Taxon:  Chrysopogon aciculatus (Retz.) Trin.



Summary
Genus:
Chrysopogon
Family:
Poaceae (alt. Gramineae)
Subfamily:
Panicoideae
Tribe:
Andropogoneae
Subtribe:
Chrysopogoninae
Nomen number:
10501
Place of publication:
Fund. Agrost. 188.  1820
Verified:
03/17/2003 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
9 (0  active, 0  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
Basionym
Andropogon aciculatus Retz.

Homotypic Synonym(s)
Andropogon acicularis Retz. ex Roem. & Schult., orth. var.
Rhaphis aciculata (Retz.) Honda

Heterotypic Synonym(s)
Rhaphis acicularis (Retz. ex Roem. & Schult.) Desv.

Images (2 total. Click on image for more.)
Embryo drawing

Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. University of Georgia Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health
  2. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  3. Bor, N. L. 1960. The grasses of Burma, Ceylon, India, and Pakistan.
  4. Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
  5. CIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. Documenta CIBA-GEIGY (Grass weeds 1. 1980, 2. 1981; Monocot weeds 3. 1982; Dicot weeds 1. 1988) Note: four books on weeds worldwide in scope
  6. FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
  7. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource).
  8. Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
  9. Hara, H. et al. 1978-1982. An enumeration of the flowering plants of Nepal.
  10. Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
  11. Kamal-Uddin, M. et al. 2009. Floristic composition of weed community in turf grass area of West Peninsular Malaysia. Int. J. Agric. Biol. 11:13-20.
  12. Koyama, T. 1987. Grasses of Japan and its neighboring regions
  13. Lazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
  14. Lazarides, M. 1980. The tropical grasses of Southeast Asia
  15. McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
  16. Plant Protection and Quarantine Office. United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Federal noxious weed list (on-line resource).
  17. Randall, R. P. 2007. The introduced flora of Australia and its weed status.
  18. Reddy, G. V. 2011. Survey of invasive plants on Guam and identification of the 20 most widespread. Micronesica 41:263-274.
  19. Shukla, U. 1996. Grasses of north-eastern India
  20. Smith, A. C. 1979-1991. Flora vitiensis nova.
  21. 't Mannetje, L. & R. M. Jones, eds. 1992. Forages. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) 4:92-93.
  22. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: introduced
  23. Veldkamp, J. F. 1999. A revision of Chrysopogon Trin., including Vetiveria Bory (Poaceae) in Thailand and Malesia with notes on some other species from Africa and Australia. Austrobaileya 5:509-510.
  24. Wagner, W. L. et al. Flora of the Hawaiian Islands (on-line resource).
  25. Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishlesser spear grass  1McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Englishlove grass  1't Mannetje, L. & R. M. Jones, eds. 1992. Forages. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) 4:92-93.
EnglishMackie's pest  1FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Englishpilipiliula  1Plant Protection and Quarantine Office. United States Department of Agriculture, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Federal noxious weed list (on-line resource).
Portuguese (Brazil)grama-amorosa  2Groth, D. 2005. pers. comm. Note: re. Brazilian common names
unknownamorseco  2't Mannetje, L. & R. M. Jones, eds. 1992. Forages. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) 4:92-93.
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaGuangdong Sheng Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaGuangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaGuizhou Sheng Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaHainan Sheng Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaYunnan Sheng Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
1NativeAsia-TemperateEastern AsiaJapanRyukyu Islands Koyama, T. 1987. Grasses of Japan and its neighboring regions
1NativeAsia-TemperateEastern AsiaTaiwan  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaAssam Shukla, U. 1996. Grasses of north-eastern India
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaBihar Shukla, U. 1996. Grasses of north-eastern India
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaDelhi Shukla, U. 1996. Grasses of north-eastern India
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaKarnataka Shukla, U. 1996. Grasses of north-eastern India
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaMaharashtra Shukla, U. 1996. Grasses of north-eastern India
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaManipur Shukla, U. 1996. Grasses of north-eastern India
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaMizoram Shukla, U. 1996. Grasses of north-eastern India
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaNagaland Shukla, U. 1996. Grasses of north-eastern India
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaOdisha Shukla, U. 1996. Grasses of north-eastern India
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaTamil Nadu Shukla, U. 1996. Grasses of north-eastern India
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaTripura Shukla, U. 1996. Grasses of north-eastern India
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaUttar Pradesh Shukla, U. 1996. Grasses of north-eastern India
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndiaWest Bengal Shukla, U. 1996. Grasses of north-eastern India
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentNepal  Hara, H. et al. 1978-1982. An enumeration of the flowering plants of Nepal.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentSri Lanka  Lazarides, M. 1980. The tropical grasses of Southeast Asia
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaCambodia  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaLaos  Veldkamp, J. F. 1999. A revision of Chrysopogon Trin., including Vetiveria Bory (Poaceae) in Thailand and Malesia with notes on some other species from Africa and Australia. Austrobaileya 5:509-510.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaMyanmar  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaThailand  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndo-ChinaVietnam  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaIndonesia  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaMalaysia  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaPhilippines  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TropicalPapuasiaPapua New Guinea  Veldkamp, J. F. 1999. A revision of Chrysopogon Trin., including Vetiveria Bory (Poaceae) in Thailand and Malesia with notes on some other species from Africa and Australia. Austrobaileya 5:509-510.
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaNorthern Territory Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaQueensland Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
1NativePacificNorth-Central PacificUnited StatesHawaii Wagner, W. L. et al. Flora of the Hawaiian Islands (on-line resource).
1NativePacificSouthwestern PacificFiji  Smith, A. C. 1979-1991. Flora vitiensis nova.
2CultivatedAsia-TemperateChinaChina  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
4NaturalizedAfricaEast Tropical AfricaUganda  Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: introduced
4NaturalizedPacificNorthwestern PacificUnited StatesGuam Reddy, G. V. 2011. Survey of invasive plants on Guam and identification of the 20 most widespread. Micronesica 41:263-274.
Native
Asia-Temperate
  • CHINA: China [Guangdong Sheng, Guangxi Zhuangzu Zizhiqu, Guizhou Sheng, Hainan Sheng, Yunnan Sheng]
  • EASTERN ASIA: Japan [Ryukyu Islands], Taiwan
Asia-Tropical
  • INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India [Assam, Bihar, Maharashtra, Manipur, Nagaland, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Delhi, Mizoram], Sri Lanka, Nepal
  • PAPUASIA: Papua New Guinea
  • INDO-CHINA: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
  • MALESIA: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines
Australasia
  • AUSTRALIA: Australia [Queensland, Northern Territory]
Pacific
  • NORTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: United States [Hawaii]
  • SOUTHWESTERN PACIFIC: Fiji
Cultivated
Asia-Temperate
  • CHINA: China
Naturalized
Africa
  • EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Uganda
Pacific
  • NORTHWESTERN PACIFIC: United States [Guam]

