Taxon: Fimbristylis littoralis Gaudich.

Summary

Genus:

Fimbristylis

Family:

Cyperaceae

Subfamily:

Cyperoideae

Tribe:

Abildgaardieae

Nomen number:

402828

Place of publication:

Voy. Uranie 413. 1829

Comment:

includes F. miliacea auct., non Scirpus miliaceus L.

Verified:

05/03/2012 ARS Systematic Botanists.

Accessions:

0 (0 active, 0 available) in National Plant Germplasm System.

Other conspecific taxa

Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations

Invalid Designation(s)
Fimbristylis miliacea auct.

No images

Conservation Status

Reference(s)

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
Adams, C. 1972. Flowering plants of Jamaica Note: = Fimbristylis miliacea (L.) Vahl
APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
Blake, S. T. 1954. Cyperaceae collected in New Guinea. J. Arnold Arbor. 35:217-219.
Brako, L. & J. L. Zarucchi. 1993. Catalogue of the flowering plants and gymnosperms of Peru. Monogr. Syst. Bot. Missouri Bot. Gard. 45
Brummitt, R. K. 2000. Report of the Committee for Spermatophyta: 50. Taxon 49:807-808. Note: conservation proposal not recommended
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
Dassanayake, M. D. & F. R. Fosberg, eds. 1980-. A revised handbook to the flora of Ceylon. Note: = Fimbristylis miliacea (L.) Vahl
Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
Haines, R. W. & K. A. Lye. 1983. Sedges and rushes of East Africa
Holm, L. et al. 1979. A geographical atlas of world weeds
Howard, R. 1974-1989. Flora of the lesser Antilles. Note: = Fimbristylis miliacea (L.) Vahl
Kern, J. H. 1954. Nomenclatural note on Fimbristylis miliacea. Taxon 3:246. Note: = Fimbristylis miliacea (L.) Vahl
Koyama, T. 1974. The Genus Fimbristylis (Cyperaceae) in Ceylon. Bot. Mag. (Tokyo) 87:316. Note: = Fimbristylis miliacea (L.) Vahl
Kral, R. 1971. A treatment of Abildgaardia, Bulbostylis and Fimbristylis (Cyperaceae) for North America. Sida 4:108. Note: = Fimbristylis miliacea (L.) Vahl
Liogier, H. A. & L. F. Martorell. 1982. Flora of Puerto Rico and adjacent islands: a systematic synopsis. Note: = Fimbristylis miliacea (L.) Vahl
Molina G., A. M. 2011. Review of Cyperaceae data for World Economic Plants, ed. 2. pers. comm. via e-mail on 31 Mar.
Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Rye, B. L. 1997. A synopsis of the annual species of Cyperaceae from central and southern Western Australia. Nuytsia 11:409.
Simpson, D. A. & C. A. Inglis. 2001. Cyperaceae of economic, ethnobotanical and horticultural importance: a checklist. Kew Bull. 56:317-318. Note: = Fimbristylis miliacea (L.) Vahl
Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
Steyermark, J. A. et al., eds. 1995-. Flora of the Venezuelan Guayana. Note: = Fimbristylis miliacea (L.) Vahl
Strong, M. T. & R. Kral. 1999. (1413) Proposal to conserve the name Scirpus miliaceus (Cyperaceae) with a conserved type. Taxon 48:387-389. Note: an attempt to conserve Scirpus miliaceus L. on a type that would apply to this species, as Fimbristylis miliacea (L.) Vahl

Common names

Language	Name	seq	Citation
English	grass-like fimbristylis	1	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
English	lesser fimbristylis	1	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
Spanish	barba de fraile	2	Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Spanish	barba de indio	2	Molina G., A. M. 2011. Review of Cyperaceae data for World Economic Plants, ed. 2. pers. comm. via e-mail on 31 Mar.

