CALIFORNIA GRASS, PARA GRASS (Urochloa mutica)
Hawai‘i-Pacific Weed Risk Assessment Score: 18 (High Risk). Visit Plant Pono for more information.
Weed Fire Risk Score = 0.72 (This species is likely a high fire risk in Hawai’i); Visit Pacific Fire Exchange Weed Risk Assessments for more information
Regulatory Status: None
Prevention and Control Category: N/A
Description
- Sprawling grass with rooting runners to 18 ft long, reaches upward to 5 ft tall, hairy. Stems branched, smooth, with hollow internodes. Sheath longer than internodes, more or less hairy, ligule membranous. Leaves to 10 inches long by 0.6 inches wide. Inflorescences open, branched, terminal panicle.
- An African species grown as a forage crop throughout the tropics, but tending to become weedy.
Impacts
- Forms dense monotypic stands by layering from trailing stems.
- Can overgrow most shrubs and trees in its habitat.
- Mild allelopathic activity.
- Able to burn and recover from fire.
- May increase fire risk during dry seasons and periods of drought.
- Vegetative fragments and seeds (when produced) dispersed by water.
Uses
- Regarded as one of the best of tropical grasses for pasture, forage grass, often used as green chopped forage.
Distribution
Naturalized and usually forming dense mats in areas of high soil moisture or nearby open water, such as along stream banks, drainage ditches, and roadsides, as well as other disturbed sites, 0-1,060 m, on Midway Atoll, Kauaʻi, Oʻahu, Lanaʻi, Maui, and Hawaiʻi.