Urochloa reptans (L.) Stapf, Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Other Latin names:  Brachiaria reptans (L.) C. A. Gardner & C. E. Hubb.; Panicum reptans L.

Common name(s): [more details]

Chinese: wei fu cao

English: cent per cent, creeping panic grass, running grass, sprawling signal grass

French: chiendent blanc, herbe à Bengali, herbe à Bengalis, herbe couresce batarde

Spanish: San Juan de Castillo, tiende suelo

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Annual and semiprostrate, the culms spreading; leaf blades lanceolate, 1.8-3.7 cm long, 3-9 mm broad; flowering culms bearing 3-15 racemes, these spreading to slightly ascending, with long white hairs on axis and pedicels" (Smith, 1979; pp. 331-332).

"Habit: Annual. Culms decumbent; 15-60 cm long; rooting from lower nodes. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades lanceolate; 2-8 cm long; 3-15 mm wide. Inflorescence: Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 5-15; borne along a central axis; unilateral; 1-4 cm long. Central inflorescence axis 1-8 cm long. Rhachis wingless; angular. Spikelet packing crowded; regular; 2 -rowed. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile and pedicelled. Pedicels ciliate. Fertile spikelets: Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets elliptic, or oblong; dorsally compressed; compressed slightly; acute; 1.5-2.2 mm long; falling entire. Glumes: Glumes dissimilar; reaching apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume orbicular; clasping; 0.15-0.25 times length of spikelet; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex truncate. Upper glume ovate; 1 times length of spikelet; membranous; without keels; 7-veined. Upper glume apex acute. Florets: Basal sterile florets male; with palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to upper glume; ovate; 1 times length of spikelet; membranous; 5-veined; acute. Fertile lemma elliptic; 1-2 mm long; indurate; without keel. Lemma surface rugose. Lemma margins involute. Lemma apex acute; mucronate. Palea involute; indurate; without keels" (GrassBase).

Habitat/ecology:  In Fiji, "a moderately common weed of sugarcane fields, roadsides, open grasslands, and the seashore, reported from elevations between sea level and about 800 m" (Smith, 1979; pp. 331-332).  "Occasional in waste places and lawns" (Whistler, 1988; p. 47). In Guam, "in cultivated ground or lawns" (Stone, 1970; p. 203). In New Guinea, "a weed of roadsides, gardens and annual field crops, often invading heavily-grazed pastures and hindering the re-establishment of better grasses" (Henty & Pritchard, 1975; p. 34). In New Caledonia, "largement répandu sur la Grande-Terre, Nord et Sud. Parfois en pâturage (noté comme bon fourrage); commun aussi comme mauvaise herbe des jardins, cultures et terrains vagues" (MacKee, 1994; p. 57).

