Family: Poaceae
High Risk Traits:
- Broad climate suitability
- Thrives and spreads in regions with tropical climates
- Naturalized on Kauai, Oahu, Molokai, Kahoolawe, Hawaii (Hawaiian Islands) and elsewhere
- A weed of gardens, parks, roadsides, disturbed sites, waste areas, creek-banks (i.e., riparian areas), open woodlands and plantation crops
- An environmental weed, impacting native vegetation in Brazil and Australia
- Other Urochloa species are invasive
- Allelopathic
- Potentially toxic or harmful to grazing animals under certain growing conditions
- Tolerates many soil types
- Forms a dense cover that can exclude other vegetation
- Reproduces by seeds and stolons
- Apomictic
- Seeds dispersed by water, animals, as a produce contaminant, by ants, and intentional cultivation
- Prolific seed production
- Tolerates heavy grazing and fire
Low Risk Traits:
- Despite naturalization, negative impacts have not been reported from the Hawaiian Islands to date
- Unarmed (no spines, thorns, or burrs)
- Palatable to grazing animals
- Seeds lose viability after 5 months (do not form a persistent seed bank)
- Herbicides may provide effective control