Eragrostis pilosa (India lovegrass)
Index
- Pictures
- Identity
- Summary of Invasiveness
- Taxonomic Tree
- Notes on Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Description
- Plant Type
- Distribution
- Distribution Table
- History of Introduction and Spread
- Introductions
- Risk of Introduction
- Habitat
- Habitat List
- Hosts/Species Affected
- Host Plants and Other Plants Affected
- Growth Stages
- Biology and Ecology
- Climate
- Latitude/Altitude Ranges
- Rainfall Regime
- Soil Tolerances
- Natural enemies
- Notes on Natural Enemies
- Means of Movement and Dispersal
- Pathway Causes
- Pathway Vectors
- Impact Summary
- Impact
- Environmental Impact
- Social Impact
- Risk and Impact Factors
- Uses
- Uses List
- Similarities to Other Species/Conditions
- Prevention and Control
- Bibliography
- References
- Links to Websites
- Contributors
- Distribution Maps
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Top of pagePreferred Scientific Name
- Eragrostis pilosa (L.) P. Beauv.
Preferred Common Name
- India lovegrass
Other Scientific Names
- Catabrosa verticillata (Cav.) P.Beauv.
- Eragrostis afghanica Gand.
- Eragrostis amurensis Prob.
- Eragrostis bagdadensis Boiss.
- Eragrostis baguirmiensis A.Chev.
- Eragrostis collocarpa K.Schum.
- Eragrostis filiformis Link
- Eragrostis gracilis Schrad.
- Eragrostis gracillima Hack.
- Eragrostis imberbis (Franch.) Prob.
- Eragrostis indica (J.Koenig ex Rottler) Willd. ex Steud.
- Eragrostis jeholensis Honda
- Eragrostis linkii (Kunth) Steud.
- Eragrostis multispicula Kitag.
- Eragrostis petersii Trin.
- Eragrostis punctata (L.) Link ex Steud.
- Eragrostis tenuiflora Rupr. ex Steud.
- Eragrostis verticillata (Cav.) P. Beauv.,
- Eragrostis verticillata (Cav.) Roem. & Schult.
- Poa bohemica J.C.Mayer ex Mert. & W.D.J.Koch
- Poa delicatior Steud.
- Poa indica J.Koenig ex Rottler
- Poa linkii Kunth
- Poa pilosa L.
- Poa pilosa L.
- Poa poiretii Roem. & Schult.
- Poa punctata L.f.
- Poa senegalensis Desv.
- Poa verticillata Cav.
International Common Names
- English: hairy love grass; Jersey love-grass; small-tufted lovegrass; soft lovegrass
- Spanish: barba de Indio; pasto ilusión; pasto pelillo; sereno
- French: eragrostide à manchettes; éragrostide à plusieurs tiges; éragrostide poilue; pâturin poilu
- Chinese: hua mei cao
- Portuguese: capim-barbicha-de-Alemao; capim-orvelho; capim-peludo
Local Common Names
- Brazil: barbicha de alemao; capin atana; capin panasco
- Germany: behaartes Liebesgras; Haarliebesgras; vielstängliges Liebesgras
- Italy: eragrostide a fusti numerosi; eragrostide pelosa; panicella pelosa
- Japan: ooniwahokori
- Netherlands: harig liefdegras; straatliefdegras
- Norway: slørfriargras
- Poland: miłka owłosiona
- Saudi Arabia: heelaagoog
- Turkey: kıllı yulaf
- Venezuela: grama de fidoeos
EPPO code
- ERAPI (Eragrostis pilosa)
Summary of Invasiveness
Top of pageEragrostis pilosa is an annual grass native to Eurasia and Africa that has become naturalized in many other tropical and temperate regions of the world. It is a common weed in disturbed areas such as roadsides and crop fields. It is invasive in a number of Pacific Islands, the Philippines, Australia, and North America but no further information is available about its impacts or invasiveness in natural or semi-natural habitats in its non-native range.
