Distribution of Japanese Stilt-grass, Concerns, and Potential Impacts in New England

Distribution of Japanese Stilt-grass, Concerns, and Potential Impacts in New England

• Leslie J. Mehrhoff

• Invasive Plant Atlas of New England

• University of Connecticut

Microstegium vimineum

• Poaceae

• Annual grass

• Rich woods, alluvial forests, edges of fields, yards, roadsides, right-of-ways, almost anywhere!

• Native to Eastern Asia

• Earliest North American record –

• Tennessee 1919

Taxonomy – Microstegium vimineum (Trin.) A. Camus

• Adropogoneae Tribe – Poaceae

• Synonyms: Eulalia viminea (Trin.) Ktze.

• Andropogon vimineum Trin.

• Eulalia viminea var. variabilis Ktze.

• Microstegium vimineum var. imberbe

• (Nees) Honda

• Common names: Japanese stilt-grass,

• Nepalese browntop

Current Distribution

• At least 23 states

• 2 New England states

• Connecticut
• Massachusetts

First record in US:

• First record in US:

• Knoxville, TN - 1919

• First records in Northeast:

• Pennsylvania - 1938

• New Jersey - 1959

• First record in New England

• Branford, CT - 1984

New England Records

• Connecticut Botanical Society Herbarium

• Daniel Cady Eaton Herbarium (Yale)

• G. Safford Torrey Herbarium (UCONN)

• New England Botanical Club Herbarium

• Gray Herbarium (Harvard)

• Charles B. Graves Herbarium (Conn Coll.)

• University of Massachusetts Herbaria

• Invasive Plant Atlas of New England

First New England Record

• Branford, New Haven County, Connecticut

• Date: 13 OCT 1984

• Collector: Sterling Parker 84.15

• Habitat: Damp, semi-open area

Concerns

• More out there; being overlooked

• Correct identification

• Early detection of new incursions

• How do we control it

• Need for long term monitoring

Some questions…

• How did it get here?

• Are there particularly vulnerable habitats?

• Are there other incursions that we have not found?

• How far is it likely to spread?

• Will it be correctly identified and discovered in time?

Pathways & Vectors

• Recreational sites and hiking trails

• Riverine and alluvial woodlands

• Roadsides and power line right-of-ways

• Botanist’s yards

Pathways & Vectors

• People – clothing, pets, equipment

• especially hikers who have been in

• infested areas

• Trucks and equipment

• Natural biotic & abiotic dispersers – water, wildlife, birds

• Field equipment – packs, presses, vehicles

• (canoes)

Correct Identification

• Annual

• Roots – fibrous

• Nodes – glabrous

• Sheath summit – hairy along margins

• Midrib – appears silver

• Glumes – present

• Fall color – yellowish to pale purple

• Flowering initiation – after mid September

Mistaken species

• Leersia virginica – White grass (native)

• Brachyelytrum erectum (native)

• Brachyelytrum septentrionale (native)

Annual vs. Perennial

Questionable Reports

• Appalachian Trail, Maine

• Acadia National Park, Maine

• Northcentral Massachusetts

• Various yards around New England

What can we do?

• Learn to recognize Microstegium vimineum

• Distribute herbarium specimens

• Train volunteers to recognize and report new incursions

• Predict potential range and habitats

• Control incursions

IPANE Invasive Plant Atlas of New England

• 300+ trained volunteers in 6 states

• Website images and information

• Identification workshops

• “Early Warning Species”

• Quick Report buttons

• Trigger rapid response

• Predictive modeling

IPANE Early Detection page

• List of “Early Detection Species”

• Table of species’ status in all 6 states

• Early detection protocols

• How to report a possible new incursion

Control efforts

• New England Wild Flower Society

• Volunteers
• Town park employees

• Hand pulling efforts

• Connecticut DEP and TNC

• Land owner contacts

• Monitoring

In Summary

• Microstegium vimineum is known to occur in Connecticut and Massachusetts

• Correct identification is possible but confusing

• Need for vigilance

• New incursions
• Not to accidentally move propagules

• Report new incursions

Contact us -

• http://invasives.eeb.uconn.edu/ipane/

• [e-mail]

• Les Mehrhoff

• [e-mail]