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Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.

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General Information
ID Info
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Family :

Famille :

Poaceae

Synonym(s) :

Synonyme(s) :

Cynosurus indicus L.; basionym (USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024; USDA-NRCS 2024)
Eleusine gracilis Salisb. (DiTomaso and Healy 2007)
Eleusine scabra Fourn. ex Hemsl. (DiTomaso and Healy 2007)

Common Name(s) :

Nom(s) commun(s) :

Goosegrass

(English) (Barkworth et al. 2003; AOSA 2023; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024)
Indian goosegrass (English) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014; USDA-NRCS 2024)
Bullgrass (English) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Crabgrass (English) (Wiersema and León 1999; Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024)
Crowfoot grass (English) (Wiersema and León 1999; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024)
Dog grass (English) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Dutch grass (English) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Fowlfoot grass (English) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Goose foot grass (English) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Iron grass (English) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Oxgrass (English) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Silver grass (English) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Wild finger millet (English) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Wire grass (English) (Wiersema and León 1999; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024)
Yard grass (English) (Wiersema and León 1999; Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024)
Nageil (transcribed Arabic) (USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024)
Niu jin cao (transcribed Chinese) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014; eFloras 2024)
Chiendent patte de poule (French) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Eleusine de l’Inde (French) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014
Eleusine de’Inde (French) (Barkworth et al. 2003; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024)
Eleusine des indes (French) (Barkworth et al. 2003; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024)
Gros chiendent (French) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Pattes de poule (French) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Pied de poule (French) (Wiersema and León 1999; Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024)
Pied de poule de l’Inde (French) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Pied poule vrai (French) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Capim-da-cidade (Portuguese) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024)
Capim-de-burro (Portuguese) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024)
Capim-pé-de-galinha (Portuguese) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024)
Grama-de-coradouro (Portuguese) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Grama-sapo (Portuguese) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024)
Pe-de-galo (Portuguese) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Grama de caballo (Spanish) (Wiersema and León 1999; Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024)
Grama de cabalo (Spanish) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Grama de orque (Spanish) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Guarataro (Spanish) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Pata de gallina (Spanish) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Pata de ganso (Spanish) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Yerba blanca (Spanish) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)
Yerba dulce (Spanish) (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014)

Eleusine indica (gooesgrass) florets, utricles (caryopses), and seeds. Scale in mm.

  • Eleusine indica (gooesgrass) florets, utricles (caryopses), and seeds. Scale in mm.

  • Eleusine indica (goosegrass) floret group removed from spikelet in lateral view. Scale in mm.

  • Eleusine indica (goosegrass) floret in lateral view. Scale in mm.

  • Eleusine indica (goosegrass) utricle (caryopsis) (left) and seeds in embryo view. Scale in mm.

  • Eleusine indica group of seeds

Explore More :

Explore plus :

Overview

Aperçu

Regulation :

Remarques Réglementation:

    Regulation Notes:

    Eleusine indica on French Polynesia list of harmful organisms (USDA-PCIT-PExD 2024) (*may be updated without notice).
    Eleusine indica on Honduras list of harmful organisms (USDA-PCIT-PExD 2024) (*may be updated without notice).
    Eleusine indica on The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea list of harmful organisms (USDA-PCIT-PExD 2024) (*may be updated without notice).
    Eleusine indica on The Republic of Korea list of harmful organisms (USDA-PCIT-PExD 2024) (*may be updated without notice).

    Distribution :

    Répartition :

    Eleusine indica is native to tropical and southern Africa, Madagascar, the Arabian Peninsula, eastern and tropical Asia, and China (USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024). The species has been widely introduced around the world, becoming naturalized in northern Africa, temperate Asia, Oceania, Europe, and the Americas (USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024).

    Habitat and Crop Association :

    Habitat et Cultures Associées :

    Eleusine indica is found in turf, gardens, crop fields, orchards, forest margins, grasslands, coastal areas, and along waterways, roadsides, powerline corridors, and in other disturbed areas (DiTomaso and Healy 2007; Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014).

