Urochloa reptans (L.) Stapf, Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Threat only at high elevations?  no

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

Common name(s): [more details]

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

French: chiendent blanc, herbe à Bengali, 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" (World Grass Species).

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. From low altitudes to about 1200 m" (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 (2007)
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 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
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)		Waterhouse, D. F. (1997) (p. 66)
Philippines Philippine Islands	Philippine Islands		Waterhouse, D. F. (1993) (p. 63)
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 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)
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).

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).

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./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.

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

McCormack, Gerald. 2007. Cook Islands biodiversity and natural heritage. On-line database.

Raulerson, L. 2006. Checklist of Plants of the Mariana Islands. University of Guam Herbarium Contribution 40:1-69. .

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. 2007. 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 invertebrate 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.