Taxonomic Tree
Top of page- Domain: Eukaryota
- Kingdom: Plantae
- Phylum: Spermatophyta
- Subphylum: Angiospermae
- Class: Monocotyledonae
- Order: Cyperales
- Family: Poaceae
- Genus: Eragrostis
- Species: Eragrostis pilosa
Notes on Taxonomy and Nomenclature
Top of pageEragrostis Wolf is the largest genus in the subfamily Chloridoideae, with approximately 350 species (Clayton et al., 2018). Members of Eragrostis are generally characterized by paniculate inflorescences, multi-floreted spikelets, glabrous three-nerved lemmas and ciliate ligules. The genus is considered monophyletic but is morphologically and anatomically diverse, and exhibits a wide range of variation in many characteristics (Ingram and Doyle, 2007). Several infraspecific taxa have been described (Scholz, 1988). E. pilosa and E. aethiopica are regarded as putative ancestors of tef (t'ef), a native Ethiopian cereal crop.
Description
Top of pageThe following description is from Clayton et al. (2018):
Eragrostis pilosa is an annual; caespitose. Culms erect, or geniculately ascending; 8–70 cm long. Ligule a fringe of hairs. Leaf-blades 2–20 cm long; 1–4 mm wide. Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle open; elliptic, or ovate; 4–25 cm long. Primary panicle branches whorled at lower nodes. Panicle branches eglandular; bearded in axils. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels eglandular. Spikelets comprising 4–14 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets linear; laterally compressed; 3–7 mm long; 0.7–1.2 mm wide; breaking up at maturity; rhachilla persistent; shedding paleas or retaining paleas (in temperate regions). Glumes deciduous; dissimilar; shorter than spikelet. Lower glume ovate; 0.5–0.7 mm long; 0.5–0.7 length of upper glume; hyaline; without keels; 0 -veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume ovate; 1 mm long; 0.6–1 length of adjacent fertile lemma; hyaline; 1-keeled; 1 -veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute. Fertile florets appressed to rhachilla. Fertile lemma ovate; 1–1.6 mm long; membranous; keeled; 3 -veined. Lemma apex obtuse, or acute. Palea keels scaberulous. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped. Anthers 3; 0.2–0.3 mm long. Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; ellipsoid; laterally compressed; plano-convex; 0.6–1 mm long.
Distribution
Top of pageEragrostis pilosa is distributed in tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World and is introduced in the New World (Clayton et al., 1974; Clayton et al., 2018). In its native range it is found in the tropical and subtropical regions of Africa through to East Asia (Flora of China Editorial Committee, 2018; Flora of Pakistan) and temperate regions of Europe (Walsh, 1994). E. pilosa is mostly found in coastal countries worldwide, but not in cooler northern temperate areas. It is naturalized in North America (USDA-NRCS, 2018), Central, and South America, and in Caribbean regions (Giraldo Cañas et al., 2012). It is introduced in some Pacific islands (PIER, 2018), Australia (Simon and Alfonso, 2011), New Zealand (NZPCN, 2018) and some European countries (Nobis and Nobis, 2009).
In Europe it has been reported as a weed in Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine and Yugoslavia (Holm et al., 1997).
Distribution Table
Top of pageThe distribution in this summary table is based on all the information available. When several references are cited, they may give conflicting information on the status. Further details may be available for individual references in the Distribution Table Details section which can be selected by going to Generate Report.
