Exotic Grasses: Identification, Comparison and Treatment 5 Early Detection Rapid Response (EDRR) Species Capt. Greg Hendricks USDA-NRCS Retired Florida Master Naturalist Florida Eco Enterprises, LLC Merritt Island, Florida FLEcoEnterprises@cfl.rr.com William G. Thomas, II, General Biologist (Invasive Species) Region 4 Invasive Species Strike Team Leader J.N. "Ding" Darling NWR Sanibel, Florida 33957
Presentation Outline: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Basic Grass Morphology Burmareed - FLEPPC - Category I Paragrass - FLEPPC - Category I Napiergrass - FLEPPC - Category I Fountaingrass - FLEPPC - Category II Missiongrass - Federal Noxious Weed Jaragua - FLEPPC - Category II Guineagrass - FLEPPC - Category II Control & Treatment Methods
Important Parts of a Grass Plant Crown
The Seedhead or Inflorescence of the Grass Plant Rachis Rachis Peduncle
The Spikelet is basic unit of the Inflorescence
The Floret is basic unit of the Spikelet
Characteristics of the Node Swollen & Glabrous Hairy or Pubescent Color, e.g., purple or blue
Characteristics of the Ligule
Characteristics of the Leaf-Blade
Characteristics of the Leaf Margin Ciliate Glandular Scabrous Smooth
Burmareed (Silkgrass) - Category I Invasive Native to Southeast Asia Distribution - southern peninsula Typical Sites - flatwoods, canal banks, disturbed sites Key Characteristics Clumped w/short scaly rhizomes Height - 3 meters or more tall Nodes - dark, internodes solid Sheath - closed & glabrous, brown hairs at collar on young leaves Leaves - flat to involute, no mid-rib, scabrous above, 90 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, auricle present Planted in testing garden at Coconut Grove, Fla. and Leaf Margin - smooth occasionally escaped; native of southern Asia. Ligule - ciliate up to 7 mm long A.S. Hitchcock, 1935 Seedhead - plumelike, 80 cm long & drooping Spikelets - 6-8 mm long, flattened Awn - 1-2 mm long & bent
Burmareed (Silkgrass) - Category I Invasive
Native - Common Reed Native to N. America & Tropics Distribution - S & C peninsula & panhandle Typical Sites - brackish to fresh marshes, ditches & disturbed sites Key Characteristics Spreading by Rhizomes & Stolons Height - 3 meters or more tall Nodes - internodes hollow Sheath - glabrous, overlapping and open at top Leaves - flat, no mid-rib, 40 cm long, 1-5 cm wide, glabrous above Leaf Margins - scabrous Ligule - membrane w/short stiff hairs Seedhead - plumelike, 30-40 cm long, & drooping Spikelets - 12 to 15 mm long, flat & silky, florets exceeded by hairs of the rachilla Awn - None
Paragrass - Category I Invasive Native to Africa Distribution - central & southern peninsula Typical Sites - wet fields, ditches & marshes Key Characteristics Decumbent, Stoloniferous & Alleopathic Height - 2 to 5 meters tall Nodes - swollen, densely villous (long hairs) Sheath - densely hairy to becoming glabrous in the upper regions, hairy at the collar Leaves - flat, 10-35 cm long & 10-20 mm wide, white mid-rib on lower 1/3, keeled below Leaf Margins - scabrous Ligule - membranous w/hairs 2 mm long Seedhead - 12 to 20 cm long, with 8 or more alternating branches - ascending or spreading Spikelets - sub-sessile, 3 mm long, elliptic, glabrous & 5-nerved Awn - None Commonly cultivated in tropical America as a forage grass, being cut for green feed. Introduced into Brazil at an early date from Africa. A.S. Hitchcock, 1935 (Formerly in the genus of Panicum & Brachiaria)
Paragrass - Category I Invasive
Paragrass - Category I Invasive
Native - Maidencane West Indian Marshgrass - Cat. I Invasive
Napiergrass (Elephantgrass) - Category I Invasive Native to Africa Distribution - throughout peninsula & central to western panhandle. Typical Sites - wet fields, prairies, canals, ditches & marshes Key Characteristics Clumped, sometimes rhizomatous Height - 2 to 4 meters tall Nodes - hairy or glabrous Sheath - hairy or glabrous, shorter than internodes Leaves - Flat & keeled below, distinct white midrib, 70 cm long, 3-4 cm wide Leaf Margins - scabrous Ligule - membranous w/hairs 5 mm long Seedhead - spike-like panicle, 33 cm long, 5 cm wide, stiff & golden yellow to purple tinged Spikelets - 1-6 per fascicle, 4.2 to 6 mm long, surrounded by inter-bristles w/ one primary bristle longer than inter-bristles, straight, 1.3-1.5 cm Awn - None Introduced from Africa; used as a forage plant from central to southern Florida; grown in the West Indies and Southern America. A.S. Hitchcock, 1935
Napiergrass (Elephantgrass) - Category I Invasive
