Arthraxon hispidus

{{Short description|Species of grass}} {{Speciesbox | image = Arthraxon hispidus kobunags01.jpg | genus = Arthraxon | species = hispidus | authority = (Thunb.) Makino | synonyms_ref = <ref>{{ThePlantList|kew|395573|Arthraxon hispidus|(Thunb.) Makino|accessdate=5 February 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=WFO Plant List {{!}} World Flora Online |url=https://wfoplantlist.org/taxon/wfo-0000849805-2024-06?page=1 |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=wfoplantlist.org}}</ref> | synonyms = {{collapsible list|bullets = true |title=Synonymy |''Alectoridia quartiniana'' A.Rich. |''Andropogon alectoridia'' Steud. |''Andropogon amplexifolius'' Trin. |''Andropogon ciliaris'' (P.Beauv.) Raspail |''Andropogon lasiocoleus'' Steud. |''Andropogon micans'' (Nees) Steud. |''Andropogon plumbeus'' (Steud.) Hochst. |''Andropogon violaceus'' B.Heyne ex Steud. [Invalid] |''Arthraxon caucasicus'' (Rupr. ex Regel) Tzvelev |''Arthraxon centrasiaticus'' (Griseb.) Gamajun. |''Arthraxon ciliaris'' P.Beauv. |''Arthraxon coloratus'' Hochst. |''Arthraxon cryptatherus'' (Hack.) Koidz. |''Arthraxon glabrescens'' Andersson ex Hack. [Invalid] |''Arthraxon gracilis'' (Kunth) Hochst. |''Arthraxon hookeri'' (Hack.) Henrard |''Arthraxon japonicus'' Miq. |''Arthraxon japonicum'' Miq. |''Arthraxon kobuna'' Honda |''Arthraxon langsdorffii'' (Trin.) Hochst. |''Arthraxon langsdorfianus'' (Steud.) Hochst. [Illegitimate] |''Arthraxon lasiocoleus'' (Steud.) Hochst. |''Arthraxon major'' (Hochst. ex Steud.) Hochst. |''Arthraxon mauritianus'' Stapf ex C.E.Hubb. |''Arthraxon micans'' (Nees) Hochst. |''Arthraxon okamotoi'' Ohwi |''Arthraxon pallidus'' Henrard |''Arthraxon pauciflorus'' Honda |''Arthraxon plumbeus'' Hochst. |''Arthraxon quartinianus'' (A.Rich.) Nash |''Arthraxon violaceus'' (Steud.) Hochst. |''Batratherum micans'' Nees |''Batratherum plumbeum'' Munro ex Duthie [Invalid] |''Chilochloa hispida'' (Thunb.) P.Beauv. [Invalid] |''Deyeuxia japonica'' Spreng. [Illegitimate] |''Digitaria hispida'' (Thunb.) Spreng. |''Dimeria scrobiculata'' C.B.Clarke ex Koord. |''Lasiolytrum hirtum'' Steud. [Invalid] |''Lasiolytrum hispidum'' (Thunb.) Steud. |''Leersia hispida'' (Thunb.) Thunb. |''Lucaea gracilis'' Kunth |''Lucaea langsdorffiana'' Steud. [Illegitimate] |''Lucaea major'' Hochst. ex Steud. |''Lucaea plumbea'' Steud. |''Lucaea violacea'' Steud. |''Lucaea vriesii'' Buse |''Phalaris hispida'' Thunb. |''Pleuroplitis caucasica'' (Regel) Rupr. ex Trautv. |''Pleuroplitis centrasiatica'' Griseb. |''Pleuroplitis langsdorffii'' Trin. |''Pleuroplitis major'' (Steud.) Regel [Illegitimate] |''Pleuroplitis plumbea'' Nees ex Arn. |''Pleuroplitis quartiniana'' (A.Rich.) Regel |''Pleuroplitis violacea'' Nees ex Hochst. [Invalid] |''Pollinia ciliaris'' (P.Beauv.) Spreng. |''Sorghum ciliare'' (P.Beauv.) Kuntze |''Spodiopogon ciliaris'' (P.Beauv.) Nees ex Steud. |''Arthraxon cuspidatus'' (Hochst. ex A. Rich.) Hochst. }} }}