Reference(s)
  1. Chinese Academy of Sciences. 1959-. Flora reipublicae popularis sinicae.
  2. Hara, H. et al. 1978-1982. An enumeration of the flowering plants of Nepal.
  3. Hnatiuk, R. J. 1990. Census of Australian vascular plants. Australian Flora and Fauna Series No. 11.
  4. Koyama, T. 1987. Grasses of Japan and its neighboring regions
  5. Lazarides, M. 1980. The tropical grasses of Southeast Asia
  6. Reddy, G. V. 2011. Survey of invasive plants on Guam and identification of the 20 most widespread. Micronesica 41:263-274.
  7. Shukla, U. 1996. Grasses of north-eastern India
  8. Smith, A. C. 1979-1991. Flora vitiensis nova.
  9. Turrill, W. B. et al., eds. 1952-. Flora of tropical East Africa. Note: introduced
  10. Veldkamp, J. F. 1999. A revision of Chrysopogon Trin., including Vetiveria Bory (Poaceae) in Thailand and Malesia with notes on some other species from Africa and Australia. Austrobaileya 5:509-510.
  11. Wagner, W. L. et al. Flora of the Hawaiian Islands (on-line resource).
  12. Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Animal foodforage 't Mannetje, L. & R. M. Jones, eds. 1992. Forages. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) 4:92-93.
Environmentalerosion controlfor lawnsLazarides, M. & B. Hince. 1993. CSIRO Handbook of Economic Plants of Australia
Environmentallawn/turf 't Mannetje, L. & R. M. Jones, eds. 1992. Forages. In: Faridah Hanum, I. & L. J. G. van der Maesen, eds., Plant Resources of South-East Asia (PROSEA) 4:92-93.
Medicinesfolklore McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Weedseed contaminantpotentialCIBA-GEIGY, Basel, Switzerland. Documenta CIBA-GEIGY (Grass weeds 1. 1980, 2. 1981; Monocot weeds 3. 1982; Dicot weeds 1. 1988) Note: four books on weeds worldwide in scope
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=10501. Accessed 17 April 2026.