Last updated: 10 Feb 2022Continent/Country/Region | Distribution | Last Reported | Origin | First Reported | Invasive | Reference | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Africa |
|||||||
Algeria | Present | Native | |||||
Angola | Present | Native | |||||
Benin | Present | Native | |||||
Botswana | Present | Native | |||||
Burkina Faso | Present | Native | |||||
Burundi | Present | Native | |||||
Cabo Verde | Present | Native | |||||
Cameroon | Present | Native | |||||
Central African Republic | Present | Native | |||||
Chad | Present | Native | |||||
Comoros | Present | Native | |||||
Congo, Democratic Republic of the | Present | Native | |||||
Congo, Republic of the | Present | Native | |||||
Côte d'Ivoire | Present | Native | |||||
Djibouti | Present | Native | |||||
Egypt | Present | Native | |||||
Equatorial Guinea | Present | Native | |||||
Eritrea | Present | Native | |||||
Eswatini | Present | Native | |||||
Ethiopia | Present | Native | |||||
Gambia | Present | Native | |||||
Ghana | Present | Native | |||||
Guinea | Present | Native | |||||
Guinea-Bissau | Present | Native | |||||
Kenya | Present | Native | |||||
Lesotho | Present | Native | |||||
Liberia | Present | Native | |||||
Libya | Present | Native | |||||
Madagascar | Present | Native | |||||
Malawi | Present | Native | |||||
Mali | Present | Native | |||||
Mauritania | Present | Native | |||||
Morocco | Present | Native | |||||
Mozambique | Present | Native | |||||
Namibia | Present | Native | |||||
Niger | Present | Native | |||||
Nigeria | Present | Native | |||||
Senegal | Present | Native | |||||
Sierra Leone | Present | Native | |||||
Somalia | Present | Native | |||||
South Africa | Present | Native | |||||
South Sudan | Present | Native | |||||
Sudan | Present | Native | |||||
Tanzania | Present | Native | |||||
Togo | Present | Native | |||||
Uganda | Present | Native | |||||
Zambia | Present | Native | |||||
Zimbabwe | Present | Native | |||||
Antarctica |
|||||||
French Southern Territories | |||||||
-Crozet Islands | Present | Native | |||||
Asia |
|||||||
Afghanistan | Present | Native | |||||
Bangladesh | Present | Native | |||||
Bhutan | Present | Native | Punakha (Chuzomsa to Wangdue, Punakha Dzong) | ||||
China | Present | Native | |||||
-Anhui | Present | Native | |||||
-Beijing | Present | Native | |||||
-Fujian | Present | Native | |||||
-Guizhou | Present | Native | |||||
-Hainan | Present | Native | |||||
-Heilongjiang | Present | Native | |||||
-Henan | Present | Native | |||||
-Hubei | Present | Native | |||||
-Inner Mongolia | Present | Native | |||||
-Ningxia | Present | Native | |||||
-Shaanxi | Present | Native | |||||
-Shandong | Present | Native | |||||
-Xinjiang | Present | Native | |||||
-Yunnan | Present | Native | |||||
-Zhejiang | Present | Native | |||||
Hong Kong | Present | Native | |||||
India | Present | Native | |||||
-Assam | Present | Native | |||||
-Bihar | Present | Native | |||||
-Karnataka | Present | ||||||
-Maharashtra | Present | Native | |||||
Iran | Present | Native | |||||
Iraq | Present | Native | |||||
Israel | Present | Native | |||||
Japan | Present | Native | |||||
-Bonin Islands | Present | Introduced | |||||
Malaysia | Present | ||||||
Mongolia | Present | Native | |||||
Myanmar | Present | Native | |||||
Nepal | Present | Native | |||||
North Korea | Present | Native | |||||
Oman | Present | Native | |||||
Pakistan | Present | Native | Sind, Baluchistan, Punjab | ||||
Palestine | Present | Native | |||||
Philippines | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
South Korea | Present | Native | |||||
Sri Lanka | Present | Native | |||||
Taiwan | Present | Native | |||||
Tajikistan | Present | Native | |||||
Turkey | Present | Native | |||||
Turkmenistan | Present | Native | |||||
Uzbekistan | Present | Native | |||||
Vietnam | Present | Native | |||||
Yemen | Present | Native | |||||
Europe |
|||||||
Albania | Present | Native | |||||
Austria | Present | Native | |||||
Belarus | Present | Native | |||||
Belgium | Present | Introduced | 1877 | ||||
Bosnia and Herzegovina | Present | Native | |||||
Bulgaria | Present | Native | |||||
Croatia | Present | Native | |||||
Czechia | Present | Native | |||||
Czechoslovakia | Present | Native | |||||
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia | Present | Native | |||||
France | Present | Native | |||||
-Corsica | Present | Introduced | 1972 | ||||
Germany | Present | Native | |||||
Greece | Present | Native | |||||
Hungary | Present | Native | |||||
Italy | Present | Native | |||||
Lithuania | Present | Introduced | 1988 | ||||
Montenegro | Present | Native | |||||
Netherlands | Present | Introduced | 1958 | ||||
North Macedonia | Present | Native | |||||
Poland | Present | Introduced | 1962 | ||||
Portugal | Present | Native | |||||
Romania | Present | ||||||
Russia | Present | Native | |||||
Serbia | Present | Native | |||||
Serbia and Montenegro | Present | Native | |||||
Slovakia | Present | Native | |||||
Slovenia | Present | Native | |||||
Spain | Present | Native | |||||
Sweden | Present | Introduced | 1931 | ||||
Switzerland | Present | Native | |||||
Ukraine | Present | Native | |||||
United Kingdom | Present | Native | |||||
North America |
|||||||
Aruba | Present | Introduced | |||||
Bahamas | Present | Introduced | |||||
Bermuda | Present | Introduced | |||||
Canada | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-British Columbia | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Ontario | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
Costa Rica | Present | Introduced | |||||
Cuba | Present | Introduced | |||||
Dominican Republic | Present | Introduced | |||||
El Salvador | Present | Introduced | |||||
Haiti | Present | Introduced | |||||
Honduras | Present | Introduced | |||||
Jamaica | Present | Introduced | |||||
Mexico | Present | Introduced | |||||
Nicaragua | Present | Introduced | |||||
Puerto Rico | Present | Introduced | |||||
Trinidad and Tobago | Present | Introduced | |||||
