Research directed by C. Daehler (UH Botany) with funding from the Kaulunani Urban Forestry Program and US Forest Service

Information on Risk Assessments
Original risk assessment

Zoysia tenuifolia; templegrass

Answer

1.01

Is the species highly domesticated?

y=-3, n=0

n

1.02

Has the species become naturalized where grown?

y=-1, n=-1

1.03

Does the species have weedy races?

y=-1, n=-1

n

2.01

Species suited to tropical or subtropical climate(s) (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) – If island is primarily wet habitat, then substitute “wet tropical” for “tropical or subtropical”

See Append 2

2

2.02

Quality of climate match data (0-low; 1-intermediate; 2-high) see appendix 2

1

2.03

Broad climate suitability (environmental versatility)

y=1, n=0

2.04

Native or naturalized in regions with tropical or subtropical climates

y=1, n=0

y

2.05

Does the species have a history of repeated introductions outside its natural range? y=-2

?=-1, n=0

y

3.01

Naturalized beyond native range y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2), n= question 2.05

3.02

Garden/amenity/disturbance weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

3.03

Agricultural/forestry/horticultural weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

3.04

Environmental weed y = 2*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

3.05

Congeneric weed y = 1*multiplier (see Append 2)

n=0

n

4.01

Produces spines, thorns or burrs

y=1, n=0

n

4.02

Allelopathic

y=1, n=0

n

4.03

Parasitic

y=1, n=0

n

4.04

Unpalatable to grazing animals

y=1, n=-1

n

4.05

Toxic to animals

y=1, n=0

n

4.06

Host for recognized pests and pathogens

y=1, n=0

n

4.07

Causes allergies or is otherwise toxic to humans

y=1, n=0

n

4.08

Creates a fire hazard in natural ecosystems

y=1, n=0

n

4.09

Is a shade tolerant plant at some stage of its life cycle

y=1, n=0

y

4.1

Tolerates a wide range of soil conditions (or limestone conditions if not a volcanic island)

y=1, n=0

y

4.11

Climbing or smothering growth habit

y=1, n=0

n

4.12

Forms dense thickets

y=1, n=0

n

5.01

Aquatic

y=5, n=0

n

5.02

Grass

y=1, n=0

y

5.03

Nitrogen fixing woody plant

y=1, n=0

n

5.04

Geophyte (herbaceous with underground storage organs -- bulbs, corms, or tubers)

y=1, n=0

n

6.01

Evidence of substantial reproductive failure in native habitat

y=1, n=0

n

6.02

Produces viable seed.

y=1, n=-1

6.03

Hybridizes naturally

y=1, n=-1

y

6.04

Self-compatible or apomictic

y=1, n=-1

6.05

Requires specialist pollinators

y=-1, n=0

n

6.06

Reproduction by vegetative fragmentation

y=1, n=-1

y

6.07

Minimum generative time (years) 1 year = 1, 2 or 3 years = 0, 4+ years = -1

See left

3

7.01

Propagules likely to be dispersed unintentionally (plants growing in heavily trafficked areas)

y=1, n=-1

n

7.02

Propagules dispersed intentionally by people

y=1, n=-1

y

7.03

Propagules likely to disperse as a produce contaminant

y=1, n=-1

n

7.04

Propagules adapted to wind dispersal

y=1, n=-1

n

7.05

Propagules water dispersed

y=1, n=-1

n

7.06

Propagules bird dispersed

y=1, n=-1

n

7.07

Propagules dispersed by other animals (externally)

y=1, n=-1

n

7.08

Propagules survive passage through the gut

y=1, n=-1

8.01

Prolific seed production (>1000/m2)

y=1, n=-1

n

8.02

Evidence that a persistent propagule bank is formed (>1 yr)

y=1, n=-1

8.03

Well controlled by herbicides

y=-1, n=1

y

8.04

Tolerates, or benefits from, mutilation, cultivation, or fire

y=1, n=-1

8.05

Effective natural enemies present locally (e.g. introduced biocontrol agents)

y=-1, n=1

Total score:

-2

Source

Notes

1.01

no evidence

1.02

(1)USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN). [Online Database] National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Available: http://www.ars-grin.gov/var/apache/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?42309 (24 May 2002) (2)Wunderlin, R. P. 1998, Guide to the vascular plants of Florida. Gainesville, University Press of Florida.

(1)"naturalized elsewhere " [this source uses the term 'naturalized' to mean adopted into cultivation, not growing wild] (2)Apparently a rare escape from cultivation in Florida [not listed in Long and Lakela, A Flora of Tropical Florida]

1.03

no evidence

2.01

USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN). [Online Database] National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Available: http://www.ars-grin.gov/var/apache/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?42309 (24 May 2002)

Native:
Asia-Temperate: China [s.]; Japan - Honshu, Kyushu, Ryukyu Islands, Shikoku; Taiwan
Asia-Tropical: Indochina; Indonesia; Malaysia; Philippines
[includes broad temperate range]

2.02

2.03

http://www.stadiumturf.com/zoysia_tenuifolia.htm

the least cold hardy zoysiagrass

2.04

USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN). [Online Database] National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Available: http://www.ars-grin.gov/var/apache/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?42309 (24 May 2002)

Native:
Asia-Temperate: China [s.]; Japan - Honshu, Kyushu, Ryukyu Islands, Shikoku; Taiwan
Asia-Tropical: Indochina; Indonesia; Malaysia; Philippines 