    Eleusine indica is one of the most common agricultural and environmental weeds in tropical and subtropical regions of the world and is considered an invasive species by many countries (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014). More than 60 countries report E. indica as problematic in 46 crops (Holm et al. 1977). Significant reduction in crop yields have been reported in maize (Zea mays L. subsp. mays), rice (Oryza sativa L.), sweet potato (Ipomea batatas (L.) Lam.), carrot (Daucus carota L.), cotton (Gossypium L. spp.), sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum L.), and others when E. indica is present (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014).

    Economic Use, cultivation area, and Weed Association :

    Utilisation économique, zone de culture et association de mauvaises herbes :

    Duration of Life Cycle :

    Durée du cycle vital:

    Annual

    Dispersal Unit Type :

    Type d’unité de dispersion :

    Seed, Utricle, Floret

    General Information

    RENSEIGNEMENTS GÉNÉRAUX

    Eleusine indica is fast growing annual C4 grass that develops a strong fibrous root system after establishment, making the species difficult and labour intensive to eradicate (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014). This species can establish in various soil types with sufficient moisture, and does best is sunny locations (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014). It can be found up to 2000 m elevation in tropical regions (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014); however, the plants do not tolerate frost conditions in temperate regions (DiTomaso and Healy 2007). A single plant can produce up to 50,000 seeds which disperse easily by wind, water, mammals or farm machinery (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014).

    Herbicide resistant biotypes of E. indica have been reported in Costa Rica, Brazil, Malaysia, and the United States (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014).

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    Identification

    Identification

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    >

    • Spikelet

      Size

      • Spikelet length: 4 – 7 mm; width 2 – 3 mm (Barkworth et al. 2003).
      • Lower (1st) glume length: 1.1 – 2.3(3) mm (Barkworth et al. 2003; DiTomaso and Healy 2003).
      • Upper (2nd) glume length: 2 – 2.9(4) mm (Barkworth et al. 2003; DiTomaso and Healy 2003).

      Shape

      • Spikelet shape oval, laterally compressed.

      Surface Texture

      • Glumes thin and papery.
      • Spikelet surface smooth.
      • Lower (1st) glume 1-nerved; upper (2nd) glume 3 – 5(7) nerved (Barkworth et al. 2003).

      Colour

      • Spikelet colour light brownish yellow.

      Other Features

      • Spikelet composed of 5 – 7 similar looking florets (Barkworth et al. 2003).
      • Disarticulation of the spikelet occurs above the glumes and between florets at the rachilla nodes.

      Eleusine indica (goosegrass) floret group removed from spikelet in lateral view. Scale in mm.

    • Floret

      Size

      • Floret length*: 2.2 – 3.8 mm (average 3.1 mm); width in palea view*: 0.7 – 0.9 mm (average 0.8 mm); thickness in lateral view*: 0.8 – 1.1 mm (average 1.0 mm).
      • Floret length**: 2.5 – 3.0 mm; width**: 0.7 – 1.0 mm.
      • Rachilla length*: 0.4 – 0.6 mm (average 0.5 mm).
      • Palea shorter than lemma
      *Note: minimum and maximum based on a random selection of 10 florets in normal range of this species using image measurement protocol (ISMA 2020). CDA-S-22927. Measured by D.J. Lionakis Meyer
      **Note: minimum and maximum based on a random selection of 10 florets in normal range of this species using image measurement protocol (ISMA 2020). Measured by M. van den Berg.

       

      Shape

      • Floret is teardrop shaped (lanceolate), laterally compressed.
      • Lemma keeled along mid-nerve, tapered to a point at tip, awnless.
      • Palea strongly keeled along two nerves.
      • Callus blunt.
      • Rachilla nearly round in cross-section.

      Surface Texture

      • Lemma and palea papery.
      • Floret surface smooth.
      • Mid-nerve and lateral nerves of lemma may be slightly raised.
      • Lemma and palea keels with short stiff hairs.