United States | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Alabama | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Arizona | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Arkansas | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-California | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Colorado | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Connecticut | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Delaware | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-District of Columbia | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Florida | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Georgia | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Hawaii | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Idaho | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Illinois | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Indiana | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Iowa | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Kansas | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Kentucky | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Louisiana | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Maine | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Maryland | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Massachusetts | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Michigan | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Minnesota | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Mississippi | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Missouri | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Nebraska | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Nevada | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-New Hampshire | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-New Jersey | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-New Mexico | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-New York | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-North Carolina | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-North Dakota | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Ohio | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Oklahoma | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Oregon | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Pennsylvania | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Rhode Island | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-South Carolina | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-South Dakota | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Tennessee | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Texas | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Vermont | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Virginia | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Washington | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-West Virginia | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Wisconsin | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Wyoming | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
Oceania |
|||||||
American Samoa | Present | Introduced | |||||
Australia | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Northern Territory | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Queensland | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-South Australia | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Victoria | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
-Western Australia | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
Christmas Island | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
Federated States of Micronesia | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
Fiji | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
Guam | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
Kiribati | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
New Caledonia | Present | Introduced | Invasive | ||||
New Zealand | Present | Introduced | |||||
Palau | Present | Introduced | |||||
Papua New Guinea | Present | Introduced | |||||
Samoa | Present | Introduced | |||||
Solomon Islands | Present | Introduced | |||||
South America |
|||||||
Argentina | Present | Introduced | |||||
Bolivia | Present | Introduced | |||||
Brazil | Present | Introduced | |||||
Chile | Present | Introduced | 1923 | ||||
Colombia | Present | Introduced | |||||
Ecuador | Present | Introduced | |||||
French Guiana | Present | Introduced | |||||
Guyana | Present | Introduced | |||||
Paraguay | Present | Introduced | |||||
Peru | Present | Introduced | |||||
Uruguay | Present | Introduced | |||||
Venezuela | Present | Introduced |
History of Introduction and Spread
Top of pageEragrostis pilosa has been introduced in America, Oceania and in some European countries. It was first reported in the USA in Michigan in 1924 (Reznicek et al., 2011). In Belgium it was first recorded in 1877 and is now found across the country (Alien plants of Belgium, 2018). It was first recorded in the Netherlands in 1958, and has since spread throughout the country, predominantly in the south (NDFF, 2018). It was introduced to Poland from Ukraine in 2005 and has since spread to other locations (Nobis and Nobis, 2009).
Introductions
Top of pageIntroduced to | Introduced from | Year | Reason | Introduced by | Established in wild through | References | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Natural reproduction | Continuous restocking | |||||||
Michigan | Europe | 1924 | Yes | No | Reznicek et al. (2011) | |||
Belgium | 1877 | Yes | No | Alien plants of Belgium (2018) | ||||
Netherlands | 1958 | Yes | No | NDFF (2018) | ||||
Poland | Ukraine | 2005 | Yes | No | Nobis and Nobis (2009) |
Risk of Introduction
Top of pageEragrostis pilosa has a moderate to high likelihood of being further introduced unintentionally outside its natural range by seed contamination via traded grain commodities (Alien plants of Belgium, 2018). Recently, in some European countries, it has been introduced by vehicles such as trains or cars (Nobis and Nobis, 2009).