2.05

(1) Miele, S.; Volterrani, M.; Grossi, N. (2000) Warm season turfgrasses: results of a five-year study in Tuscany. Agricoltura Mediterranea, 2000, Vol.130, No.3/4, pp.196-202, 15 ref.
(2) USDA, NRCS. 2001. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.1 (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

(1) Italy (2) USA: Florida; Louisiana; Puerto Rico

3.01

USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN). [Online Database] National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Available: http://www.ars-grin.gov/var/apache/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.pl?42309 (24 May 2002)

"naturalized elsewhere "

3.02

no evidence

3.03

no evidence

3.04

no evidence

3.05

no evidence

4.01

no evidence

4.02

no evidence

4.03

no evidence

4.04

[based on Z. japonica, a close relative which hybridizes with Z.tenuifolia

4.05

[based on Z. japonica, a close relative which hybridizes with Z.tenuifolia

4.06

no evidence

4.07

no evidence

4.08

Iwanami, Y. (1973) Studies on burning temperatures of grasslands. Reports of the Institute for Agricultural Research, Tohoku University, D (Agriculture), 1973, Vol.24, pp.59-105, 25 ref.

AB: Burning temperatures were investigated in grassland dominated by (a) Zoysia tenuifolia, (b) Miscanthus sinensis and (c) Sasa palmata. The amounts of fuel available were 0.2-0.6, 0.25-1 and 1-3 kg DM/m2 in (a), (b) and (c), respectively, and although in (b) and (c) 90% of the fuel burnt easily, 35-73% of fuel was left unburnt in (a). With <0.5 kg fuel/m2 maximum temperatures just above the soil surface increased with increasing amounts of fuel, but with more than or equal to 0.5 kg maximum temperatures were 600-800 deg C. High temperatures lasted longer with increasing amounts of fuel. Soil temperature depended on the amount of fuel, the amount of unburnt duff layer (mixture of F-layer and H-layer) and the rate of fire spread. Temperatures at the soil surface rose by 10-100, 23-170 and 6-48 deg in (a), (b) and (c), respectively, while temperatures at 2 cm deep rose by 0-2, 3-7 and 1-5 deg , respectively. An index of burning intensity was 11-155 X 106, 45-710 X 106 and 200-1280 X 106 in (a), (b) and (c), r

4.09

(1)Dehgan, B. (1998) Landscape Plants for Subtropical Climates. University Press of Florida., Gainesville, FL. 638pp. P.194 (2)http://www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/II-22.pdf (3)http://www.sod.com/html/zoysiat.html

(1)"Full sun to partial shade" (2)Sun or light shade (3)good shade tolerance

4.1

Dehgan, B. (1998) Landscape Plants for Subtropical Climates. University Press of Florida., Gainesville, FL. 638pp. P.194

"adapted to wide-variety of soils"

4.11

low grass

4.12

http://plantanswers.tamu.edu/turf/publications/zoysia.html

a low growing ground cover

5.01

terrestrial

5.02

Poaceae

5.03

no evidence

5.04

grass

6.01

no evidence

6.02

Duble, R.L. (2002) Zoysiagrass. Texas Agricultural Extension Service. Webpage.
Available at:<http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/turf/publications/zoysia.html>

Zoysia japonica is the only species that can be established from seed.

6.03

AB: Some 66 zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) ecotypes collected from the southwest coastal regions of Korea and 2 ecotypes of Z. tenuifolia and Z. matrella from the USA were classified using RAPD analysis. Seventeen polymorphic bands were obtained by PCR analysis using 5 random primers. Ecotypes were classified into 4 major groups by cluster analysis and subdivided into 8 groups according to growth characteristics. Group I included Z. macrostachya which was characterized by large seed width (1.4 mm). Group II included Z. sinica and natural hybrids exhibiting Z. sinica characteristics, such as narrow and long seeds. Group II exhibited the highest ratio (5.4) of seed length to seed width among the groups. Group III included Z. japonica and natural hybrids exhibiting Z. japonica characteristics, such as hairy and wide (5.2 mm) leaves. Z. matrella, Z. tenuifolia and their variants exhibiting natural hybrid characteristics were included in Group IV. Distinguishing between Z. sinica and Z. macrostachya was very difficult

6.04

no evidence

6.05

wind-pollinated

6.06

Dehgan, B. (1998) Landscape Plants for Subtropical Climates. University Press of Florida., Gainesville, FL. 638pp. P.194

"Spreads by stolons and rhizomes"

6.07

http://www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/TM-8.pdf

extremely slow to establish.[estimate based on very slow growing perennial grass]

7.01

http://www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/TM-8.pdf

seeds with very poor germination

7.02

grown for lawn

7.03

no evidence

7.04

no evidence

7.05

no evidence

7.06

no evidence

7.07

no evidence

7.08

no evidence

8.01

(1)Duble, R.L. (2002) Zoysiagrass. Texas Agricultural Extension Service. Webpage.
Available at:<http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/turf/publications/zoysia.html> (2)http://www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/TM-8.pdf

(1)Zoysia japonica is the only species that can be established from seed. (2)seeds with very poor germination

8.02

Duble, R.L. (2002) Zoysiagrass. Texas Agricultural Extension Service. Webpage.
Available at:<http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/turf/publications/zoysia.html>

Zoysiagrasses can be established from seed, sprigs or sod. Zoysia japonica is the only species that can be established from seed.

8.03

http://www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/TM-8.pdf

Fusilade® or Vantage®. Nonselective, complete-control herbicides such as Roundup® or Finale® can be used

8.04

http://www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/TM-8.pdf

very seldom needs mowing, wear tolerance is less than other zoysiagrasses

8.05

http://www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/TM-8.pdf

severely attacked by bagworms