Eragrostis curvula
Family :
Famille :
Poaceae
Synonym(s) :
Synonyme(s) :
Poa curvula Schrad.; basionym (USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024; Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Eragrostis capillifolia Nees (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Eragrostis chloromelas Steud. (USDA-NRCS 2024; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024; Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Eragrostis curvula (Schrad.) Nees var. conferta Nees (USDA-NRCS 2024; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024)
Eragrostis curvula (Schrad.) Nees var. valida Stapf (USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024)
Eragrostis filiformis (Thumb.) Nees (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Eragrostis huillensis Rendle (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Eragrostis jeffreysii Hack. (USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024; Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Eragrostis lehmanniana var. ampla Stapf. (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Eragrostis poa Stapf. (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Eragrostis procerior Rendle (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Eragrostis pubiculmis Jedwabn. (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Eragrostis robusta Stent (USDA-NRCS 2024; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024; Velez-Gavilan 2024 )
Eragrostis subulata Nees (USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024; Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Eragrostis thunbergiana Steud (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Eragrostis thunbergiana var. atrata Schweinf. (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Poa capensis Steud. (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Poa filiformis Thunb. (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Common Name(s) :
Nom(s) commun(s) :
Weeping lovegrass
(English) (AOSA 2023; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024; Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Boer lovegrass (English) (Alderson and Sharp 1995; AOSA 2023; Velez-Gavilan 2024)
African love grass (English) (USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024; Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Catalina lovegrass (English) (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Curved lovegrass (English) (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Wiregrass (English) (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Oulandsgras (Afrikaans) (USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024)
Éragrostide un peu courbée (French) (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Afrikanisches Liebesgras (German) (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Eragrostide curvula (Italian) (ISTA 1982)
Barba-de-bode (Portuguese) (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Capim-chorão (Portuguese) (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Falsa Barba De Bode (Portuguese) (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Eragrostis llonorna (Spanish) (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Hierba del amor Africana (Spanish) (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Milena (Spanish) (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Pasto llora amor (Spanish) (Velez-Gavilan 2024)
Pasto llorón (Spanish) (Wiersema and León 1999; USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024)
Afrikanskt kärleksgräs (Swedish) (USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024)
wan ye hua mei cao (弯叶画眉草; transcribed Chinese) (eFloras 2024)
Eragrostis curvula caryopses
Eragrostis curvula caryopses
Eragrostis curvula caryopses
Eragrostis curvula florets
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Overview
Aperçu
Regulation :
Remarques Réglementation:
Regulation Notes:
Quarantine lists of New Zealand as a Harmful Organism (USDA-PCIT 2024).
Distribution :
Répartition :
Eragrostis curvula is native to tropical and southern Africa (USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024), although some native populations are reported as far north as Eritrea and Yemen (Hedberg et al. 1995). This species has become naturalized in northern Africa, temperate Asia, New Guinea, Australia, New Zealand, northern, middle, and southwestern Europe, southeastern and south-central United States, Mexico, Brazil and southern South America (USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024).
Habitat and Crop Association :
Habitat et Cultures Associées :
In its native range, Eragrostis curvula is found in woodland clearings and overgrazed grasslands, in moist sandy soils (Velez-Gavilan 2024) and among rocky outcroppings and on cliff ledges (Hedberg et al. 1995).
Outside its native range, E. curvula has become a common weed pest in semi-arid, subtropical, and temperate regions, and is occasionally reported in tropical and arid locations. This species can be found along roadsides, railways lines, waterways, coastal areas, on rocky slopes, woodland margins, and disturbed places (Lucidcentral 2016; Velez-Gavilan 2024). In some areas, E. curvula has aggressively spread and crowded out native species and has increased the fire hazard during the dry season (LucidCentral 2016; Velez-Gavilan 2024).
Economic Use, cultivation area, and Weed Association :
Utilisation économique, zone de culture et association de mauvaises herbes :
Eragrostis curvula has been introduced into tropical, subtropical and temperate regions of the world as forage and fodder, for erosion control in disturbed areas (e.g., mine site reclamation, roadsides, terraces, etc.) where it grows well on low fertility soils, and as an ornamental bunchgrass (Alderson and Sharp 1995; USDA-NRCS-PMP 2006; Gucker 2009; eFloras 2024; Velez-Gavilan 2024).