Habitat
Top of pageThis species grows in varied habitats. It grows in both waterlogged areas (India Biodiversity Portal, 2018) and in dry places. It prefers moist pastures and open, disturbed ground; it also frequently grows in roadsides and waste areas (Holm et al., 1997), and grows around rice paddies (Srivastava and Saxena, 1967). In its native range (Africa), it is found in floodplain grassland, on river sand banks and in alluvium woodland (Flora Zambesiaca, 2018). It is also commonly found as a weed in croplands and on fallow land (Clayton et al., 1974).
It is a garden weed in Bhutan (Bhutan Biodiversity Portal, 2018). In Australia, it is found in irrigated crops, urban areas, gardens and nurseries (Walsh, 1994; Simon and Alfonso, 2011). In the Pacific Islands, it is found in disturbed sites, on cultivated land, and along roadsides (Smith, 1979; Wagner et al., 1999). In Europe, it is considered a ruderal species, found almost exclusively in urban habitats (street, sidewalk, gutter, car parks), and along railways and roadsides (Nobis and Nobis, 2009; NDFF, 2018.)
Habitat List
Top of pageCategory | Sub-Category | Habitat | Presence | Status |
---|---|---|---|---|
Terrestrial | Managed | Cultivated / agricultural land | Secondary/tolerated habitat | Harmful (pest or invasive) |
Terrestrial | Managed | Disturbed areas | Secondary/tolerated habitat | Natural |
Terrestrial | Managed | Rail / roadsides | Secondary/tolerated habitat | Natural |
Terrestrial | Managed | Urban / peri-urban areas | Secondary/tolerated habitat | Natural |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Natural grasslands | Principal habitat | Natural |
Terrestrial | Natural / Semi-natural | Wetlands | Principal habitat | Natural |
Hosts/Species Affected
Top of pageThis species is a significant weed in cotton crops (Brazil), in barley and wheat (Korea), in sugarcane (Taiwan), in dryland crops (India), in rice (India, Indonesia and Dominican Republic) and in vineyards (Ukraine) (Srivastava and Saxena, 1967; Holm et al.,1997). It is also considered a crop weed in Pakistan (Ashraf et al., 2012). E. pilosa is a host of the root lesion nematode pathogen in rice crops (Ravichandra, 2013), and promotes the rice pest Leptocorisa varicornis in rice crops (Srivastava and Saxena, 1967).
Host Plants and Other Plants Affected
Top of pagePlant name | Family | Context | References |
---|---|---|---|
Gossypium hirsutum (Bourbon cotton) | Malvaceae | Other | |
Hordeum vulgare (barley) | Poaceae | Other | |
Oryza sativa (rice) | Poaceae | Main | |
Saccharum officinarum (sugarcane) | Poaceae | Other | |
Triticum aestivum (wheat) | Poaceae | Other |
Biology and Ecology
Top of pageGenetics
The majority of Eragrostis species show a range of ploidy levels (Ingram and Doyle, 2007). Thje chromosome number reported for E. pilosa varies from 2n= 20, 36, 40, 60 (Giraldo Cañas et al., 2012; Flora of China Editorial Committee, 2018).
Reproductive Biology
Reproduction and propagation is mainly by seeds. It can create a long-lasting soil seed bank (Li et al., 2006).
Physiology and Phenology
Flowering and fruiting is from May to August in India (India Biodiversity Portal, 2018), from July to October in Pakistan (Flora of Pakistan, 2018), and from August to November in China (Flora of China Editorial Committee, 2018). In Australia, it flowers and fruits all year round (Simon and Alfonso, 2011), and in the Netherlands from July to the autumn (NDFF, 2018). E. pilosa uses the C4 pathway in photosynthesis (Ingram and Doyle, 2007).