      Colour

      • Floret colour light brownish yellow or greyish yellow.

      Eleusine indica (goosegrass) floret in lateral view. Scale in mm.

    • Utricle

      Size

      • Utricle length*: 1.3 – 1.5 mm (average 1.4 mm); width*: 0.6 – 0.8 mm (average 0.7 mm); thickness (in lateral view)*: 0.7 – 0.9 mm (average 0.8 mm).
      *Note: minimum and maximum based on a random selection of 10 utricles in normal range of this species using image measurement protocol (ISMA 2020). CDA-S-22927. Measured by D. J. Lionakis Meyer

      Shape

      • Utricle egg-shaped.

      Surface Texture

      • Utricle pericarp membranous to papery, smooth, slightly shiny.

      Colour

      • Utricle colour light brownish yellow.

      Other Features

      • At maturity the seed easily separates from the papery pericarp.

      Eleusine indica (goosegrass) utricle (caryopsis) (left) and seeds in embryo view. Scale in mm.

    <
    >

    • Seed

      Size

      • Seed length*: 1.3 – 1.5 mm (average 1.4 mm); width*: 0.6 – 0.8 mm (average 0.7 mm); thickness (in lateral view)*: 0.7 – 0.9 mm (average 0.8 mm).
      • Seed length**: About 1 mm; width 0.6 mm.
      *Note: minimum and maximum based on a random selection of 10 seeds in normal range of this species using image measurement protocol (ISMA 2020). CDA-S-22927. Measured by D. J. Lionakis Meyer.
      **Note: minimum and maximum based on a random selection of 10 seeds in normal range of this species using image measurement protocol (ISMA 2020). Measured by M. van den Berg.

      Seed Measurements from the literature:
      Seed length: 1 – 1.3 mm long. (Tutin et al. 1980).
      Seed length: 1.2 – 1.4 mm long; width: 0.8 – 0.9 mm (Bojňanský and Fargašová 2007).

      Shape

      • Seed shape oval to egg-shaped, slightly compressed laterally, three-sided with longitudinal groove on hilum side.

      Surface Texture

      • Seed surface transversely ridged, the ridges radiating upward (obliquely) away from the embryo and perpendicularly striate between ridges.

      Colour

      • Seed colour dark reddish brown to purplish-black.

      Other Features

      • Hilum round and located in depression at embryo end (base) of the seed.

      Eleusine indica (goosegrass) utricle (caryopsis) (left) and seeds in embryo view. Scale in mm.

    <
    >

    • Embryo

      Size

      • Embryo length*: 0.4 – 0.6 mm (average 0.4 mm).
      • Embryo about one-third the length of the seed.
      *Note: minimum and maximum based on a random selection of 10 embryos in normal range of this species using image measurement protocol (ISMA 2020). CDA-S-22927. Measured by D.J. Lionakis Meyer.

      Shape

      • Embryo shape oval.

      Endosperm

      • Endosperm solid (Terrell 1971).

      Other Features

      • Embryo in lateral position (Martin 1946).

      Eleusine indica (goosegrass) utricle (caryopsis) (left) and seeds in embryo view. Scale in mm.

    Identification Tips

    CONSEILS POUR L’IDENTIFICATION

    • Eleusine indica fruits have a thin papery pericarp from which the seed usually emerges at maturity.
    • True seeds are the typical dispersal units, but they may have fragments of the papery pericarp attached.
    • Seeds are egg-shaped, laterally compressed with a deep longitudinal groove on hilum side.
    • Seeds are 1 – 1.5 mm long and 0.6 – 0.8 mm wide.
    • Seed surface is finely striate and transversely ridged, the ridges radiating upward (obliquely) away from the embryo
    • Hilum is round and located at the embryo end (the base) of the seed.
    • Seeds are dark reddish brown to purplish-black in colour.

    Eleusine indica (goosegrass) utricle (caryopsis) (left) and seeds in embryo view. Scale in mm.

