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