Environmental Requirements
Eragrostis pilosa is found at elevations of 300 to 2000 m in Africa (Clayton et al., 1974; Flora Zambesiaca, 2018), 1,00-1200 m. in Bhutan (Bhutan Biodiversity Portal, 2018), from sea level to 1700m in South America (Giraldo Cañas et al., 2012), and from sea level to about 800 m in Fiji (Smith, 1979). In Australia, it is found in sandy alluvium, loams, and lateritic soils (Simon and Alfonso, 2011); in South America, in wet sandy soils (Giraldo Cañas et al., 2012), in black basaltic soil and clayey soils in Africa (Clayton et al., 1974; Flora Zambesiaca, 2018) and mostly in sandy ground in the Netherlands (NDFF, 2018)
Climate
Top of pageClimate | Status | Description | Remark |
---|---|---|---|
Af - Tropical rainforest climate | Preferred | > 60mm precipitation per month | |
Am - Tropical monsoon climate | Preferred | Tropical monsoon climate ( < 60mm precipitation driest month but > (100 - [total annual precipitation(mm}/25])) | |
As - Tropical savanna climate with dry summer | Preferred | < 60mm precipitation driest month (in summer) and < (100 - [total annual precipitation{mm}/25]) | |
Aw - Tropical wet and dry savanna climate | Preferred | < 60mm precipitation driest month (in winter) and < (100 - [total annual precipitation{mm}/25]) | |
BS - Steppe climate | Tolerated | > 430mm and < 860mm annual precipitation | |
BW - Desert climate | Tolerated | < 430mm annual precipitation | |
C - Temperate/Mesothermal climate | Preferred | Average temp. of coldest month > 0°C and < 18°C, mean warmest month > 10°C | |
Cs - Warm temperate climate with dry summer | Preferred | Warm average temp. > 10°C, Cold average temp. > 0°C, dry summers | |
Cw - Warm temperate climate with dry winter | Preferred | Warm temperate climate with dry winter (Warm average temp. > 10°C, Cold average temp. > 0°C, dry winters) | |
Cf - Warm temperate climate, wet all year | Preferred | Warm average temp. > 10°C, Cold average temp. > 0°C, wet all year | |
Ds - Continental climate with dry summer | Preferred | Continental climate with dry summer (Warm average temp. > 10°C, coldest month < 0°C, dry summers) | |
Dw - Continental climate with dry winter | Preferred | Continental climate with dry winter (Warm average temp. > 10°C, coldest month < 0°C, dry winters) | |
Df - Continental climate, wet all year | Preferred | Continental climate, wet all year (Warm average temp. > 10°C, coldest month < 0°C, wet all year) |
Latitude/Altitude Ranges
Top of pageLatitude North (°N) | Latitude South (°S) | Altitude Lower (m) | Altitude Upper (m) |
---|---|---|---|
75 | 55 |
Natural enemies
Top of pageNatural enemy | Type | Life stages | Specificity | References | Biological control in | Biological control on |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Striga hermonthica | Parasite | Plants|Roots | not specific |
Notes on Natural Enemies
Top of pageEragrostis pilosa can be infested with the obligate root-hemiparasitic plant Striga hermonthica (Watling and Press, 1998).
Means of Movement and Dispersal
Top of pageNatural Dispersal
Eragrostis pilosa spreads by seeds, which can be transported by water, wind and soil. It also spreads with the movement of hay, via machinery, road and rail traffic (Holm et al., 1997; Nobis and Nobis, 2009) and possibly in car tires (NDFF, 2018).
Accidental Introduction
Eragrostis pilosa is likely to be introduced unintentionally via trade as a seed contaminant (Alien plants of Belgium, 2018).
Pathway Causes
Top of pageCause | Notes | Long Distance | Local | References |
---|---|---|---|---|
Disturbance | Yes | Alien plants of Belgium (2018) | ||
Escape from confinement or garden escape | Yes | Alien plants of Belgium (2018) | ||
Garden waste disposal | Yes | Alien plants of Belgium (2018) | ||
Seed trade | Yes | Alien plants of Belgium (2018) |
Pathway Vectors
Top of pageVector | Notes | Long Distance | Local | References |
---|---|---|---|---|
Debris and waste associated with human activities | Yes | Alien plants of Belgium (2018) | ||
Machinery and equipment | Seed | Yes | Holm et al. (1997) | |
Plants or parts of plants | Seed | Yes | Alien plants of Belgium (2018) | |
Land vehicles | Seed | Yes | NDFF (2018) | |
Water | Seed | Yes | Holm et al. (1997) | |
Wind | Seed | Yes | Holm et al. (1997) |
Impact Summary
Top of pageCategory | Impact |
---|---|
Cultural/amenity | Negative |
Economic/livelihood | Positive and negative |
Human health | Positive |
Impact
Top of pageEnvironmental Impact
Top of pageEragrostis pilosa is cited as invasive in a number of Pacific Islands, the Philippines (PIER, 2018), Australia (Simon and Alfonso, 2011) and North America (PIER, 2018; USDA-NRCS, 2018) but no further information is available about its impacts or invasiveness in natural or semi-natural habitats in its non-native range.