'''''Arthraxon hispidus,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arthraxon hispidus {{!}} International Plant Names Index |url=https://ipni.org/n/390037-1 |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=ipni.org}}</ref>''''' is an annual<ref>{{eFloras|2|first1=Shou-liang |last1=Chen |first2=Sylvia M. |last2=Phillips}}</ref> grass commonly known as '''small carpetgrass''', '''hairy jointgrass, joint-head grass,'''<ref>{{PLANTS|id=ARHI3|taxon=Arthraxon hispidus|accessdate=5 February 2014}}</ref> '''jointhead arthraxon,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=small carpetgrass, joint-head grass: Arthraxon hispidus (Cyperales: Poaceae): Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States |url=https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=5136#maps |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=www.invasiveplantatlas.org}}</ref> small carp grass,<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Invasive Species Spotlight: Small Carpetgrass (Arthraxon hispidus) {{!}} Brandywine Conservancy and Museum of Art |url=https://www.brandywine.org/conservancy/blog/invasive-species-spotlight-small-carpetgrass-arthraxon-hispidus |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=www.brandywine.org}}</ref>''' and '''creek grass.<ref name=":2" />''' It is native to East Asia and Australia. It was accidentally introduced to the United States, Central America, and South America,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arthraxon hispidus (Thunb.) Makino {{!}} Plants of the World Online {{!}} Kew Science |url=https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:390037-1 |access-date=2024-10-25 |website=Plants of the World Online |language=en}}</ref> where it is considered an invasive species.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas: Plants to Watch |url=https://www.invasive.org/alien/pubs/midatlantic/plants-to-watch.htm#arhi |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=www.invasive.org}}</ref>

== Description == ''Arthraxon hispidus'' is grass that is characterized by ovate or lanceolate shaped leaves with cordate bases that are 2.5-7.6 cm (1-3 in) long and 0.5-1.27 cm (0.2-0.5 in) wide. Its leaf stems and margins are hairy. It is 0.3-0.6 m (1-2 ft) tall with hairless, upright stems. It can spread by rooting at the nodes on its stem if they touch the ground and can spread easily this way. It fruits in caryopses, similar to other grain-like grasses, which may or may not contain awns depending on the subspecies. Its flowering and fruiting time is September through November. The upper glume is purple while the lower glume is green.<ref name=":02">{{Cite web |title=Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas: Plants to Watch |url=https://www.invasive.org/alien/pubs/midatlantic/plants-to-watch.htm#arhi |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=www.invasive.org}}</ref><ref name=":12">{{Cite web |title=small carpetgrass, joint-head grass: Arthraxon hispidus (Cyperales: Poaceae): Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States |url=https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=5136#maps |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=www.invasiveplantatlas.org}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite journal |last=Kiger |first=Robert W. |date=1971 |title=Arthraxon Hispidus (gramineae) in the United States: Taxonomic and Floristic Status |journal=Rhodora |volume=73 |issue=793 |pages=39–46 |jstor=23311334 |issn=0035-4902}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Species profile—Arthraxon hispidus |url=https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/species-search/details/?id=9964 |website=Queensland Government}}</ref>

It may be confused for deertongue panicgrass (''Dicanthelium clandestinum'')<ref name=":03">{{Cite web |title=Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas: Plants to Watch |url=https://www.invasive.org/alien/pubs/midatlantic/plants-to-watch.htm#arhi |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=www.invasive.org}}</ref> or for ''Oplismenus aemulus.''<ref name=":42">{{Cite web |title=Species profile—Arthraxon hispidus |url=https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/species-search/details/?id=9964 |website=Queensland Government}}</ref> ''Arthraxon hispidus'' is distinguished from ''D. clandestinum'' due to its shorter height and leaves as well as the presence of marginal hairs.<ref name=":03" /> ''Arthraxon hispidus'' is distinguished from ''O. aemulus'' by its digitate and subdigitate inflorescence.<ref name=":13">{{Cite web |title=small carpetgrass, joint-head grass: Arthraxon hispidus (Cyperales: Poaceae): Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States |url=https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=5136#maps |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=www.invasiveplantatlas.org}}</ref>

== Taxonomy == ''Arthraxon hispidus'' is highly variable, causing some researchers to consider there to be separate subspecies of the plant while others defend its single-species status. Current subspecies of ''A. hispidus'' are based on awn presence or absence.

