Distribution of Japanese Stilt-grass, Concerns, and Potential Impacts in New England Leslie J. Mehrhoff 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
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
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 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 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 - 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 Report new incursions
Contact us - http://invasives.eeb.uconn.edu/ipane/ ipane@uconn.edu Les Mehrhoff vasculum@uconnvm.uconn.edu
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