Social Impact
Top of pageEragrostis pilosa is a grassy weed in gardens and nurseries (Walsh, 1994; Simon and Alfonso, 2011).
Risk and Impact Factors
Top of page- Proved invasive outside its native range
- Has a broad native range
- Abundant in its native range
- Highly adaptable to different environments
- Is a habitat generalist
- Tolerates, or benefits from, cultivation, browsing pressure, mutilation, fire etc
- Pioneering in disturbed areas
- Tolerant of shade
- Highly mobile locally
- Benefits from human association (i.e. it is a human commensal)
- Fast growing
- Has high reproductive potential
- Has propagules that can remain viable for more than one year
- Reproduces asexually
- Negatively impacts agriculture
- Reduced amenity values
- Highly likely to be transported internationally accidentally
- Difficult to identify/detect as a commodity contaminant
Uses
Top of pageEragrostis pilosa is used as forage grass and fodder for animals (Flora of China Editorial Committee, 2018; Flora of Pakistan, 2018). Amongst other wild African grasses, E. pilosa is harvested in East Africa for its edible seed (Kunkel, 1984; USA, National Research Council, 1996). It is generally seen as a famine food, but is used regularly in some areas (Useful Tropical Plants, 2018). The seed contains around 16% protein (Burkill, 2000).
Uses List
Top of pageAnimal feed, fodder, forage
- Fodder/animal feed
- Forage
Genetic importance
- Progenitor of
Human food and beverage
- Cereal
- Emergency (famine) food
Medicinal, pharmaceutical
- Traditional/folklore
Similarities to Other Species/Conditions
Top of pageEragrostis pilosa can be distinguished from other Eragrostis species by its lowermost inflorescence branches, which are always verticillate (vs. single), and by its periligular zone, which always bears some hairs (vs. glabrous). The inflorescence branches are long and remain erect (inflorescence long and slender) (Alien plants of Belgium, 2018). Eragrostis pilosa tends to have a more open, spreading panicle than E. pectinacea, with less persistent paleas (Reznicek et al., 2011). For information on distinguishing it from E. albensis, see Nobis and Nobis (2009). For further information on the characteristics that distinguish it from other Eragrostis species, see Walters (2011).
Prevention and Control
Top of pageDue to the variable regulations around (de)registration of pesticides, your national list of registered pesticides or relevant authority should be consulted to determine which products are legally allowed for use in your country when considering chemical control. Pesticides should always be used in a lawful manner, consistent with the product's label.
Mechanical control
Tillage, digging or pulling by hand before seed production are 95% effective as means of control Eragrostis spp (DiTomaso et al., 2013).
Chemical Control
Herbicides such as Clethodim, Fluazifop, Glyphosate, Imazapyr and Sethoxydim can control E. pilosa effectively (DiTomaso et al., 2013).
Bibliography
Top of pageReferences
Top of pageAshraf M, Öztürk M, Ahmad MSA, Aksoy A, 2012. Crop production for agricultural improvement, Springer Science & Business Media.
Bhutan Biodiversity Portal, 2018. Bhutan Biodiversity Portal. Thimphu, Bhutan: National Biodiversity Centre.https://biodiversity.bt/
Burkill, H. M., 2000. The Useful Plants of West Tropical Africa, Kew, UK: Royal Botanic Gardens.
Clayton, WD, Govaerts, R, Harman, KT, Williamson, H, Vorontsova, M, 2018. World Checklist of Poaceae. Richmond, UK: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
DiTomaso JM, Kyser GB, Oneto SR, Wilson RG, Orloff SB, Anderson LW, Ransom C, 2013. Weed control in natural areas in the western United States, USA: Weed Research and Information Center, University of California.544 pp.
