AIKEN --- Forestry officials say Cogongrass is among the 10 worst weeds in the world and needs to be eradicated before it begins to flourish in South Carolina.

A small amount was found and destroyed on North Augusta's Stanton Drive off Martintown Road, and officials are hoping to get the public's help in finding more locations, offering an online survey today, Friday and Saturday.

It was found on about a tenth of an acre about a year ago and has since been burned with a chemical treatment, said Steve Compton, of the Department of Plant Industry with Clemson University Regulatory Services. His office hasn't detected Cogongrass there since, but he said that doesn't mean it won't pop back up.

"The problem with this plant is we can go in and treat it and think we've got it killed, and then it comes back like two years later ... And it could be that it's been scattered around other places across the county. That's why we're doing the survey again."

Mr. Compton said Cogongrass can overtake some crops, which can make harvesting harder and ultimately raise prices for farmers and consumers. It also burns at a higher temperature than native plants, which could cause problems during a forest fire.

"When it burns hot, it kills the big trees and not just the underbrush," he said.

A 15-member Cogongrass Task Force includes Clemson officials, the US Forest Service, SC Forestry Commission and environmental organizations.

Cogongrass is estimated to cover more than 150 billion acres worldwide and infests more acres in the Southeast than kudzu, Mr. Compton said.

He said Alabama and Florida are having serious problems with the weed along highway rights of way.

The weed has spread into 10 South Carolina counties, with its largest area in Hampton County.

Sid Mullis, Richmond County's extension agent, said his county hasn't yet had a case of Cogongrass, but it has become a problem in other areas of Georgia, he said.

Columbia County extension agent Charles Phillips said he had not yet heard of a Cogongrass case in his county.