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Vallisneria gigantea
Verbascum thapsus
Vetiveria zizanioides

Vetiveria zizanioides - Monto vetiver grass
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Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007
From: Scott Edwards <Scott.Edwards@brisbane.qld.gov.au>

Can someone shed some light on which Vetiver species are invasive.

Im being told of 'sterile' Vetiver being used in large scale gully rehabilitation projects, but im not convinced.  I also know of it being used in remediation wetlands.

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Date:  Thu, 25 Jan 2007
From: "Randall, Rod" <RPRandall@agric.wa.gov.au>

Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash now called Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.) Roberty is the ONLY Vetiveria species being used for rehab and it IS invasive. The clonal form may well be sterile but as the non-clonal form is also in Australia is a moot point and there are many sterile plants that are highly invasive.

The references below all refer to V. zizanioides as a weed in various circumstances and countries. Its not worth the risk to use this species and I will continue to argue against its use anywhere.

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Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2007
From: Scott Edwards <Scott.Edwards@brisbane.qld.gov.au>

Rod etal

Do you have any alternative species suggestions for similar uses?

and FYI the Qld State Gvt have the following 'factsheet' which is of concern...

http://www.nrw.qld.gov.au/factsheets/pdf/land/l34.pdf

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Date: Fri, 19 Jan 2007
From: Danielle Frohlich <danielle.frohlich@bishopmuseum.org>

I'd like to get some information about the potential invasiveness of the clump-forming grass Chrysopogon zizanioides, or Vetiveria zizanoides.  It is being considered for use in erosion control here in Hawaii.  Since it has not yet been introduced here, we're concerned it may present yet another weed problem.  Anyone have any information?

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Date: Sun, 21 Jan 2007
From: "Randall, Rod" <RPRandall@agric.wa.gov.au>

Chrysopogon zizanioides is most definitely is invasive wether it be in its seeding form, or its highly promoted clonal form.

Liu, J., Dong, M., Miao, S.L., Li, Z.Y., Song, M.H. & Wang, R.Q. (2006). Invasive alien plants in China: role of clonality and geographical origin. Biological Invasions 8: pp:1461-1470.

Eduardo Chacón and Guido Saborío-R (2003) LISTA DE ESPECIES DE PLANTAS INTRODUCIDAS EN COSTA RICA. Asociación para la Conservación y el Estudio de la Biodiversidad (ACEBIO) [edchacon@gmail.com & gsaborio@gmail.com.]

Introduced (Alien) Species Checklist: Biodiversity & Environmental Resource Data System of Belize.

Alien Species. On March 10, the Japanese Cabinet submitted the bill dealing with invasive alien species to the Diet.  The Diet passed the bill without amendments and the Invasive Alien Species Act was promulgated as of June 2, 2004. List of alien species recognized to be established in Japan or found in the Japanese wild (as of October 27, 2004) [PDF]

Villaseñor, Jose L. &  and J. Espinosa-Garcia, F. (2004) The alien flowering plants of Mexico. Diversity and Distributions, 10, pp:113-123.

China Species Information Service. Invasive Aliens Species in China. http://www.chinabiodiversity.com/search/aspecies/english/ealist.shtm

Wu, S.H., Hsieh, C.F. and Rejmanek, M. (2004). Catalouge of the Naturalized Flora of Taiwan. Taiwania, 49 (1) pp:16-31.

Subject: Regional Invasive Exotic Plant Species List  To: Forest Supervisors [Regional Forester's List and Ranking Structure Invasive Exotic Plant Species of Management Concern USDA Forest Service, Southern Region] Date: May 18, 2001

The Research Institute for Bioresources. Okayama University. Laboratory of Wild Plant Science. "Naturalized plants from foreign country into Japan". www.rib.okayama-u.ac.jp/wild/kika/kika_table.htm

Liogier, H.A. (2000). Flora of Puerto Rico and Adjacent Islands. A Systematic Synopsis. (2nd Edition). Universidad de Puerto Rico

Warea Orapa (Mr) Weed Management Officer Plant Protection Service Secretariat of the Pacific Community PMB Suva. Fiji (email to L-Aliens)

Hitchcock, A.S. (1935) Manual of the Grasses of the United States. Vol 2. 2nd Ed., Revised by Agnes Chase Dover Publications, Inc. New York. Noted as escaping from cultivation in Louisiana in 1935!