EPPO, 2018. EPPO Global database. In: EPPO Global database Paris, France: EPPO.https://gd.eppo.int/
Flora Zambesiaca, 2018. Flora Zambesiaca (eFloras). Richmond, UK: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.http://apps.kew.org/efloras/search.do
Giraldo Cañas, D, Peterson, PM, Sánchez Vega, I, 2012. The genus Eragrostis (Poaceae: Chloridoideae) in northwestern South America (Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru): morphological and taxonomic studies. Bogotá, Colombia: Biblioteca José Jerónimo Triana No. 24. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Ciencias Naturales.194 pp.
Ingram AL, Doyle JJ, 2007. Eragrostis (Poaceae): Monophyly and infrageneric classification. Aliso: A Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Botany, 23(1), 595-604.
Kumar V, Malik RK, Gopal R, Gupta RK, Singh K, 2018. Weed Flora of Rice. International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Rice Knowledge Bank.http://www.knowledgebank.irri.org/csisa/images/FactsheetsAndReferences/powerpoints/weedflora.pdf
Kunkel G, 1984. Plants for human consumption, Oberreifenberg, Germany: Koeltz Scientific Books.
Li X, Li X, Jiang D, Liu Z, 2006. Germination strategy and ecological adaptability of Eragrostis pilosa. Ying Yong Sheng Tai Xue Bao, 17(4), 607-610.
NDFF, 2018. (Nationale Databank Flora en Fauna: FLORON Verspreidingsatlas planten). http://verspreidingsatlas.nl
Ravichandra NG, 2013. Plant nematology, New Delhi, India: IK International Pvt Ltd.
Reznicek AA, Voss EG, Walters BS, 2011. Michigan Flora Online. USA: University of Michigan.https://michiganflora.net/
Scholz H, 1988. (Zwei neue Taxa des Eragrostis pilosa-Komplexes (Poaceae)). Willdenowia, 18, 217-222.
Simon, BK, Alfonso, Y, 2011. AusGrass2. In: Grasses of Australia , Australia: CSIRO Publishing.http://ausgrass2.myspecies.info/
Smith, A. C., 1979. Flora vitiensis nova, Kauai, Hawaii, Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden.495 pp.
Walsh NG, 1994. Flora of Victoria. Volume 2: ferns and allied plants, conifers and monocotyledons, Chatswood, Australia: Inkata Press Pty Ltd.ix + 946 pp.
Walters DS, 2011. Identification Tool to Weed Disseminules of California Central Valley Table Grape Production Areas. Fort Collins, Colorado, USDA APHIS PPQ CPHST Identification Technology Program.http://idtools.org/id/table_grape/weed-tool/
Distribution References
Bhutan Biodiversity Portal, 2018. Bhutan Biodiversity Portal. Thimphu, Bhutan: National Biodiversity Centre. https://biodiversity.bt/
CABI Data Mining, Undated. CAB Abstracts Data Mining.,
Clayton WD, Govaerts R, Harman KT, Williamson H, Vorontsova M, 2018. World Checklist of Poaceae., Richmond, UK: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/
Giraldo Cañas D, Peterson PM, Sánchez Vega I, 2012. The genus Eragrostis (Poaceae: Chloridoideae) in northwestern South America (Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru): morphological and taxonomic studies., Bogotá, Colombia: Biblioteca José Jerónimo Triana No. 24. Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Ciencias Naturales. 194 pp.
NDFF, 2018. (Nationale Databank Flora en Fauna: FLORON Verspreidingsatlas planten). http://verspreidingsatlas.nl
Simon BK, Alfonso Y, 2011. AusGrass2. In: Grasses of Australia, Australia: CSIRO Publishing. http://ausgrass2.myspecies.info/
Links to Websites
Top of pageWebsite | URL | Comment |
---|---|---|
GISD/IASPMR: Invasive Alien Species Pathway Management Resource and DAISIE European Invasive Alien Species Gateway | https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.m93f6 | Data source for updated system data added to species habitat list. |
Global register of Introduced and Invasive species (GRIIS) | http://griis.org/ | Data source for updated system data added to species habitat list. |
Contributors
Top of page10/08/18 Original text by:
Manuel Angel Duenas-Lopez, Universidad de Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
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