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Pantropical

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) Northern Mariana Islands	Agrigan (Agrihan) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 52)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Aguijan (Agiguan, Aguihan) Island	native	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 10)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Guguan Island	native	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 10)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Maug Island	native	Raulerson, L. (2006) (p. 10)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Saipan Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 52)
Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (US) Northern Mariana Islands	Tinian Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 52)
Cook Islands Southern Cook Islands	Rarotonga Island		McCormack, Gerald (2011)
Federated States of Micronesia Yap Islands	Yap (Waqab) Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 52)
Fiji Fiji Islands	Thithia Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 331-332) Voucher cited: DA 13250
Fiji Fiji Islands	Vanua Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 331-332) Vouchers cited: DA 8768, DA 8834
Fiji Fiji Islands	Viti Levu Island	introduced invasive	Smith, Albert C. (1979) (pp. 331-332) Vouchers cited: Greenwood 328, 414B; DA 8217; DA 8794; Degener 14959; DA 2352; DA 8568; DA 7815; DA 7910; DA 7171
French Polynesia French Polynesia Islands	French Polynesia Islands		Waterhouse, D. F. (1997) (p. 66)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Eiao Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Eiao Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: J. Florence & M. Teikiteetini 9323 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Fatu Hiva Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1995) (voucher ID: PTBG 21358) Taxon name on voucher: Urochloa reptans (L.) C.A. Gardner & C.E. Hubb
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hatuta'a (Hatutu) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hatuta'a (Hatutu) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Vouchers cited: J. Florence & M. Teikiteetini 9389 (PAP), S.P. Perlman 10067 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hatuta'a (Hatutu) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1988) (voucher ID: PTBG 8299) Taxon name on voucher: Urochloa reptans
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Hiva Oa Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Mohotani (Mohotane, Mohotane) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Mohotani (Mohotane, Mohotane) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Mohotani (Mohotane, Mohotane) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2004) (voucher ID: PTBG 42526) Taxon name on voucher: Urochloa reptans
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Nuku Hiva (Nukahiva) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: J. Florence 4095 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Voucher cited: K.R. Wood 6421 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (1997) (voucher ID: PTBG 27252) Taxon name on voucher: Urochloa reptans (L.) C. A. Gardner & C. E. Hubb.
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Huka (Huahuna, Uahuka) Island		National Tropical Botanical Garden (U.S.A. Hawaii. Kalaheo.) (2004) (voucher ID: PTBG 41967) Taxon name on voucher: Urochloa reptans (L.) C.A. Gardner & C.E. Hubb
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Pou (Huapu, Uapou, Uapu) Island	introduced invasive	Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. (2008)
French Polynesia Marquesas Islands	Ua Pou (Huapu, Uapou, Uapu) Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Bora Bora Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) As Brachiaria reptans (C. Linnaeus) C.A. Gardner & C.E. Hubbard. Voucher cited: J. Florence 12083 (PAP) Adventice
French Polynesia Society Islands	Raiatea (Havai) Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 330) Voucher cited: Moore 155
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Welsh, S. L. (1998) (p. 330) Voucher cited: Florence 4609
French Polynesia Society Islands	Tahiti Island	introduced invasive	Florence, J./Chevillotte, H./Ollier, C./Meyer, J.-Y. (2011) Adventice
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	introduced invasive	Stone, Benjamin C. (1970) (p. 203) Voucher cited: Stone 4186 (GUAM)
Guam Guam Island	Guam Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 52)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Herbst, Derral R./Clayton, W. D. (1998) (p. 20) Voucher cited: Neal s.n. (BISH 119991)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	Gargominy, Oliver/Bouchet, Philipe/Pascal, Michel/Jaffre, Tanguy/Tourneu, Jean-Christophe (1996) (p. 380) Largement répandue sur la Grande-Terre.
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	Tassin, Jacques (2005)
New Caledonia New Caledonia Archipelago	Île Grande Terre	introduced invasive	MacKee, H. S. (1994) (p. 57) Voucher cited: Vieillard 1476
Palau Palau (main island group)	Angaur Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Sachet, Marie-Hélène/Oliver, Royce (1987) (p. 52)
Palau Palau (main island group)	Angaur Island	native	Fosberg, F. R./Canfield, Joan E. (1980) (p. 193) Voucher cited: Canfield 407 (US)
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)		Henty, E. E. (1969) (p. 39) A weed of cultivation and overgrazed pasture.
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	invasive	Henty, E. E./Pritchard, G. H. (1975) (p. 34) From low altitudes to about 1200 m.
Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)	Papua New Guinea (eastern New Guinea Island)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1997) (p. 66)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 63)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Merrill, Elmer D. (1925) (pp. 67-68) In open waste places, old clearings, thickets, etc., at low and medium altitudes.
Samoa Western Samoa Islands	Upolu Island		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 47)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands		Swarbrick, John T. (1997) (p. 89)
Solomon Islands Solomon Islands	Solomon Islands	introduced invasive	Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. (1988) (p. 52)
Tonga Ha‘apai Group	Ha‘apai Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 47) Var. marquisense (Brown) Fosb. (Whistler, 1988).
Tonga Tongatapu Group	‘Eua Island		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 47)
Vanuatu New Hebrides Islands	Vanuatu (Republic of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1997) (p. 66)
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis (‘Uvea) Island	introduced invasive	Morat, Ph./Veillon, J.-M. (1985) Morat & Veillon, 1985, cited in Meyer, 2007
Wallis and Futuna Wallis and Futuna (Horne) Islands	Wallis and Futuna Islands		Whistler, W. A. (1988) (p. 47)

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. 23)
China China	China (People's Republic of)		Hafliger, Ernst/Scholz, Hildemar (1980) (p. 23)
Indonesia Indonesia	Indonesia (Republic of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 63)
Japan Japan	Japan (country)	introduced	Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro (2004) (p. 192) As Brachiaria reptans Gardn. & Hubb.
Malaysia Malaysia	Malaysia (country of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 63)
Taiwan Taiwan	Taiwan Island		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 53)
Thailand Thailand	Thailand (Kingdom of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 63)
Vietnam Vietnam	Vietnam (Socialist Republic of)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 63)

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. 106)
Mauritius Mautitius Islands (Mauritius and Rodrigues)	Mauritius Island		Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. (1979) (p. 53)

Additional information:
Additional online information about Urochloa reptans is available from the Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR).

