palau. Koror.) (1981) (voucher ID: BNM 3041) Taxon name on voucher: Setaria sphacelata (Schum.) Stapf. & Hubb.
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Babeldaob Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2008) (voucher ID: PTBG 129) Taxon name on voucher: Setaria sphacelata
Palau Palau (Belau ) (main island group)	Koror (Oreor) Island	introduced	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 59)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar (1980) (p. 131)

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. 131)
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	Queensland Herbarium (2002) (p. 7)
China China	China (People's Republic of)		Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar (1980) (p. 131)
Japan Japan	Japan	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 192)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Edgar, E./Connor, H. (2000) (p. 589) Persisting around experimental plots, where it was introduced.

Indian Ocean
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Australia (Indian Ocean offshore islands) Christmas Island Group	Christmas Island	introduced invasive	Swarbrick, J. T. (1997) (p. 127)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Setaria sphacelata, please let us know.