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Themeda villosa

(Poir.) A.Camus (1922)

This name is accepted

Kingdom: Viridiplantae Phylum: Magnoliophyta Class/Clade: Monocots Order: Poales Family: Poaceae Genus: Themeda

lyon's grass

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Description

Key Characters:

Growth Form: Robust perennials.

Stems: Culms tufted, stout, 20–40 dm tall, solid, culm base compressed flabellate.

Roots: Fibrous root system.

Leaves: Leaves simple. Alternate. Blades up to 150 cm long, up to 20 mm wide. Apex acuminate. Base narrowed to the sheath. Surfaces glabrous, midrib white, prominent, margins and nerves scabrous on upper surface. Margins entire. Veins parallel. Sheaths keeled, ± compressed, margins overlapping, glabrous; ligule membranous, ciliate. Stipules absent.

Flowers: Flowers in inflorescences large compound, drooping, paniculate, spathes 3–3.5 cm long, subtending a flattened rachis, apex pubescent, racemes of spikelet pairs at about the middle of the spathe. involucral and pedicellate spikelets reddish brown, similar in shape, narrowly fusiform, acuminate, 15–20 mm long, pedicels rufous pubescent; sessile spikelet with a callus ca. 2 mm long, densely pubescent with rufous hairs, first glume ovate, 10–nerved, the nerves reticulate toward apex, densely rufous pubescent between the nerves, apex acute, first lemma 1–nerved, apex acute; second lemma 1–nerved, hyaline, prolonged into a twisted pubescent awn up to 42 mm long, second palea lanceolate, nerveless, hyaline. Stamens 3 (when present). Ovary superior.

Fruit: Caryopsis reddish brown; fusiform; ca. 5 mm long.

Ploidy: 2n = 32; 40

Habitat: Dry pastures; along roadsides; and other disturbed sites.

Elevation Range: 0–700 m.

Historical Distribution

Images

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Uses and Culture

USES

Natural History

Statewide Status

Naturalized

Island Status

Kaua'i Naturalized
O'ahu Naturalized
Hawai'i Naturalized

Dispersal Agents


Pollinators

Bibliography

Name Published In: H.Lecomte, Fl. Indo-Chine 7: 364 (1922)

Other References

Wagner et al. 1990:1599 (K, O, H)