Some researchers have justified the recognition of a single species (with no subspecies) by stating that proposed subspecies lack enough defining characteristics or geographical separation to be considered separate. They propose that the natural variation of ''Arthraxon hispidus'' can be explained by environmental differences across the species range.<ref name=":32">{{Cite journal |last=Kiger |first=Robert W. |date=1971 |title=Arthraxon Hispidus (gramineae) in the United States: Taxonomic and Floristic Status |journal=Rhodora |volume=73 |issue=793 |pages=39–46 |jstor=23311334 |issn=0035-4902}}</ref>

== Distribution and habitat == ''Arthraxon hispidus'' grows in moist, sunny environments and can be found in riparian, wetland, or floodplain areas across Asia and Australia, specifically New South Wales and Queensland.<ref name=":52">{{Cite web |title=Arthraxon hispidus (Creek Grass, Hairy Jointgrass, Joint-head Grass, Small Carpetgrass, Small Carp Grass) {{!}} North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox |url=https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/arthraxon-hispidus/ |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=plants.ces.ncsu.edu}}</ref><ref name=":44">{{Cite web |title=Species profile—Arthraxon hispidus |url=https://apps.des.qld.gov.au/species-search/details/?id=9964 |website=Queensland Government}}</ref> The seeds of ''A. hispidus'' can be distributed and carried by water in its habitat.<ref name=":05">{{Cite web |title=Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas: Plants to Watch |url=https://www.invasive.org/alien/pubs/midatlantic/plants-to-watch.htm#arhi |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=www.invasive.org}}</ref>

The germination of ''A. hispidus'' is rapid (about three days) and with few limiting factors. It has proven to have high temperature (8-37 degrees Celsius) and pH (5-10) tolerance in germination. It is not known to germinate well in a wide range of salinity, with drought, or when buried more than 1-2 cm (0.4-0.8 in) deep.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Beall |first1=Michael C. |last2=Barney |first2=Jacob N. |last3=Welbaum |first3=Gregory E. |last4=Reid |first4=J. Leighton |date=2024-06-04 |title=Implications of germination tolerances on invasion potential of Arthraxon hispidus |journal=PLOS ONE |language=en |volume=19 |issue=6 |article-number=e0303638 |doi=10.1371/journal.pone.0303638 |issn=1932-6203 |pmc=11149838 |pmid=38833460 |doi-access=free|bibcode=2024PLoSO..1903638B }}</ref>

Similar to other Australian fire-adapted plants, fire has been suggested to promote germination. Fire is not a necessary disturbance for ''A. hispidus'' to recruit in Australia, but it is believed that ''A. hispidus'' is resistant to variable weather patterns.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=White |first1=Laura |last2=Catterall |first2=Claudia |last3=Taffs |first3=Kathryn |date=2020-10-20 |title=Fire can promote germination, recruitment and seed bank accumulation of the threatened annual grass Arthraxon hispidus |url=https://www.publish.csiro.au/BT/BT20004 |journal=Australian Journal of Botany |language=en |volume=68 |issue=6 |pages=413–424 |doi=10.1071/BT20004 |bibcode=2020AuJB...68..413W |issn=1444-9862|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

== Uses == In Asia, ''Arthraxon hispidus'' has a history of being used in traditional medicines as well as dyes.<ref name=":6">{{Cite journal |last1=Quan |first1=Gui-Hua |last2=Chae |first2=Hee-Sung |last3=Song |first3=Hyuk Hwan |last4=Ahn |first4=Kyoung-Seop |last5=Lee |first5=Hyeong-Kyu |last6=Kim |first6=Young-Ho |last7=Oh |first7=Sei-Ryang |last8=Chin |first8=Young-Won |date=2013 |title=Anti-allergic Flavones from Arthraxon hispidus |url=https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/cpb/61/9/61_c13-00239/_html/-char/en |journal=Chemical and Pharmaceutical Bulletin |volume=61 |issue=9 |pages=920–926 |doi=10.1248/cpb.c13-00239|pmid=23995356 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