Introduced (Naturalised) Species to the United States  [USDA, NRCS 1999. The PLANTS database. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.]

Holm, L. G., Pancho, J. V., Herberger, J. P. and Plucknett, D. L. (1979). "A Geographical Atlas of World Weeds".   John Wiley and Sons NewYork, USA

Biological Diversity of the Guianas (BDG) Guyana; Surinam; French Guiana. The Checklist of the Plants of the Guianas; 2nd Edition  (edited by J. Boggan; V. Funk; C. Kelloff; M. Hoff; G. Cremers; &   C. Feuillet; 1997) http://www.nmnh.si.edu/biodiversity/checklst.htm

Its just not worth the risk to use this grass.

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Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004
From: Sally Vidler <sally.vidleradelaide.edu.au>

I've had an enquiry this morning from a Prue Pyke in Victoria concerned with a proposal by her Catchment Board's engineers to use Monto Vetiver grass (native to South and SE Asia) to stabilize some river banks in the area.

I've not been able to find too much info, except a QLD DNRM factsheet promoting it as a grass for soil and water conservation.

"Vetiver is non-invasive, has no runners nor rhizomes, and only spreads by tillering. Vetiver is being widely used for steep slope stabilisation and rehabilitation of degraded and disturbed lands in many places including the Caribbean, Fiji, India, Africa, Malaysia and Thailand. Other related grasses, namely lemon grass and citronella grass, have also been used less successfully as vegetative erosion hedges."

The full fact sheet can be found at http://www.nrm.qld.gov.au/factsheets/pdf/land/LM34w.pdf

Prue would be interested in any information or experience anyone might have had with this grass. As she is not a member of enviroweeds, be sure to "reply to all" all or send your comments direct to Prue at pyke@netconnect.com.au

Obviously I'm not familiar with the area concerned, but I do wonder why the CMA would not be using local natives for this purpose.

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Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004
From: Rod Randall<RPRandallagric.wa.gov.au>

Vetiver grass by any other name is still Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash - Poaceae

There are clonal forms that appear to be sterile and non clonal forms that do set seed. The seeding forms are becoming a weed problem in the northern wheatbelt town of Geraldton in WA and in my view even the sterile form has potential to become a weed. As perennial grasses have a pretty apalling track record in Australia this is very much a case of buyer beware.

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Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004
From: John Weiss <John.Weissdpi.vic.gov.au>

I agree with Rod.

Vetiveria zizanioides, perennial grass of the family Poaceae, native to tropical Asia and also introduced into the tropics of both hemispheres. Its thick, fragrant roots contain an oil used in perfumes. It is planted as hedges in some areas. In others it has escaped cultivation and become a weed.

Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash in A. C. Smith, Flora Vitiensis Nova, Vol. I, p.377, Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden, Lawai, Kaua`i, Hawai`i, 1979 notes under Distribution: "It is cultivated in gardens but is also escaped and naturalized, occurring along roadsides and contour lines."

I have not done a weed risk assessment of this plant.

It has become a weed in some areas - eg southern states of the US. In the US promotion of this plant is limited to sterile (nonflowering) cultivars of V. zizanioides

In Australia one of the issues that both the CRC for Australian Weed Management and the CRC for Dryland Salinity are concerned about is the promotion of agricultural plants to cope with the increased salinity then becoming a weed.
Examples of this have already occurred.

At present there is no legislation (in Victoria) to prevent the promotion and sale of these plants, believe maybe a pre-cautionary approach should prevail and non-invasive forms or native plants should be utilised in preference.

A possible recommendation would be to follow the US suggestion and limit the promotion to sterile (nonflowering) cultivars of V. zizanioides (although there are issues with this as well, see Rod Randall's comments )

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Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004
From:Ian Higgins <ian_higginsnccma.vic.gov.au>

Why indeed not use the local natives!

