Part 7 - UNC Herbarium

POACEAE 927
* Zea mays Linnaeus ssp. mays, Corn, Maize. Cp, Pd, Mt (GA, NC, SC, VA): very commonly cultivated, rarely volunteering
in old fields or around trashpiles; common in cultivation, rare as a short-lived escape. June-October. Zea is one of the most
important cultivated plants in the world, originating in Mexico, probably from Zea mays ssp. parviglumis Iltis & Doebley. It was
initially cultivated in sw. Mexico (before 8000 BP), spreading to the sw. United States before 5000 BP, and to the e. United
States by 2000 years BP. At the time of European contact, Zea mays ssp. mays was an important staple crop from s. Canada
south to s, South America (Hancock 2004). [= FNA, K; < Z. mays – RAB, F, HC, S]
* Zea perennis (A.S. Hitchcock) Reeves & Manglesdorf, Mexican Teosinte. Cp (SC): disturbed areas; rare, apparently
established at least formerly. Z. perennis was considered by HC to be "established on James Island, S.C." [= K; = Euchlaena
perennis A.S. Hitchcock – HC]
* Zea mays (Schrader) Kuntze ssp. mexicana (Schrader) H.H. Iltis, Chalco Teosinte, Nobogame Teosinte. Reported for AL
and FL (Kartesz 1999). HC state that this taxon is "occasionally cultivated in the Southern States for green forage" and is similar
to Z. perennis, except in being, like Z. mays ssp. mays, a coarse annual. It is considered to be an ancestor of Zea mays. [= FNA;
= Z. mexicana (Schrader) Kuntze – K; = Euchlaena mexicana Schrader – HC, S]
Zizania Linnaeus (Wild-rice)
A genus of 4 species (and 6 taxa) of northern and eastern North America. References: Terrell et al. (1997)=Y; Tucker (1988)=Z;
Judziewicz et al. (2000)=X.
Zizania aquatica Linnaeus var. aquatica, Northern Wild-rice. Cp (GA, NC, SC, VA): freshwater marshes, usually tidal;
common (uncommon in NC). May-October. Var. aquatica ranges from ME west to WI, south to FL and LA; var. brevis Fassett
is restricted to the St. Lawrence River in Québec. Zizania was formerly an important food for Amerindians; it is now gathered as
a specialty grain, commanding high prices. [= C, F, G, HC, K, X, Y, Z; < Z. aquatica – RAB, GW, S]
Zizaniopsis Döll & Ascherson (Southern Wild-rice)
A genus of about 5 species, of tropical and subtropical America. References: Tucker (1988)=Z; Judziewicz et al. (2000)=Y.
Identification notes: Superficially similar to Zizania in its habitat and large size, Zizaniopsis may be distinguished by its very
different inflorescence and by its stout horizontal rhizomes (Zizania is annual or perennial, but not rhizomatous).
Zizaniopsis miliacea (Michaux) Döll & Ascherson, Southern Wild-rice, Water-millet, Giant Cutgrass. Cp (GA, NC, SC,
VA): brackish and freshwater marshes; common. May-July. MD south to FL, west to TX, north in the interior to MO, and
disjunct in w. Mexico. The other species of the genus are South American. [= RAB, C, F, G, GW, HC, K, S, Y, Z; = Zizania
miliacea Michaux]
Zoysia Willdenow (Zoysia)
* Zoysia japonica Steudel, Zoysia, is used as a lawn grass. Reported for VA (Kartesz 1999). It is not known to naturalize in
our area. [= C, HC, K]
* Zoysia matrella (Linnaeus) Merr. var. matrella, Zoysia, is used as a lawn grass. Reported for GA (Kartesz 1999). It is not
known to naturalize in our area. [= K; = Z. matrella – HC]
PONTEDERIACEAE Kunth 1816 (Pickerelweed Family)
A family of about 9 genera and 33 species, primarily of the tropics, but with some temperate representatives. References:
Rosatti (1987a); Cook in Kubitzki (1998b); Horn in FNA (2002a).
1 Plant floating (or stranded by dropping water levels), the petioles expanded into air-filled floats; perianth lobes 3-4 cm long.
..................................................................................................................................................................................Eichhornia
1 Plant rooted, the petioles not adapted as floats; perianth lobes 0.4-1.0 cm long.
2 Leaves lanceolate to ovate, 1.5-10× as long as wide, the base cordate, truncate, or cuneate; flowers 2-lipped; corolla
blue, marked with yellow; stamens 6 (3 each of 2 different lengths) .................................................................Pontederia
2 Leaves either reniform, 0.5-1.5× as long as wide, the base cordate, or narrowly linear, 20-50× as long as wide, the base
attenuate; flowers radially symmetrical; corolla white, pale blue, or yellow; stamens 3............................... Heteranthera
Eichhornia Kunth 1842 (Water Hyacinth)