Cynodon nlemfuensis Vanderyst, Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Common name(s): [more details]

English: African Bermuda grass, Bermudagrass, Rhodesian star grass, robust star grass

Habit:  grass

Description:  "Perennial; mat forming. Rhizomes absent. Stolons present; with alternating elongated and bunched internodes. Culms geniculately ascending; 30-60 cm long; 1-3 mm diameter; firm. Ligule a ciliolate membrane; 0.3 mm long. Leaf-blades flat; 5-16 cm long; 2-6 mm wide; stiff, or firm; mid-green, or glaucous. Leaf-blade surface scaberulous; glabrous, or pilose; sparsely hairy.  Inflorescence composed of racemes. Racemes 4-8(-13); digitate; straight, or flexuous; unilateral; 4-7(-10) cm long. Rhachis flattened. Spikelet packing broadside to rhachis; regular; 2-rowed.  Spikelets appressed; solitary. Fertile spikelets sessile.  Fertile spikelets comprising 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets ovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 2-3 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret.  Glumes persistent; similar; subequal in width; shorter than spikelet; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 length of upper glume; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 1-veined. Lower glume lateral veins absent. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume lanceolate; 0.5-0.8 length of adjacent fertile lemma; herbaceous; 1-keeled; 1-veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume apex acute.  Florets: Fertile lemma ovate; laterally compressed; 2-3 mm long; cartilaginous; mid-green, or red; keeled; 3-veined. Lemma midvein pubescent, or ciliate. Lemma apex acute. Palea 2-veined. Palea keels eciliate.  Fruit a caryopsis with adherent pericarp"  (GrassBase).

Habitat/ecology:  (no habitat/ecology info known by PIER)

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Central to southern Africa, "naturalized elsewhere, including s. United States" (GRIN).

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) San Cristóbal Group	San Cristóbal Island	introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
Ecuador (Galápagos Islands) Santa Cruz Group	Santa Cruz Island	introduced invasive	Charles Darwin Foundation (2008)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1520)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Herbst, Derral R./Wagner, Warren L. (1999) (p. 25) Voucher cited: Shipman s.n. (BISH 118468)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Maui Island	introduced invasive	Oppenheimer, Hank L. (2003) (p. 20) West Maui. Voucher cited: Oppenheimer H120102 (BISH)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Wagner, Warren L./Herbst, Derral R./Sohmer, S. H. (1999) (p. 1520) Adventive
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Moloka‘i Island	introduced invasive	Herbst, Derral R./Wagner, Warren L. (1999) (p. 25) Voucher cited: Herbst & Spence 5096 (BISH)

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

Control:  If you know of control methods for Cynodon nlemfuensis, please let us know.