In traditional medicine, it has been used to treat inflammatory diseases such as asthma.<ref name=":6" /> 7-methoxy-luteolin-8-C-β-6-deoxy-xylo-pyranos-3-uloside (mLU8C-PU) has been isolated from ''A. hispidus'', which may be valuable in the treatment of tumor cells, as with other luteolins.<ref>Kim SooJin, et al. "7-methoxy-luteolin-8-C-β-6-deoxy-xylo-pyranos-3-uloside exactly (mLU8C-PU) isolated from Arthraxon hispidus inhibits migratory and invasive responses mediated via downregulation of MMP-9 and IL-8 expression in MCF-7 breast cancer cells." (2018): 1143-1152.</ref>

''Arthraxon hispidus'' has been used in the production of a yellow silk cloth, kihachijo, which is associated with Hachijo Island and its kimonos. Identified dye components of the flavonoid ''C-''glycosides include luteolin 8-''C''-rhamnoside, apigenin 8-''C-''rhamnoside, and tricin are responsible for the yellow color produced.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Mouri |first1=Chika |last2=Laursen |first2=Richard |date=2011-10-14 |title=Identification and partial characterization of C-glycosylflavone markers in Asian plant dyes using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0021967311012350 |journal=Journal of Chromatography A |volume=1218 |issue=41 |pages=7325–7330 |doi=10.1016/j.chroma.2011.08.048 |pmid=21890138 |issn=0021-9673|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

== Invasive status and management == In the United States, ''Arthraxon hispidus'' is considered an invasive weed. It was first discovered in the United States in Virginia in the 1930s and was thought to be introduced accidentally or possibly by immigrants from Asia.<ref name=":04">{{Cite web |title=Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas: Plants to Watch |url=https://www.invasive.org/alien/pubs/midatlantic/plants-to-watch.htm#arhi |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=www.invasive.org}}</ref><ref name=":14">{{Cite web |title=small carpetgrass, joint-head grass: Arthraxon hispidus (Cyperales: Poaceae): Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States |url=https://www.invasiveplantatlas.org/subject.html?sub=5136#maps |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=www.invasiveplantatlas.org}}</ref> It now exists in at least 25 US states<ref name=":5">{{Cite web |title=Arthraxon hispidus (Creek Grass, Hairy Jointgrass, Joint-head Grass, Small Carpetgrass, Small Carp Grass) {{!}} North Carolina Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox |url=https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/arthraxon-hispidus/ |access-date=2024-10-23 |website=plants.ces.ncsu.edu}}</ref> and is recognized as an invasive species by many of those states.<ref name=":14" /> As an invasive species, it is explicitly forbidden in Connecticut and New York.<ref>{{Cite web |title=USDA Plants Database |url=https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/ARHI3 |access-date=2024-11-29 |website=plants.usda.gov}}</ref>

Management of ''Arthraxon hispidus'' includes mowing, hand-weeding, or glyphosate-based herbicide application. It is recommended to begin management or control practices of ''A. hispidus'' before it produces seeds,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Plant Details – Tennessee Invasive Plant Council |url=https://www.tnipc.org/invasive-plants/plant-details/?id=127 |access-date=2024-10-25 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":5" /> due to its rapid germination.

In Australia, ''Arthraxon hispidus'' is considered a threatened species. There is uncertainty about the natural plant community of the species due to a long history of human development. It grows most successfully with other native New South Wales species and grows well in the region of Australia's northern coast.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=White |first1=Laura |last2=Catterall |first2=Claudia |last3=Taffs |first3=Kathryn |date=2019-08-29 |title=The habitat and management of hairy jointgrass (Arthraxon hispidus, Poaceae) on the north coast of New South Wales, Australia |url=https://www.publish.csiro.au/pc/PC19017 |journal=Pacific Conservation Biology |language=en |volume=26 |issue=1 |pages=45–56 |doi=10.1071/PC19017 |issn=2204-4604|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

Category:Andropogoneae Category:Flora of tropical Asia Category:Flora of temperate Asia Category:Flora of Africa