Duration of Life Cycle :
Durée du cycle vital:
Perennial
Dispersal Unit Type :
Type d’unité de dispersion :
Caryopsis
General Information
RENSEIGNEMENTS GÉNÉRAUX
Numerous cultivars of E. curvula have been developed and distributed worldwide for use in pastures, as fodder, for erosion control, and as ornamental plants (Velez-Gavilan 2024). The species is drought resistant, quick to establish, performs well on low-fertility soils, and in established stands can yield 562-900 kilograms of seed per hectare (Duke 1983; Alderson and Sharp 1995). Each panicle may produce 300 to 1,000 seeds (Gucker 2009).
Where E. curvula has been introduced outside of Africa there are mixed reviews on its palatability for livestock (Duke 1983; Gucker 2009; Lucidcentral 2016: Velez-Gavilan 2024). E. curvula has become naturalized in many areas and can become an invasive species that outcompetes native plants, sometimes forming dense monospecific stands, resulting in altered local biodiversity (Gucker 2009; Lucidcentral 2016; Velez-Gavilan 2024). Seed dispersal may be via water, wind, animals, contaminated agricultural equipment, or seed lot contamination (Velez-Gavilan 2024).
Diploid (2n=20), polyploid, and aneuploid (2n=63) plant types are reported; seed production is achieved sexually or via apomixis depending on the plant type (Velez-Gavilan 2024).
.Identification
Identification
-
Spikelet
Size
- Spikelet length: 4 – 8.2 (10) mm; width 1.2 – 2 mm (Barkworth et al. (2003).
- Spikelet length: (4) 6 – 11 mm; width 1.5 – 2 mm (eFloras 2024).
- Lower (1st) glume length: 1.2 – 2.6 mm (Barkworth et al. (2003).
- Lower (1st) glume length: 1.2 – 1.5 mm (eFloras 2024).
- Upper (2nd) glume length: 2 – 3 mm (Barkworth et al. (2003).
- Upper (2nd) glume length: 1.8 – 2.5 mm (eFloras 2024).
Shape
- Spikelets laterally compressed, linear to narrowly teardrop shaped (lanceolate) (Hedberg et al. 1995; Barkworth et al. 2003).
- Glumes narrowly teardrop shaped (lanceolate) (Barkworth et al. 2003).
Surface Texture
- Glumes smooth, membranous to translucent (hyaline), 1-nerved (Barkworth et al. 2003; eFloras 2024).
Colour
- Spikelets yellowish, greyish-green, or dark grey coloured (Hedberg et al. 1995; Barkworth et al. 2003; eFloras 2024).
Other Features
- Spikelets consisting of 3 – 10 (16) similar looking florets (Barkworth et al. 2003; eFloras 2024).
- Disarticulation irregular, caryopsis falling free from plant, or caryopsis falling with lemma only, the palea and rachilla usually remain attached to the plant (Hedberg et al. 1995; Barkworth et al. 2003; eFloras 2024).
-
Floret
Size
- Lemma length: 1.8 – 3.0 mm (Hedberg et al. 1995; Barkworth et al. 2003).
- Palea length: 1.8 – 3 mm (Barkworth et al. 2003).
Shape
- Floret slightly compressed laterally, narrowly teardrop shaped (lanceolate) to oblong.
- Lemma rounded over the back, tapering to a slight point at the tip.
- Palea tip rounded to slightly pointed, sometimes folded at tip, keeled along nerves.
Surface Texture
- Lemma and palea membranous or translucent (hyaline).
- Lemma 3-nerved, nerves conspicuously raised; surface glabrous or covered with short stiff hairs.
- Palea 2-nerved, with short stiff hairs (palea teeth) along nerves in the upper half.
Colour
- Floret colour yellowish, greyish-green, or dark grey coloured (Hedberg et al. 1995; Barkworth et al. 2003; eFloras 2024).
