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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. The species…. A plant…. An incursion. Microstegium vimineum. Poaceae Annual grass

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

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  1. Distribution of Japanese Stilt-grass, Concerns, and Potential Impacts in New England Leslie J. Mehrhoff Invasive Plant Atlas of New England University of Connecticut

  2. The species…

  3. A plant…

  4. An incursion

  5. Microstegiumvimineum • 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

  6. Taxonomy – Microstegiumvimineum (Trin.) A. Camus • Adropogoneae Tribe – Poaceae • Synonyms: Eulaliaviminea (Trin.) Ktze. Andropogonvimineum Trin. Eulaliaviminea var. variabilis Ktze. Microstegiumvimineum var. imberbe (Nees) Honda • Common names: Japanese stilt-grass, Nepalese browntop

  7. Current Distribution • At least 23 states • 2 New England states • Connecticut • Massachusetts

  8. Microstegium vimineum

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

  10. Northeastern U. S. First Records 1938

  11. Northeastern U. S. First Records 1959 1938

  12. Northeastern U. S. First Records 1984 1959 1938

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

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

  15. 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

  16. First New England Record • Branford, New Haven County, Connecticut Date: 13 OCT 1984 Collector: Sterling Parker 84.15 Habitat: Damp, semi-open area

  17. Branford 1984

  18. Branford Fairfield 1986

  19. East Haddam Waterford Branford Fairlfield 1990

  20. Windsor Willington East Haddam Waterford Branford Fairlfield 1991

  21. Windsor Willington Kent East Haddam Waterford Branford Fairlfield 1993

  22. West Springfield Windsor Willington Kent East Haddam Waterford Branford Fairlfield 1998

  23. West Springfield Longmeadow Pomfret Windsor Willington Kent East Haddam Waterford Branford Fairlfield 2000

  24. West Springfield Millville Longmeadow Pomfret Windsor Willington Kent East Haddam Waterford Branford Fairlfield 2003

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

  26. 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?

  27. Pathways & Vectors • Recreational sites and hiking trails • Riverine and alluvial woodlands • Roadsides and power line right-of-ways • Botanist’s yards

  28. 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)

  29. 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

  30. Mistaken species • Leersiavirginica – White grass (native) • Brachyelytrumerectum (native) • Brachyelytrumseptentrionale (native)

  31. Annual vs. Perennial

  32. Inflorescences

  33. Which grass is it?

  34. Leersiavirginica AND Microstegiumvimineum These 2 species often grow together!

  35. Questionable Reports • Appalachian Trail, Maine • Acadia National Park, Maine • Northcentral Massachusetts • Various yards around New England

  36. What can we do? • Learn to recognize Microstegiumvimineum • Distribute herbarium specimens • Train volunteers to recognize and report new incursions • Predict potential range and habitats • Control incursions

  37. 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

  38. 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

  39. 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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