Oplismenus hirtellus subsp. undulatifolius
| Wavyleaf basketgrass | |
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| Oplismenus hirtellus subsp. undulatifolius (Wavyleaf basketgrass) (26 Sep 1997) | |
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| Subspecies: | O. h. subsp. undulatifolius
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| Binomial name | |
| Oplismenus hirtellus subsp. undulatifolius (Ard.) U. Scholz
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Oplismenus hirtellus (L.) P. Beauv. subsp. undulatifolius (Ard.) U. Scholz (Wavyleaf basketgrass) is a foreign grass that has been accidentally introduced into Maryland, USA and appears to have the potential of becoming extremely invasive. This grass, native to southern Europe and southeastern Asia (Peterson et al. 1999) has been found growing at two areas in Maryland. One area is around Liberty Reservoir and the northern section of the Patapsco River in Baltimore, Carroll and Howard Counties. The other area is in Prince Georges County at the Little Paint Branch Park [1] and the adjacent Beltsville Agricultural Research Center-East.
Volunteers have been diligently working to destroy the Prince Georges County population, while the eradication of the Liberty Reservoir-Patapsco Valley population is still in the planning stage (January 2008).
Oplismenus hirtellus subsp. undulatifolius is a shallow rooted perennial with stolons that may grow to several feet in length. In Maryland, the leaves of overwintering plants become brown and dead, but in the Spring, new growth begins at the upper nodes of the stolons. In early Fall, the sticky awns readily adhere to anything that brushes against them which makes for an effective mode of dispersial.
References
- Peterson, P.M., E.E. Terrell, E.C. Uebel, C.A. Davis, H. Scholz, and R.J. Soreng. 1999. (Scientific Note) Oplismenus hirtellus subspecies undulatifolius, A new record for North America. Castanea 64:201-202.
- Scholz, U. 1981. Monographie der Gattung Oplismenus (Gramineae). Phanerogamarum Monographiae 13:1-213.
External links
- Invasive Species of Concern in Maryland. Invader of the month (August 6, 2007); Wavyleaf basketgrass, (Oplismenus hirtellus ssp. undulatifolius).[2]
- Wavyleaf Basketgrass Moves in Waves through Maryland Forests. [3]
- Wavyleaf Basketgrass in Maryland: An Early Detection Rapid Response Program in Progress. This poster was presented at the 2008 Northeastern Weed Science Society. [4]
- Wavy-leaf Basket grass Eradication at BARC. [5]
- Maryland Chapter of Sierra Club: Wave Goodbye to Wavy Leaf Basketgrass. [6]
- Chesapeake Bay Journal: Wave bye-bye to wavyleaf basketgrass by Karl Blankenship. [7]
- Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, Georgia, and surrounding areas by Alan S. Weakley (Page 897). [8]