Annual or perennial tufted, erect sedge with fibrous root system;culms slender, 40-60 cm tall, four- or five-angled and often somewhat flattened;leaves 1.5-2.5 mm wide, up to 40 cm long, basal leaves half as long as culm, linear, threadlike and stiff, two-ranked, with sheaths;leaf bract shorter than inflorescence;inflorescence a rather lax and diffuse compound umbel, 6-10 cm long, spikelets globose or ovate, 2.5-4 mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide, round or acute at apex, reddish brown, the lower scales fall early;stigmas three-branched, rarely in a few flowers two-branched;anthers yellow;glumes ovate, brown, about 1 mm long, spirally arranged, membraneous, obtuse or acute, the green midvein or keel broad.
Related invasive species
- Fimbristylis littoralis
Related Farm Practice
- Plantations
Related location
- Malaysia
- Philippines
- Indonesia
F. littoralis is a tufted leafy annual or short-lived herb (sedge) included in the Global Compendium of Weeds where it is listed as an agricultural and environmental weed (Randall, 2012). It has escaped from cultivation and become established along waterways and wetlands (Flora of China Editorial Committee, 2014). The species is of particular concern in rice plantations around the world (Holm et al., 1977). It shows allelopathic activity and once established it can change features of ecosystem functions including hydrological cycles, biophysical dynamics, nutrient cycles, and community composition (Holm et al., 1977;Holou et al., 2013).
F. littoralis is one of the most important weeds affecting rice plantations in practically every location in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world where this crop is cultivated (Holm et al., 1977). It is also found in bananas and maize in Taiwan, abaca [ Musa textilis ] in the Philippines, sugarcane and maize in Indonesia, and taro [ Colocasia esculenta ] in Hawaii. It is reported to be one of the prevalent weeds in sorghum in Malaysia.