Other Features
- Palea persistent on plant or tardily deciduous (Hedberg et al. 1995; eFloras 2024).
Eragrostis curvula florets
-
Caryopsis
Size
- Caryopsis length*: 1.4 – 1.6 mm (average 1.5 mm); width (embryo view) 0.6 – 0.8 mm (average 0.7 mm); thickness (lateral view) about 0.5 mm.
*Note: minimum and maximum based on a random selection of 10 caryopses in normal range of this species using image measurement protocol (ISMA 2020). CDA-S-57356.
Caryopsis size measurements from the literature:
• Caryopsis length: 1.0 – 1.7 mm (Barkworth et al. 2003).
• Caryopsis length: 1.75 – 2.0 mm; width 1.0 mm or less (Musil 1963).
• Caryopsis length: 0.7 mm (Hedberg et al. 1995).Shape
- Caryopsis shape narrowly oblong to egg-shaped, dorsoventrally compressed, but three sided in cross-section with a slightly raised ridge, the side opposite the embryo either flat or with wide longitudinal depression.
Surface Texture
- Caryopsis surface minutely granular to faintly striate, glabrous.
Colour
- Caryopsis mostly translucent.
- Main body of caryopsis light reddish brown coloured with some darker red splotches.
- Scutellum greenish black.
- Root-shoot axis light brown to greenish black.
Other Features
- Hilum nearly circular, located in a basal depression at 90 degrees from the embryo face.
Eragrostis curvula caryopses
-
Embryo
Size
- Embryo length*: 0.8 – 1.0 mm (average 0.9 mm).
- Embryo two-thirds the length of the caryopsis.
*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-57356.
Shape
- Embryo shape oblong-oval.
Endosperm
- Endosperm solid (Terrell 1971).
Other Features
- Embryo in lateral position (Martin 1946).
- Scutellum margin well defined, appearing rimmed.
- Root-shoot axis longitudinally ridged.
Eragrostis curvula caryopses
Identification Tips
CONSEILS POUR L’IDENTIFICATION
- Eragrostis curvula spikelets disarticulate tardily at maturity. The lemmas may fall with the caryopses and the paleae usually remain attached to the plant.
- Lemma and palea are thin and membranous to translucent.
- Lemma is 3-nerved, nerves conspicuous.
- Palea is keeled along the two nerves.
- Hairs along the palea keels are short and stiff.
- Caryopsis is oblong to egg-shaped, compressed dorsoventrally.
- The embryo is about two-thirds the length of the caryopsis and is typically much darker coloured than the main body of the caryopsis.
- Hilum is small, nearly circular, slightly depressed, 90 degrees from embryo face.
Note: the genus Eragrostis is comprised of about 350 species found in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, so caution should be taken when making a species identification based only on floret and caryopsis morphology.
Eragrostis curvula florets
Additional Botany Information
AUTRES RENSEIGNEMENTS BOTANIQUES
Flowers/Inflorescence
- Inflorescence panicles variable, open and loose or compact (Hedberg et al. 1995).
- Panicle length: 6 – 35 (40) cm; width (4) 8 – 24 cm wide (Hedberg et al. 1995; Barkworth et al. 2003).
Vegetative Features
- Plants densely tufted, with abundant drooping leaves, perennial (Hedberg 1995; eFloras 2024; Velez-Gavilan 2024).
- Plants form an extensive fibrous root system (up to 4.6 m deep and 1 m wide on sandy soils) (Gucker 2009; Velez-Gavilan 2024).
- Stems unbranched, erect, 30 – 180 cm tall, glabrous (Hedberg et al. 1995; Barkworth et al. 2003; Lucidcentral 2016; Velez-Gavilan 2024).
- Leaf sheaths with scattered long hairs (up to 9mm); ligule a fringe of hairs up to 1.3 mm long; leaf blades 12 – 50 (65) cm long, 1 – 3 mm wide, flat or inrolled, lower surface glabrous or sometimes with short stiff hairs, upper surface with scattered hairs, up to 7 mm long near blade base, green to bluish coloured (Barkworth et al. 2003; Velez-Gavilan 2024).
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.
