Ecological Risk Screening Summary - Tropical American Watergrass (Luziola subintegra) - High Risk

Species that are considered high risk have a well-documented history of invasiveness in at least one location globally, and a high or medium climate match to the contiguous United States.

Luziola subintegra, Tropical American Watergrass, is a grass species that is native to Mexico, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. It is introduced in the United States and established in Florida. The means of its introduction is unknown but likely accidental; L. subintegra is not documented in trade. The History of Invasiveness for L. subintegra is classified as High due to its establishment, spread, and impacts in Florida, where it forms dense stands that outcompete native plants and is costly to control. The climate matching analysis for the contiguous United States indicates establishment concern for this species. The highest match is along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts in the Southeast. The Certainty of Assessment is classified as Medium due to the quality of the information sources available for determining History of Invasiveness. The Overall Risk Assessment Category for L. subintegra in the contiguous United States is High.