    Additional Botany Information

    AUTRES RENSEIGNEMENTS BOTANIQUES

    Flowers/Inflorescence

    • Panicle inflorescence forms at the tip of the stem and consists of several finger-like branches extending out horizontally from a common point, each branch (3.5)7 – 16 cm long, 3 – 5.5 mm wide; often with one additional branch attached below the main cluster of branches (Barkworth et al. 2003).
    • Spikelets closely compacted, laterally compressed, arranged in two rows on one side of each branch (DiTomaso and Healy 2007).

    Vegetative Features

    • Plants annual, stems up to 90 cm long, spreading on the ground or erect, flattened in cross-section, glabrous (Barkworth et al. 2003; DiTomaso and Healy 2007).
    • Root system fibrous, extensive, and difficult to uproot (Rojas-Sandoval and Acevedo-Rodriguez 2014).
    • Leaf sheaths open, strongly keeled, flattened against the stem, with long papillose hairs on margins; auricles none; ligules membranous, up to 1 mm long, margin jagged; leaf blades keeled near base, up to 40 cm long, 3 – 7 mm wide, margins and upper surface may have papillose hairs (Barkworth et al. 2003; DiTomaso and Healy 2007).

    Similar Species

    ESPÈCES SEMBLABLES

    Similar species are based on a study of seed morphology of various species, and those with similar dispersal units are identified. The study is limited by physical specimen and literature availability at the time of examination, and possibly impacted by the subjectivity of the authors based on their knowledge and experience. Providing similar species information for seed identification is to make users aware of similarities that could possibly result in misidentification.

    Examples of species with similar fruits with thin, fragile, easily removed pericarps (naturally or mechanically removed) that allow for the seed to fall free from the fruit include:

    Acrachne racemosa (B. Heyne ex Roth) Ohwi
    [Eleusine racemosa B. Heyne ex Roth; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024]
    jian fu cao (transcribed Chinese) 尖稃草 (efloras 2024)

    Seeds 1 mm, subglobose, slightly compressed laterally, with deep longitudinal groove on side opposite embryo, transversely thick ridged from embryo margin to longitudinal groove, surface covered with raised dots or granular, reddish amber to black coloured, embryo more than one-half the length of the seed (Reed 1977; Watson and Dallwitz 1992; efloras 2024).

    Dactyloctenium aegyptium (L.) Willd.
    Crowfootgrass (AOSA 2023)

    Seeds about 1 mm long, 0.5 – 0.6 mm wide, laterally compressed and squarish in lateral outline; surface with irregular transverse wrinkles or ridges; colour light yellowish-brown, orange, or reddish-brown; hilum a knob-like protrusion in the center of the flattened bottom of the seed; embryo slightly greater than one-half the length of the seed.

    Eleusine africana Kenn.-O’Byrne
    [E. c. subsp. africana (Kenn.-O’Byrne) Hilu & de Wet; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024]
    African finger millet (Barkworth et al. 2003)
    wild finger-millet (Reed 1997)

    Seeds oblong-egg-shaped, dorsoventrally compressed, 1.3 – 1.5 mm long and 0.8 mm wide; surface minutely pitted or granular and shallowly ridged; black or dark red coloured; embryo about one-third the length of the seed; hilum small, round, basal; hybridizes freely with E. c. subsp. coracana (Reed 1997; Barkworth et al. 2003).

    Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn. subsp. coracana,
    finger millet (Barkworth et al. 2003)

    Seeds 1 – 2 mm, subglobose, slightly wider than long, flattened or with shallow longitudinal groove on hilum side; surface nearly smooth or with coarsely granular to minutely tuberculate concentric ridges; reddish brown coloured; embryo area flattened, more than one-half the length of the seed, 45 – 90 degrees from hilum; hilum a raised oval, dark brownish black coloured.

    Eleusine tristachya (Lam.) Lam.
    threespike goosegrass (Barkworth et al. 2003)
    American crowfoot grass (USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024).

