Part 7 - UNC Herbarium

POACEAE 894
1950), "rarely introduced and possibly not established" (Gleason & Cronquist 1952), "sporadically naturalized" (Godfrey &
Wooten 1979), "a rapidly spreading pernicious invader on moist ground, too common" (Wofford 1989). RAB report it from
fewer than 1/3 of the counties of the Carolinas (in 1968); it is now undoubtedly in every county, an abundant weed in most of
them. This species has become a very serious pest, now ranking as one of the most destructive introduced plants in our area,
forming extensive and dense patches, sprawling over and eliminating nearly all other herbaceous plants. Eradication is very
difficult, and considering its obvious colonizing abilities, only temporary. Hunt & Zaremba (1992) document the continuing
northern expansion of Microstegium into NY and CT. Redman (1995) discusses its habitat preferences in MD and DC. Koyama
(1987) reports it as "common as undergrowth of forests" in Japan, part of its native distribution. [= RAB, C, FNA, GW, K, W; =
Eulalia viminea (Trinius) Kuntze – G; > Eulalia viminea var. viminea – F; > Eulalia viminea var. variabilis Kuntze – F; > M.
vimineum var. vimineum – HC; > M. vimineum var. imberbe (Nees) Honda – HC]
Milium Linnaeus (Wood-millet, Millet-grass)
A genus of 3-4 species, north temperate. References: Tucker (1996)=Z; Fernald (1950b)=Y.
Milium effusum Linnaeus var. cisatlanticum Fernald, American Wood-millet, Millet-grass. Mt (NC, VA): forests at high
(or rarely moderate) elevations; rare (NC Rare, VA Watch List). June. A circumboreal species, ranging in North America south
to w. NC (Swain County), e. TN (Sevier County), w. VA, WV, OH, IN, IL, and MN. The American plants are sometimes
segregated as var. cisatlanticum Fernald (Fernald 1950b). Though considered "probably accidentally introduced and established"
in NC by Radford, Ahles, & Bell (1968), the native occurrence of this northern species is more plausible; the only known
occurrence in NC (not recently seen) is in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. [= K, Y; < M. effusum – RAB, C, F, G,
HC, W, Z]
References: Barkworth in FNA (2003a).
Miscanthus Andersson (Eulalia)
* Miscanthus sinensis Andersson, Eulalia, Chinese Silver Grass. Mt, Pd (GA, NC, SC, VA), Cp (NC, SC, VA): roadsides;
common, introduced from e. Asia. September-November. This species is becoming aggressively weedy. Forms with leaves
cross-variegated or linear-variegated with yellow are cultivated and sometimes escape or persist (in addition to the much more
common green-leaved form). [= RAB, C, FNA, G, K, S, W; > M. sinensis var. variegatus Beal – F, HC; > M. sinensis var.
zebrinus Beal – F, HC]
Muhlenbergia Schreber 1789 (Muhly)
A genus of about 160 species, of North America south to Andean South America, and e. and se. Asia. Muhlenbergia is a large
and diverse genus; the various groups seem very different. References: Pohl (1969); Morden & Hatch (1989); Peterson in FNA
(2003a).
1 Panicle open and diffuse, > 4 cm broad, the spikelets borne on slender or capillary pedicels longer than the lemmas.
2 Plant with rhizomes, the rhizomes prominent, creeping, and covered with imbricate scales; culms and sheaths strongly
compressed at base, the leaves distichous; spikelets 1.5-2 mm long.............................................................. M. torreyana
2 Plant without rhizomes, tufted with erect culms (a "bunchgrass"); culm and sheaths terete, the leaves not distichous;
spikelets 1.5-5 mm long (excluding awns, if present); [subgenus Podosemum].
3 Spikelets 1.5-2 mm long, awnless..........................................................................................................[M. uniflora]
3 Spikelets 2.5-5 mm long (excluding awns), awned or awnless.
4 Lemma awn 0-1.5 (-4) mm long; glumes (1.1-) 2.0-3.3 (-3.6) mm long, acuminate, not awned (rarely the
second with a short awn < 0.6 mm long); spikelets usually brown or bronze (when fresh); basal sheaths
usually very fibrous.......................................................................................................................... M. expansa
4 Lemma awn (2-) 3-33 mm long; glumes (0.3-) 0.7-1.7 (-2.4) mm long, one or both glumes sometimes awned;
spikelets usually purple (when fresh); basal sheaths rarely strongly fibrous.
5 Lemma awn (0-) 3-13 (-18) mm long, first glume awnless (or rarely with an awn to 3.2 mm long),
second glume awnless (or rarely with an awn up to 5.0 mm long), palea awnless; lemma lacking
setaceous teeth flanking the awn; flowering late August-October; [widespread in our area, particularly in
rocky, clayey, or sandy glades, barrens, and woodlands with prairie affinities]......................M. capillaris
5 Lemma awn (8-) 12-26 (-35) mm long, first glume awn (0.5-) 1-7 (-10) mm long, second glume awn (1-
) 5-19 (-25) mm long, palea awn-tipped; lemma with two setaceous teeth flanking the awn, the teeth 0.5-
2.5 (-4.7) mm long; flowering October-November; [of sandy maritime situations on barrier islands of the
outer Coastal Plain] .................................................................................................................... M. sericea
1 Panicle slender, dense, < 2.5 cm broad, the spikelets sessile or on non-capillary pedicels shorter than the lemmas; [subgenus
Muhlenbergia].