Fountain Grass- Category II Invasive Native to Africa Distribution - east coast (Palm Beach - FL Keys) Typical Sites - disturbed sites Key Characteristics Clumped Height - 1 meter tall Nodes - glabrous Sheath - glabrous, shorter than internodes Leaves - involute, scabrous, green - glaucous, distinct white midrib, 65 cm long, 3-4 cm wide Leaf Margins - whitish with hairs Ligule - membranous w/hairs 5 mm long Seedhead - spike, 15-35 cm long, 5 cm wide, tinged pink or purplish Spikelets - 1 to 4 per fascicle, 4.2 to 6 mm long, inter-bristles sub-branched w/ one primary bristle that is long & straight, ~ 1 cm long Awn - None Cultivated for ornament, especially as a border plant, or around fountains, introduced from Africa A.S. Hitchcock, 1935
Missiongrass (West Indian Pennisetum or Thin Napiergrass) Fed. Noxious Weed Native to Africa (Not Listed by FLEPPC) Distribution - southwest Florida Pennisetum polystachion Typical Sites - wet fields, prairies, canals, ditches & marshes Key Characteristics Clumped, sometimes rhizomatous Height - 2 to 4 meters tall Nodes - hairy or glabrous Sheath - hairy or glabrous Leaves - Flat & keeled below, distinct white midrib, 70 cm long, 2-3 cm wide Leaf Margins - whitish with hairs Ligule - membranous w/hairs 5 mm long Seedhead - spike, 33 cm long, 5 cm wide, white, yellow, light brown, pink, or purple Spikelets - 1 to 6/fascicle, 3.3 to 4.1 mm long, This species get its name from the term, surrounded by inter bristles w/ one primary polymorphic, meaning it has many forms bristle that is long & wavy ~ 1-1.5 cm long or is variable in appearance. Awn - None
Native - Giant Bristlegrass Note: Giant Bristlegrass, is an annual & the bristles persist after seed drop. Pennisetums, are perennials & the bristles fall with seed as a unit.
Jaragua (Thatchingrass) - Category II Invasive Native to Africa Distribution - S. & C. peninsula of FL Typical Sites - Canal banks, flatwoods & disturbed areas Key Characteristics Short Rhizomes Height - 1-2.5 meters tall Sheath - 1/2 length of internode & wider than blade at the collar Leaves - flat, 75 cm long & 2-8 mm wide Leaf Margins - scabrous (like sandpaper) Ligule - membranous w/ tufts of hair Seedhead - ~ 20-60 cm long, with paired digitate racemes 2-5 cm long & reddish brown Spikelets - in pairs, one sessile w/ awn (fertile), the other pedicellate (sterile) Awns - 1.5-2.0 cm long, bent twice, & red - brown Tropics of the Old World; introduced in tropical America; sparingly cultivated in Florida (where it has escaped) and along the Gulf coast. Adapted to conditions in the regions mention, but only moderately valuable as a forage grass. The native name in Brazil is jaragua. A.S. Hitchcock, 1935
Sweet Tanglehead (Buzzardgrass) - annual, 20-80 cm tall paired spikelets seedheads dark brown awns, 10-15 cm long & twisted Exotics - Native to Tropical Regions of the World (Not Listed by FLEPPC) Tanglehead - perennial, 1-2 meters tall paired spikelets seedheads dark brown awns, 5-12 cm long & bent
Guineagrass - Category II Invasive Native to Africa Distribution - peninsula of FL to central panhandle Typical Sites - Canal banks, abandoned citrus groves, roadsides & other disturbed areas Key Characteristics Large Clumps w/ short shout rhizomes Sheath - shorter than internode, hirsute glabrous, densely pubescent on the collar Leaves - flat & keeled-off center, 75 cm long & 3.5 cm wide, w/ a constriction on blade Leaf Margins - scabrous Ligule - membranous w/hairs 4-6 mm long Seedhead - 20-65 cm long, branches stiff, ascending & pyramid shaped, 1st branches whorled Spikelets - elliptic to oblong, 4 mm long, glabrous, pale green & often tinged purple Awn - None
Guineagrass - Category II Invasive Its grows in moderate dry ground and can be used for pasture or for soiling. Much of the green feed cut for forage is this species. Said to have been introduced into Jamaica in 1774 A.S. Hitchcock, 1935
Guineagrass - Category II Invasive
Eastern Gamagrass (Fakahatcheegrass) Florida Gamagrass Native to Florida - 15 to 25 cm racemes - male flowers above & female flowers below - E. Gamagrass (S.E. Mid-Atlantic & Great Plains) - FL Gamagrass (pine rocklands of Dade & Collier Co.)
References A Guide to Florida Grasses, Walter Kingsley Taylor, 2009 Manual of Grasses of the United States, A. S. Hitchcock, 2nd edition, Agnes Chase, 1950 Manual of Grasses for North America, Edited by Mary Barkworth, Laurel K. Anderson, Kathleen Capels, Sandy Long & Michael Piep, 2007 Guide to the Vascular Plants of Florida, 3rd edition, Richard Wunderlin, 2011 How to Identify Grasses & Grasslike Plants, H.D. Harrington, 1977 Integrated Management of Nonnative Plants in Natural Areas of Florida, University of Florida, Publication #SP 242 Wildland Weeds: Paragrass, Urochloa mutica, University of Florida, Publication #SS AGR-370 Controlling Napiergrass: Biology and Control in Sugarcane, University of Florida, Publication #SS-AGR-242 Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants, University of South Florida (on-line)