Ebony

Natural Sciences Final   

03/29/2023 

That Silly Goose Grass!  

  Have you ever pulled a green thing off a cloth out of a freshly cleaned batch of laundry? Or maybe noticed some extremely sticky things on the tip of your shoes or in the cuffs of your jeans? They call that Goosegrass! While fascinating, it is also annoying and can be bothersome. The biological name of Goosegrass is Eleusine Indica. Eleusine Indica is a warm season, annual non-native grass commonly found in any disturbed sites throughout Florida. Most famously known for sticking to shoes and clothes until picked off, it is considered an invasive weed that can be particularly difficult to control. It blooms annually and can only be controlled with season-long herbicide treatment. It is categorized as a low alert level due to its ability to be maintained. 

  I know what you’re thinking, why not just get rid of it? Put simply, there does not seem to be any final solution to the overgrowth of the weed Goosegrass. With that information, it can be expected that it will continue to spread and prosper in environments that it can survive.  “It is considered an invasive weed due to its vigorous growth and abundant seed production. Seeds germinate near the surface of moist soils with temperatures above 65°F (Chauhan and Johnson 2008).” (“HS1178/HS1178: Biology and management of goosegrass (Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.) in tomato, pepper, cucurbits, and strawberry,” n.d.) With Florida’s unique and supporting environment for growth, it is safe to assume that it will continue to spread and invade Florida’s biome. In addition, I must emphasize that it’s specific to the biomes that goosegrass can be expected to thrive in. Again, that is wet and moist lands. 
 

  While not yet possible to eliminate, it is controllable. “In plasticulture production systems, goosegrass can be controlled with the use of plastic mulches and hand pulling of small plants that emerge in the planting holes during the cropping period.” (“HS1178/HS1178: Biology and management of goosegrass (Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.) in tomato, pepper, cucurbits, and strawberry,” n.d.) Although the process described is not yet a process that is made easy or readily available to the public for personal overgrowth control, domestic sprays and weed control are available. With minimal effort, the inconvenience of goose grass can be minimized. I assume with further research; complete annihilation efforts will start. 

  While it is an invasive species, I do believe that it does not have a great enough negative impact on the vegetation and environment of Florida to be a pressing issue. It may stick to you but there is no evidence of it ever being fatal. I never personally experienced Goosegrass to the extent I have here in Florida. So, it does prove interesting to know it is an invasive species. However, I must say I have never lived in an environment as watery as Florida. As covered previously, it is mostly in wet and warm environments that the weed prospers.  Goosegrass appears on a long stem as flat leaves with no hairs. Again, it is a nuisance, but not enough to trigger immediate investigative research into its annihilation. My favorite part about goose grass is picking it off!  
 
 
 
 
 

Work Cited  

HS1178/HS1178: Biology and management of goosegrass (Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.) in tomato, pepper, cucurbits, and strawberry. (n.d.). Ask IFAS – Powered by EDIS. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/HS1178