Distribution of Japanese Stiltgrass, Concerns, and Potential Impacts in New England

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

• Leslie J. Mehrhoff
• Invasive Plant Atlas of New England
• University of Connecticut

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The species
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A plant
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An incursion
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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

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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

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Current Distribution

• At least 23 states
• 2 New England states
• Connecticut
• Massachusetts

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Microstegium vimineum
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History

• First record in US
• Knoxville, TN - 1919
• First records in Northeast
• Pennsylvania - 1938
• New Jersey - 1959
• First record in New England
• Branford, CT - 1984

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Northeastern U. S. First Records
1938
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Northeastern U. S. First Records
1959
1938
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Northeastern U. S. First Records
1984
1959
1938
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Northeastern U. S. First Records
1987
1984
1959
1938
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Northeastern U. S. First Records
1998
1987
1984
1959
1938
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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

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First New England Record

• Branford, New Haven County, Connecticut
• Date 13 OCT 1984
• Collector Sterling Parker 84.15
• Habitat Damp, semi-open area

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Branford
1984
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Branford
Fairfield
1986
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East Haddam
Waterford
Branford
Fairlfield
1990
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Windsor
Willington
East Haddam
Waterford
Branford
Fairlfield
1991
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Windsor
Willington
Kent
East Haddam
Waterford
Branford
Fairlfield
1993
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West Springfield
Windsor
Willington
Kent
East Haddam
Waterford
Branford
Fairlfield
1998
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West Springfield
Longmeadow
Pomfret
Windsor
Willington
Kent
East Haddam
Waterford
Branford
Fairlfield
2000
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West Springfield
Millville
Longmeadow
Pomfret
Windsor
Willington
Kent
East Haddam
Waterford
Branford
Fairlfield
2003
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Concerns

• More out there being overlooked
• Correct identification
• Early detection of new incursions
• How do we control it
• Need for long term monitoring

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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?

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Pathways Vectors

• Recreational sites and hiking trails
• Riverine and alluvial woodlands
• Roadsides and power line right-of-ways
• Botanists yards

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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)

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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

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Mistaken species

• Leersia virginica White grass (native)
• Brachyelytrum erectum (native)
• Brachyelytrum septentrionale (native)

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Annual vs. Perennial
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Inflorescences
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Which grass is it?
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Leersia virginica AND Microstegium vimineum
These 2 species often grow together!
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Questionable Reports

• Appalachian Trail, Maine
• Acadia National Park, Maine
• Northcentral Massachusetts
• Various yards around New England

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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

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IPANEInvasive 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

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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

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Control efforts

• New England Wild Flower Society
• Volunteers
• Town park employees
• Hand pulling efforts
• Connecticut DEP and TNC
• Land owner contacts
• Monitoring

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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

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Contact us -

• http//invasives.eeb.uconn.edu/ipane/
• ipane_at_uconn.edu
• Les Mehrhoff
• vasculum_at_uconnvm.uconn.edu