Occurrences

SNo. Scientific Name Locality Habitat Basis of Record Description Recorded By Record Number Island Source Date
1 Themeda villosa Moanalua Valley, Campsite no. 1 common along stream and jeep trail, up to ~ 800 ft Preserved_Specimen Herbst, D.R. 1523 Oahu BISH 1970-01-15
2 Themeda villosa Kona, before descent to Kailua Wet area. Preserved_Specimen Christensen, C. 2 Hawaii BISH 1963-11-14
3 Themeda villosa Koloa District. Wahiawa area, along road to Kanaele bog from Alexander dam Metrosideros polymorpha-Dicranopteris linearis wet forest. Antidesma platyphylla, Ilex anomala, Polyscias waialeale, Scaevola gaudichaudiana, Bobea brevipes, Psychotria mariniana, weeds: Psidum cattleianum Preserved_Specimen 2 meter tall grass, with flowers and fruit Perlman, S. 23477 Kauai BISH 2013-05-23
4 Themeda villosa Moanalua Valley, Campsite No. 1 Common along stream and jeep trail up to about 800 ft. Preserved_Specimen Herbst, D.R. 1523 Oahu BISH 1970-01-15
5 Themeda villosa Hanamaulu, Lihue, near beach In pasture. Preserved_Specimen Hosaka, E.Y. 1655 Kauai BISH 1936-11-04
6 Themeda villosa Hanamaulu, Lihue, near beach In pasture. Preserved_Specimen Hosaka, E.Y. 1655 Kauai BISH 1936-11-04
7 Themeda villosa Keauhou, Kona Planting along roadside Preserved_Specimen Whitney, L.D. 4172 Hawaii BISH 1936-04-13
8 Themeda villosa Laupahoehoe Section of Hilo Forest Reserve, North Hilo District Growing beside jeep road in logged 'ohi'a-koa forest. Preserved_Specimen Coarse grass about 6 ft tall. Cuddihy, L.W. 923 Hawaii BISH 1981-11-02
9 Themeda villosa Honolulu; Lyon Arboretum, on makai side of access road ca. 200 yards from seismograph station. Below section 31 Sunny, periodically sickled. Preserved_Specimen Baker, R.F. 61 Oahu BISH 1975-04-09
10 Themeda villosa Honolulu; Lyon Arboretum, on makai side of access road ca. 200 yards from seismograph station. Below section 31 Sunny, periodically sickled. Preserved_Specimen Baker, R.F. 61 Oahu BISH 1975-04-09
11 Themeda villosa South Hilo distr., Scenic Drive along Hamakua Coast, where forest ends and mac nut groves begin. Steep roadside bank at edge of mac nut plantation, in full sun on soil over lava substrate. Preserved_Specimen Coarse clumping grass to 2+ m tall, resembling a Cymbopogon. Lvs in tight basal tufts, blades rough-hairy, tip dropping over; infl erect, plume-like, tip nodding; bracts brownish, persistent. Staples, G.W. 1268 Hawaii BISH 2007-02-13
12 Themeda villosa Koolau mountains; Moanalua Valley, Damon Estate Common along road up to parking area; associated with guava, koa, Schinus terebinthifolius, Digitaria pruriens. Preserved_Specimen Large, compact tufts. Herbst, D.R. 355 Oahu BISH 1967-03-18
13 Themeda villosa Southwest of Dillingham Ranch Single plant in pasture. Preserved_Specimen Degener, O. 11058 Oahu BISH 1937-03-12
14 Themeda villosa Koloa District. Wahiawa, along dirt road from Alexander's reservoir to Kanaele bog. Secondary invasive vegetatino. W/ native Metrosideros polymrpha and Dicranopteris linearis. Preserved_Specimen grass, up to 3m tall, culms branched turning brown-yellow with age, young spiklets green maturing dark brown, common Wood, K.R. 14310 Kauai BISH 2010-09-10
15 Themeda villosa Kawailoa Training Area, Drum Road, Kamananui Gulch Roadside vegetation, along with Hyparrhenia rufa, Dicranopteris linearis, Panicum maximum. Preserved_Specimen Leaves 1-1.5 m long. Resembles lemon grass. Kawelo, K. Oahu BISH 2003-06-04
16 Themeda villosa Tree Planting Road near Stainback highway Ruderal. Preserved_Specimen Clumped, to 2+ m tall. Stemmermann, R.L. 6703 Hawaii BISH 1981-01-06
17 Themeda villosa Wiliwilinui ridge Growing on side of trail in mesic/wet forest dominated by Metrosdieros polymorpha, Bobea elatior, Psychotria mariniana, Dicranopteris linearis, Psidium cattleianum, Syzygium sandwicense, Schinus terebinthifolius, and others. Preserved_Specimen Tall grass with abundant seed. Nodes bulging slightly, infloresence with long bracts. Thomas, M.K. 200 Oahu BISH 2021-12-08
18 Themeda villosa South Hilo distr., Scenic Drive along Hamakua Coast, where forest ends and mac nut groves begin. Steep roadside bank at edge of mac nut plantation, in full sun on soil over lava substrate. Preserved_Specimen Coarse clumping grass to 2+ m tall, resembling a Cymbopogon. Lvs in tight basal tufts, blades rough-hairy, tip dropping over; infl erect, plume-like, tip nodding; bracts brownish, persistent. Staples, G.W. 1268 Hawaii BISH 2007-02-13
19 Themeda villosa Moanalua Valley, Campsite No. 1 Common along stream and jeep trail up to about 800 ft. Preserved_Specimen Herbst, D.R. 1523 Oahu BISH 1970-01-15
20 Themeda villosa Koolau Mountains; Moanalua Valley Common roadside weed. Preserved_Specimen Large compact tufts. Herbst, D.R. 355 Oahu BISH 1967-03-18
21 Themeda villosa Hanamaulu, Lihue, near beach In pasture. Preserved_Specimen Hosaka, E.Y. 1655 Kauai BISH 1936-11-04
22 Themeda villosa Laupahoehoe Section of Hilo Forest Reserve, North Hilo District Growing beside jeep road in logged 'ohi'a-koa forest. Preserved_Specimen Coarse grass about 6 ft tall. Cuddihy, L.W. 923 Hawaii BISH 1981-11-02
23 Themeda villosa Along highway between Keaau and Pahoa. Preserved_Specimen Coarse bunchgrass 3 m tall. Inflorescence far exceeding the leaves. Plantlets form toward base of inflorescence rachis. Not uncommon. Nagata, K.M. 4110 Hawaii BISH 1990-05-14
24 Themeda villosa Honolulu; Fair grounds Preserved_Specimen Large clumps 2 m high. Lee, H.A. 121 Oahu BISH 1924-12-15
25 Themeda villosa Kona Along roadside. Preserved_Specimen Hosaka, E.Y. Hawaii BISH 1936-09-01
26 Themeda villosa Junction of Highways 18 & 19, above Kailua-Kona Preserved_Specimen Tufted grass ca. 8 ft. tall. Herbst, D.R. 5061 Hawaii BISH 1974-10-08
27 Themeda villosa Jeep road between Wahiawa Bog (Kanaele Swamp) and trail to TV relay tower on Mt. Kahili Preserved_Specimen Clumped grass ca. 1.3 m tall. Wagner, W.L. 5199 Kauai BISH 1983-12-22
28 Themeda villosa Kealakekua Preserved_Specimen Toy, B. Hawaii BISH 1979-05-01
29 Themeda villosa Kona, Keauhou Preserved_Specimen Judd Jr., A.F. Hawaii BISH 1937-11-12
30 Themeda villosa Hilo Forest Reserve; Saddle Rd. at 21.7 km Preserved_Specimen perennial grass to 2 m Annable, C.R. 3748 Hawaii BISH 1998-01-14
31 Themeda villosa Waipahoehoe, Keeau Preserved_Specimen Ripperton, J.C. Hawaii BISH 1905-04-15
32 Themeda villosa Kealakekua Preserved_Specimen Toy, B. Hawaii BISH 1979-05-01
33 Themeda villosa Kona; Keauhou Preserved_Specimen Judd Jr., A.F. Hawaii BISH 1937-11-12
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