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

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

References:

Clayton, W. D./Harman, K. T./Williamson, H. 2002. World Grass Species: Descriptions, Identification, and Information Retrieval (online resource).

Comité français de l'Union Internationale pour la Conservation de la Nature en France. 2010. Les espéces envahissantes en outre-mer (online resource).

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).

Fosberg, F. R./Canfield, Joan E. 1980. Noteworthy Micronesian plants 3. Micronesica 16(2):189-200.

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.

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

Hancock, I. R./Henderson, C. P. 1988. Flora of the Solomon Islands. Research Bulletin No. 7. Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Honiara. 203 pp.

Henty, E. E. 1969. A manual of the grasses of New Guinea. Department of Forests, Division of Botany, Botany Bull. No. 1. Lae, New Guinea. 215 pp.

Henty, E. E./Pritchard, G. H. 1975. Weeds of New Guinea and their control. 2nd edition. Department of Forests, Division of Botany, Botany Bull. No. 7. Lae, Papua New Guinea. 180 pp.

Herbst, Derral R./Clayton, W. D. 1998. Notes on the grasses of Hawai‘i: new records, corrections, and name changes. In: Evenhuis, Neal L. and Miller, Scott, E., eds. Records of the Hawaii Biological Survey for 1997. Part 1: Articles. Bishop Museum Occasional Papers. 55:17-38.

Holm, Leroy/Pancho, Juan V./Herberger, James P./Plucknett, Donald L. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds. John Wiley & Sons, New York. 391 pp.

Lorence, David H./Wagner, Warren L. 2008. Flora of the Marquesas Islands. National Tropical Botanical Garden and the Smithsonian Institution. Online database.

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

McCormack, Gerald. 2011. Cook Islands Biodiversity Database, Version 2007.2. Cook Islands Natural Heritage Trust, Rarotonga.

Merrill, Elmer D. 1925. An enumeration of Philippine flowering plants, vol. 1 [reprint]. Bureau of Printing, Manila. 463 pp.

Meyer, Jean-Yves. 2007. Rapport de mission sur l'Ile d'Uvea (Wallis & Futuna) du 6 au 17 Novembre 2007: Inventaire preliminaire de la flore vasculaire secondaire [unpublished report]. Délégation à la Recherche, Ministère de l'Education, l'Enseignement Supérieur et la Recherche, B.P. 20981 Papeete, Tahiti, Polynésie française. 39 pp.

Mito, Toshikazu/Uesugi, Tetsuro. 2004. Invasive alien species in Japan: the status quo and the new regulation for prevention of their adverse effects. Global Environmental Research 8(2)/2004: 171-191.

Morat, Ph./Veillon, J.-M. 1985. Contribution à la connaissance de la végétation et de la flore de Wallis & Futuna. Bull. Mus. Natn. Hist. Nat., Paris, 4e sér., 7, section B. Adansonia 3 : 259-329.

Raulerson, L. 2006. Checklist of Plants of the Mariana Islands. University of Guam Herbarium Contribution 37:1-69. .

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

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

Swarbrick, J. T. 1997. Environmental weeds and exotic plants on Christmas Island, Indian Ocean: a report to Parks Australia. 101 pp. plus appendix.

Swarbrick, John T. 1997. Weeds of the Pacific Islands. Technical paper no. 209. South Pacific Commission, Noumea, New Caledonia. 124 pp.

Tassin, Jacques. 2005. Jacques Tassin (IAC-CIRAD), personal communication.

U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. 2011. 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, D. F. 1993. The major arthropod pests and weeds of agriculture in Southeast Asia. The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra. 141 pp.

Waterhouse, D. F. 1997. The major invertebrate pests and weeds of agriculture and plantation forestry in the Southern and Western Pacific. The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra. 93 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.

Zhengyi, Wu/Raven, Peter H./Deyuan, Hong. 2011. Flora of China (online resource).