Family: Poaceae
High Risk Traits:
- Elevation range exceeds 1000 m, demonstrating environmental versatility
- Grows in tropical climates
- Naturalized in the Hawaiian Islands, North America, the Caribbean, & several locations in South America
- A disturbance adapted weedy grass with potential negative impacts on ranching & livestock
- Other Tragus species have become invasive
- Host of maize dwarf mosaic and sugarcane mosaic viruses
- Prolific seeder (1000s/m2)
- Annual grass, reaching maturity in one growing season
- Seeds dispersed by means of hooked prickles arising from the upper glume which aid in attachment to clothing, fur, etc.
- Seeds also moved by water, wind, and as a contaminant
- Forms a persistent seed bank
Low Risk Traits:
- Palatable to grazing animals (although not a preferred forage grass)
- Non-toxic
- Requires full sun
- Not known to spread vegetatively