Eleusine indica
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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).
Identification
Identification
-
Spikelet
Dimensions
- 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).
Forme
- Spikelet shape oval, laterally compressed.
Texture de la surface
- Glumes thin and papery.
- Spikelet surface smooth.
- Lower (1st) glume 1-nerved; upper (2nd) glume 3 – 5(7) nerved (Barkworth et al. 2003).
Couleur
- Spikelet colour light brownish yellow.
Autres caractéristiques
- 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
Dimensions
- 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.
Forme
- 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.
Texture de la surface
- 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.
Couleur
- Floret colour light brownish yellow or greyish yellow.
Eleusine indica (goosegrass) floret in lateral view. Scale in mm.
-
Utricle
Dimensions
- 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
Forme
• Utricle egg-shaped.
Texture de la surface
- Utricle pericarp membranous to papery, smooth, slightly shiny.
Couleur
- Utricle colour light brownish yellow.
Autres caractéristiques
- At maturity the seed easily separates from the papery pericarp.
Eleusine indica utricule (caryopse) (gauche) et graines en vue d’embryon. Échelle en mm.
-
Seed
Dimensions
- 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).
Forme
- Seed shape oval to egg-shaped, slightly compressed laterally, three-sided with longitudinal groove on hilum side.
Texture de la surface
- Seed surface transversely ridged, the ridges radiating upward (obliquely) away from the embryo and perpendicularly striate between ridges.
Couleur
- Seed colour dark reddish brown to purplish-black.
Autres caractéristiques
- Hilum round and located in depression at embryo end (base) of the seed.
Eleusine indica utricule (caryopse) (gauche) et graines en vue d’embryon. Échelle en mm.
-
Embryo
Dimensions
- 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.
Forme
- Embryo shape oval.
Albumen
- Endosperm solid (Terrell 1971).
Autres caractéristiques
- Embryo in lateral position (Martin 1946).
Eleusine indica utricule (caryopse) (gauche) et graines en vue d’embryon. Échelle en 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) floret in lateral view. Scale in mm.




Additional Botany Information
AUTRES RENSEIGNEMENTS BOTANIQUES
Fleurs/Inflorescences
- 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).
Caractéristiques Végétatives
- 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
L’identification des espèces semblables est fondée sur l’étude de la morphologie des graines; les espèces qui possèdent des unités de dispersion semblables sont retenues. L’étude est limitée par la disponibilité des spécimens physiques et des publications au moment de l'examen et peut être teintée par la subjectivité des auteurs, compte tenu de leurs connaissances et de leur expérience. L’information sur les espèces semblables qui est fournie pour faciliter l’identification des graines vise à faire connaître aux utilisateurs les similitudes qui pourraient mener à des erreurs d’identification.
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).
Click to select species
Cliquez pour sélectionner les espèces

Eleusine tristachya

Eleusine coracana subsp. coracana

Dactyloctenium aegyptium

Eleusine africana
Comparison Window
Fenêtre de comparaison
MAIN SPECIES
ESPÈCES PRINCIPALES
Eleusine indica

Eleusine indica
Poaceae
Eleusine indica fleurons, utricules (caryopses) et graines. Échelle en mm.
MAIN SPECIES
ESPÈCES PRINCIPALES
Eleusine indica

Eleusine indica
Poaceae
Eleusine indica (goosegrass) floret group removed from spikelet in lateral view. Scale in mm.
MAIN SPECIES
ESPÈCES PRINCIPALES
Eleusine indica

Eleusine indica
Poaceae
Eleusine indica (goosegrass) floret in lateral view. Scale in mm.
MAIN SPECIES
ESPÈCES PRINCIPALES
Eleusine indica

Eleusine indica
Poaceae
Eleusine indica utricule (caryopse) (gauche) et graines en vue d’embryon. Échelle en mm.
MAIN SPECIES
ESPÈCES PRINCIPALES
Eleusine indica
Eleusine indica
Poaceae
Eleusine indica graines
SIMILAR SPECIES
ESPÈCES SEMBLABLES
Eleusine tristachya

Eleusine tristachya
Poaceae
Eleusine tristachya (threespike goosegrass) seed with pericarp removed in embryo view. Scale in mm.
SIMILAR SPECIES
ESPÈCES SEMBLABLES
Eleusine tristachya

Eleusine tristachya
Poaceae
Eleusine tristachya (threespike goosegrass) seed with most of the papery pericarp removed showing round hilum in located in a shallow depression and embryo above the hilum. Scale in mm.
SIMILAR SPECIES
ESPÈCES SEMBLABLES
Eleusine tristachya

Eleusine tristachya
Poaceae
Eleusine tristachya (threespike goosegrass) caryopses with thin papery pericarp. Scale in mm.
SIMILAR SPECIES
ESPÈCES SEMBLABLES
Eleusine tristachya

Eleusine tristachya
Poaceae
Eleusine tristachya (threespike goosegrass) floret in palea view (left), lemma view (middle), and lateral view (right). Scale in mm.
SIMILAR SPECIES
ESPÈCES SEMBLABLES
Eleusine tristachya

Eleusine tristachya
Poaceae
Eleusine tristachya (threespike goosegrass) floret group removed from spikelet in lateral view. Scale in mm.
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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.