Setaria viridis (L.) P.Beauv., Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Chaetochloa viridis (L.) Scribn.; Panicum viride L.; Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv. subsp. viridis (L.) Thell.; Setaria pachystachys (Franch. & Sav.) Matsum.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: gou wei cao

English: bottle grass, green bristle grass, green foxtail, green foxtail millet, green pigeon grass, pigeongrass, wild foxtail millet, wild millet

French: sétaire verte

Spanish: almorejo

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 10-60 cm long; 3-5 -noded. Culm-nodes glabrous. Leaf-sheaths outer margin hairy. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 3-30 cm long; 4-10 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; glabrous. Inflorescence a panicle. Peduncle scaberulous above. Panicle spiciform; linear; 1-10 cm long; 0.4-1 cm wide. Primary panicle branches accrescent to a central axis; with evident branchlets on axis. Panicle axis hispid, or pilose. Spikelets subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 2-6 in the cluster. Involucre composed of bristles; free throughout; 5-10 mm long. Involucral bristles persistent; few; in one whorl; 4-14 in principal whorl; 1-3 per spikelet; flexible; antrorsely scaberulous; glabrous. Pedicels oblong. Fertile spikelets: Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic; dorsally compressed; obtuse; 2-3 mm long; falling entire. Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume oblate; 0.25-0.33 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 1-3 -veined. Lower glume apex obtuse. Upper glume elliptic; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 5 -veined. Upper glume apex obtuse. Florets: Basal sterile florets barren; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; oblong; 1 length of spikelet; membranous; 5-7 -veined; obtuse. Palea of lower sterile floret membranous (0.33-0.5 length of lemma). Fertile lemma elliptic; dorsally compressed; 2-3 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugulose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex obtuse. Palea involute; indurate. Flower: Anthers 3; 0.8 mm long"  (GrassBase).

Habitat/ecology:  In China (native), "hill slopes, roadsides, grassy waste places"  (Flora of China online).  On Taiwan, "in sandy seashores"  (Flora of Taiwan).  In New Zealand, "crops (potatoes, carrots), waste ground, gardens"  (Edgar & Connor, 2000; p. 588).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Canary and Madeira Islands, northern Africa, Europe, Asia (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Atkinson, Rachel/Sawyer, John (2011)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Isla Más a Tierra (Robinson Crusoe Island)	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (p. 557)
Chile (offshore islands) Juan Fernández Islands	Morro Juanango	introduced invasive	Danton, Philippe/Perrier, Christophe/Martinez Reyes, Guido (2006) (p. 557)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2013) Adventice
Japan (offshore islands) Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands	Bonin (Ogasawara) Islands		Kato, Hidetoshi (2007)

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	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013) "A weed of cultivation in temperate areas".
Australia Australia (continental)	Northern Territory	introduced invasive	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013) "A weed of cultivation in temperate areas".
Australia Australia (continental)	Queensland	introduced invasive	National Herbarium of New South Wales (2013) "A weed of cultivation in temperate areas".
British Columbia (province of Canada) Province of British Columbia	Canada (British Columbia)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
China China	China (People's Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Japan Japan	Japan	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
New Zealand New Zealand	New Zealand (country)	introduced invasive	Edgar, E./Connor, H. (2000) (p. 588)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Chile (Republic of)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Taiwan Taiwan Island	Taiwan Island	native	Ching-I Peng, ed. (2013)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (Oregon)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (Washington)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Canada Canada	Canada	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	introduced	U.S. Dept. Agr., Nat. Res. Cons. Serv. (2013)

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