My impression is that there is still a lot of exotic grasses being sown (by Victorian Catchment Management Authorities) for soil stabilisation after engineering works on waterways. (Though I should add they do plant a lot of seedlings of native grasses) I suspect the reasons include: * Native grass seed issues, eg, difficulty or impossibility in obtaining seed or very high prices of seed.
* Lack of confidence that the natives will 'do the job' (establish and stabilise the soil quickly enough) compared to the conventional approach using invasive exotics.
* Lack of knowledge of which species to use or of cost effective establishment methods.
* Many sites are so weedy already that attempting to introduce natives may be pointless.
* CMA employees may have been trained to use Ryegrass or couch or may never have been introduced to the environmental weed issue.

I believe we could overcome most of these reasons as long as we had a good supply of seed of appropriate species and provenances. In north central Victoria, we are still a long way from this. In fact we've gone backwards in our regional capacity to harvest grass seeds with the Department of Primary Industry in Bendigo selling off their native grass seed harvester machine recently. Sorry I don't know anything about Vetiver grass!

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Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2004
From: Tony Grice <Tony.Gricecsiro.au>

Coincidentally, I was walking along the Ross River the day before yesterday and there, Vetiver grass was being used in bank stabilitsation in association with a new urban development. It is a supposedly sterile variety recommended to the revegetation contractors by QDNRM. I will watch it with interest.

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Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2004
From: Deborah Friedewald <dfriedewaldherplace.net>

Some years ago, I was approached (through a family connection) by an agronomist with the World Bank, who was then one of the main proponents for the use of this grass internationally for erosion control. His campaign was conducted with almost a religious fervour, and I was quite concerned by the sales pitch that was being used in an attempt to convince me to begin the cultivation of the grass on a large scale for future distribution throughout Australia (prior to the results of any local trials becoming available).

I was provided with a great deal of information on the ease of cultivation of the "sterile" hybrid. One of the main propagation methods being touted was culm layering or cuttings. If Vetiver is slashed or otherwise damaged, many of the tillers will produce multiple branchings. From these, new aerial culms are produced. These could be readily detached from the mother plant and planted out. This tendency made me suspicious of its potential for weediness, as given where the plant is used (along riverbanks in particular) I should imagine that flooding may result in the detachment and transportation of these culms to new locations.

A suitable understorey for vegetatively reproducing Willows, perhaps?

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Date: Fri, 16 Jan 2004
From: Lachlan Garland <lachlanhermes.net.au>

Yep, that is what we need. Find some way in which those at the "top end of town" are affected by weeds or environmental issues and there will be some action. A couple of dead racehorses will start the ball rolling.

Right now "they" don't want to believe that this country and the plant as a whole is in dire straits.

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Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004
From: Ricky Ward <ecology_66hotmail.com>

Noting Tony Grice comment about Vetiver grass being used to "stabilise" river banks, I suggest that a useful response to the issue is to inform landscapers that no grass is effective in river bank stabilisation. Trees were there originally in most cases and replanting say Red Gums should do the job and provide many other benefits. If landscapers are view fixated advise them that trimming of lower branches is an option.

Here in Thailand Vetiver grass is advocated by the King and often used in inappropriate situations where trees would be appropriate.

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Date: Thu, 22 Jan 2004
From: Bev Debrincat <bev.debrincatoptushome.com.au>

I agree with Ricky about using native trees for stabilizing river banks, although not always appropriate. Additionally I would prefer to see a holistic approach using a mix of plants from the original vegetation community. This would have many benefits not only of optimizing bank stabilization but of improving the health of the river system and of providing a natural vegetation corridor.

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Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2004
From: Tony Grice <Tony.Gricecsiro.au>

Thanks for all the info and discussion on vetiver. I do not know whether in the particular case I mentioned the reveg. company had vetiver as its first choice. It was recommended by QDNRM. The other complicating factor is that the local urbanites do not want their river views blocked by offending trees and take not so subtle action to remove or kill any that are planted. Evenso, I would like to think that some native species would be available and recommended by QNRM.