Eragrostis lehmanniana Nees, Lehmann’s love grass (USDA-ARS-NPGS 2024)
Caryopsis oval, dorsoventrally compressed, 1 mm or less long, 0.5 mm wide (Musil 1963); main body of caryopsis light brownish yellow, surface smooth or faintly striate; embryo area dark brown with greenish ring, obtusely triangular, not distinctly rimmed (Musil 1963; Barkworth et al. 2003). In contrast, the embryo area of E. curvula, is oblong-oval and distinctly rimmed; the caryopsis is longer and wider than E. lehmanniana.
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Eragrostis curvula
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Eragrostis curvula caryopses
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Eragrostis curvula
Poaceae
Eragrostis curvula caryopses
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Eragrostis curvula
Poaceae
Eragrostis curvula florets
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Reference(s)
Référence(s)
Alderson, J. and Sharp, W. C. 1995. Grass Varieties in the United States. United States Department of Agriculture. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Association of Official Seed Analysts (AOSA). 2023. Rules for Testing Seeds: Volume 3, Uniform Classification of Weed and Crop Seeds. Association of Official Seed Analysts, Wichita, Kansas, USA.
Barkworth, M. E., Capels, K.M., Long, S., and Pie, M. B. 2003. Flora of North America, Vol. 25 Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Poaceae, part 2. Oxford University Press.
Duke, J. A. 1983. Handbook of Energy Crops. In: NewCROP website. West Lafayette, IN: Center for New Crops & Plant Products, Purdue University. http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/duke_energy/dukeindex.html Accessed August 13, 2024.
eFloras. 2024. Eragrostis curvula (Schrader) Nees. Flora of China. http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=2&taxon_id=200025337 Accessed August 1, 2024.
Gucker, C. L. 2009. Eragrostis curvula. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/graminoid/eracur/all.html Accessed August 14, 2024.
Hedberg, I., Edwards, S., and Phillips, S. M. 1995. Flora of Ethiopia and Eritrea, Vol. 7, Poaceae (Gramineae). National Herbarium, Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia and Department of Systematic Botany, Uppsala University, Sweden.
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_meaurement.html
International Seed Testing Association (ISTA). 1982. A Multilingual Glossary of Common Plant-Names 1. Field crops, grasses and vegetables, ed. 2. International Seed Testing Association, Zurich, Switzerland.
Lucidcentral. 2016. Weeds of Australia – Fact Sheet Eragrostis curvula. https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/eragrostis_curvula.htm
Martin, A. C. 1946. The comparative internal morphology of seeds. The American Midland Naturalist 36(3):513-660.
Musil, A. F. 1963. Identification of Crop and Weed Seeds. Agriculture Handbook No. 219. U. S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service. Washington D.C.
Terrel, E. E. 1971. Survey of occurrences of liquid or soft endosperm in grass genera. Bull. Torr. Botan. Club 98(5):264-268.
United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service-National Plant Germplasm System (USDA-ARS-NPGS). 2024. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomysearch Accessed August 12, 2024.
United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conversation Service (USDA-NRCS). 2024. Eragrostis curvula (Schrad.) Nees, weeping lovegrass. https://plants.usda.gov/home/plantProfile?symbol=ERCU2 Accessed August 12, 2024.
United States Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conversation Service- Plant Materials Program (USDA-NRCS-PMP). 2006. Weeping lovegrass, Eragrostis curvula (Schrad.) Nees Plant Fact Sheet. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/ https://plants.usda.gov/DocumentLibrary/factsheet/pdf/fs_ercu2.pdf
United States Department of Agriculture – Phytosanitary Certificate Issuance and Tracking System (USDA-PCIT). 2024. https://pcit.aphis.usda.gov/PExD/faces/ViewPExD.jsf Accessed August 1, 2024.
Velez-Gavilan, J. 2024. Eragrostis curvula (weeping lovegrass). CABI Compendium. https://www.cabidigitallibrary.org/doi/full/10.1079/cabicompendium.21630 Accessed August 12, 2024.
Wiersema, J. H. and León, B. 1999. World Economic Plants: A Standard Reference. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.