    Fruit 1.5 – 1.8 mm long, 1 – 1.5 mm wide, oblong to egg-shaped, pericarp thin and papery; seed 1.2 mm long, 1 mm wide, subglobose, slightly concave on hilar face, red-brown to almost black coloured, surface with parallel transverse ridges and perpendicular striations between ridges; hilum round, basal (Edgar and Connor 2000).

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    Reference(s)

    Référence(s)

    Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA).  2023.  Rules for Testing Seeds, Vol. 3: Uniform Classification of Weed and Crop Seeds.  Association of Official Seed Analysts, Wichita, KS, USA.

    Barkworth, M. E., Capels, K. M., Long, S., and Piep, M. B. 2003. Flora of North America, Vol. 25 Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Poaceae, part 2. Oxford University Press.

    Bojňanský, V. and Fargašová, A. 2007. Atlas of Seeds and Fruits of Central and East-European Flora: The Carpathian Mountains Region. Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands.

    DiTomaso, J. M. and Healy, E. A.  2007.  Weeds of California and Other Western States.  Vol. 2: Geraniaceae – Zygophyllaceae.  Agriculture and Natural Resources Publication 3488.  University of California, Oakland, CA.

    Edgar, E. and Connor, H. E. 2000. Flora of New Zealand. Vol. 5. Manaaki Whenua Press, Lincoln, New Zealand.

    eFloras. 2024. Poaceae. Volume 22. Flora of China. http://www.efloras.org/volume_page.aspx?volume_id=2022&flora_id=2 Accessed July 31, 2024.

    Holm, L. G., Plucknett, D. L., Pancho, J. B., Herberger, J. P. 1977. The World’s Worst Weeds: Distribution and Biology. The University Press of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI.

    International Seed Morphology Association (ISMA).  2020.  Method for seed size measurement. Version 1.0. ISMA Publication Guide.  https://www.idseed.org/authors/details/method_for_seed_size_measurement.html

    Martin, A. C.  1946.  The comparative internal morphology of seeds.  The American Midland Naturalist 36(3):513-660.

    Reed, C. F. 1977. Economically Important Foreign Weeds: Potential Problems in the United States. Agriculture Handbook No. 498. Agricultural Research Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, United States Department of Agriculture.

    Rojas-Sandoval, J. and Acevedo-Rodriguez, P. 2014. Eleusine indica (goose grass). CABI Compendium. https://doi.org/10.1079/cabicompendium.20675

    Terrell, E. E. 1971. Survey of occurrences of liquid or soft endosperm in grass genera. Bull. Torr. Botan. Club 98(5):264-268.

    Tutin, T. G., Heywood, V. H., Burges, N. A., Moore, D. M., Valentine, D. H., Waters, S. M., Webb, D. A. (Eds.). 1980. Flora Europaea. Volume 5: Alismataceae to Orchidaceae (Monocotyledons). Cambridge University Press.

    United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service-National Plant Germplasm System (USDA-ARS-NPGS). 2023. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomysearch?t=pnlspecies Accessed July 24, 2024.

    United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS). 2024. Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn. https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=ELIN3 Accessed July 24, 2024.

    United States Department of Agriculture-Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance and Tracking System-Phytosanitary Export Database (USDA-PCIT-PExD). 2024. Phytosanitary import requirements of U.S.-origin commodities to foreign countries. https://pcit.aphis.usda.gov/PExD/faces/ViewPExD.jsf Accessed July 23, 2024.

    Watson, L. and Dallwitz, M. J. 1992. The Grass Genera of the World. C.A.B. International.

    Wiersema, J. H. and León, B. 1999. World Economic Plants: A Standard Reference. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.

    Author(s)

    AUTEUR(S)

    Deborah J. Lionakis Meyer, California Department of Food and Agriculture (retired)

    Merlijn van den Berg, Netherlands Institute for Vectors, Invasive Plants and Plant Health (NIVIP), Netherlands Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA).

    contactus@idseed.org

    Last updated
    on 2023-03-27

    © 2024 ISMA - International Seed Morphology Association