Distribution

order_code	Status	Continent	Subcontinent	Country	State	Note	Reference
1	Native	Africa	East Tropical Africa	Tanzania			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Benin			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Côte D'Ivoire			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Ghana			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Guinea-Bissau			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Niger			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Nigeria			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West Tropical Africa	Senegal			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Democratic Republic of the Congo			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Equatorial Guinea			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	West-Central Tropical Africa	Gabon			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	Western Indian Ocean	Madagascar			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	Western Indian Ocean	Mauritius			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	Western Indian Ocean	Reunion			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Africa	Western Indian Ocean	Seychelles			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	China	China			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Japan			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Korea			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Eastern Asia	Taiwan			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Afghanistan			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Iran			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Temperate	Western Asia	Iraq			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Bhutan			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	India			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Nepal			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Pakistan			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indian Subcontinent	Sri Lanka			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Indo-China	Vietnam			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Indonesia			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Malaysia			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Malesia	Philippines			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Asia-Tropical	Papuasia	Papua New Guinea			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Northern Territory		Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Queensland		Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Australasia	Australia	Australia	Western Australia		Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Pacific	North-Central Pacific	United States	Hawaii		Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Pacific	Northwestern Pacific	Micronesia			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Pacific	South-Central Pacific	French Polynesia	Society Islands		Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Belize			Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Costa Rica			Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	El Salvador			Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Guatemala			Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Honduras			Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Nicaragua			Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
1	Native	Southern America	Central America	Panama			Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
4	Naturalized	Northern America		Mexico			FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	North-Central U.S.A.	United States	Missouri		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	South-Central U.S.A.	United States	Texas		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Alabama		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Arkansas		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Florida		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Georgia		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Kentucky		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Louisiana		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Mississippi		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	North Carolina		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	South Carolina		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Northern America	Southeastern U.S.A.	United States	Tennessee		FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
4	Naturalized	Pacific	Southwestern Pacific	Fiji			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Brazil	Brazil			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Cuba			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Grenada			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Hispaniola			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Jamaica			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	St. Lucia			Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	Trinidad and Tobago	Trinidad		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Caribbean	United States	Puerto Rico		Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Northern South America	French Guiana			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Northern South America	Guyana			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Northern South America	Suriname			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Northern South America	Venezuela			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Western South America	Bolivia			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Western South America	Colombia			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Western South America	Ecuador			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
4	Naturalized	Southern America	Western South America	Peru			Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.
6	Other					exact native range obscure

Native
Africa

EAST TROPICAL AFRICA: Tanzania
WEST-CENTRAL TROPICAL AFRICA: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea
WEST TROPICAL AFRICA: Benin, Côte D'Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal
WESTERN INDIAN OCEAN: Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion, Seychelles

Asia-Temperate

WESTERN ASIA: Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq
CHINA: China
EASTERN ASIA: Korea, Japan, Taiwan

Asia-Tropical

INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: Bhutan, India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan
PAPUASIA: Papua New Guinea
INDO-CHINA: Vietnam
MALESIA: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines

Australasia

AUSTRALIA: Australia [Queensland, Western Australia, Northern Territory]

Pacific

NORTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: United States [Hawaii]
NORTHWESTERN PACIFIC: Micronesia
SOUTH-CENTRAL PACIFIC: French Polynesia [Society Islands]

Southern America

CENTRAL AMERICA: Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, El Salvador

Naturalized
Northern America

NORTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Missouri]
SOUTHEASTERN U.S.A.: United States [Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee]
SOUTH-CENTRAL U.S.A.: United States [Texas]
REGION: Mexico

Pacific

SOUTHWESTERN PACIFIC: Fiji

Southern America

CARIBBEAN: Hispaniola, Cuba, Grenada, Jamaica, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago [Trinidad], United States [Puerto Rico]
NORTHERN SOUTH AMERICA: French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, Venezuela
BRAZIL: Brazil
WESTERN SOUTH AMERICA: Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru

Other (exact native range obscure)

Reference(s)

Acevedo-Rodríguez, P. & M. T. Strong. 2012. Catalogue of seed plants of the West Indies. Smithsonian Contr. Bot. 98
Davidse, G. et al., eds. 1994. Flora mesoamericana.
FNA Editorial Committee. 1993-. Flora of North America.
Govaerts, R. & D. A. Simpson. 2007. World checklist of Cyperaceae, sedges.

Economic Uses

Usage	Type	Note	Reference
Animal food	forage		Simpson, D. A. & C. A. Inglis. 2001. Cyperaceae of economic, ethnobotanical and horticultural importance: a checklist. Kew Bull. 56:317-318. Note: = Fimbristylis miliacea (L.) Vahl
Weed		of rice fields	Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
Weed		of rice fields	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

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://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=402828. Accessed 18 October 2026.