Family: Poaceae
High Risk Traits:
- Broad climate suitability and elevation range
- Thrives and spreads in regions with tropical climates
- Naturalized on Maui, possibly Kahoolawe (Hawaiian Islands) and elsewhere
- Common weed of disturbed areas in the humid tropics and subtropics
- An environmental weed in Brazil
- Other Urochloa species are invasive
- Allelopathic
- Potentially toxic or harmful to grazing animals under certain growing conditions
- May modify fire regime and potentially increase fire risk
- Moderate shade tolerance
- Tolerates many soil types
- Forms a dense cover that can exclude other vegetation
- Reproduces by seeds and vegetatively by sods, root pieces and stems
- Apomictic
- Seeds dispersed by vehicles, humans, cattle, other livestock and as a seed contaminant
- Prolific seed production
Low Risk Traits:
- Despite naturalization, negative impacts have not been reported from the Hawaiian Islands to date
- Valued as a pasture grass in areas where it may also be regarded as weedy
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
- Palatable to grazing animals
- Does not form a long-lived seed bank
- Herbicides may provide effective control