Fauna
Plant

Goose Grass

Eleusine indica

Also known as Indian Goosegrass, Yard Grass, Wiregrass, Crowfoot Grass

Goose grass thrives in compacted, trampled soils where few other plants can establish, anchoring itself with exceptionally tough, fibrous root systems that make it notoriously hard to pull. Stems radiate outward from a distinctive pale, flattened base, culminating in terminal whorls of flattened flowering spikes that shed thousands of wind-borne seeds. Found worldwide across warm climates, this hardy annual colonizes disturbed agricultural land, roadsides, and manicured turf with remarkable speed.

Annual GrassCosmopolitanWind-Pollinated
Goose Grass reference1 / 7
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyAutotrophic (photosynthetic)
Predators
  • Cattle
  • Grasshoppers
  • Fall Armyworms
ThreatsHerbicide applications, mechanical tillage, and hand weeding
HabitatsLawns, roadsides, crop fields, pastures, and disturbed urban ground
Life spanAnnual (completes life cycle in 3–5 months)
Classification
  1. OrderPoales
  2. FamilyPoaceae
  3. GenusEleusine
  4. SpeciesEleusine indica
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Identification: Look for a flattened whitish stem base with two to six radiating spikes at the tip.
  • Weeding Timing: Uproot plants early after rain when the tenacious fibrous root system yields more easily.
Related species
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