Miscanthus

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Miscanthus
Chinese reed (Miscanthus sinensis)

Chinese reed ( Miscanthus sinensis )

Systematics
Monocots
Commelinids
Order : Sweet grass (Poales)
Family : Sweet grasses (Poaceae)
Subfamily : Panicoideae
Genre : Miscanthus
Scientific name
Miscanthus
Andersson

Miscanthus is a genus within the family of the Poaceae (Gramineae), which depending on the source 14-20 species comprises. The genus predominantly thrives in wet meadows and swamps from Africa to East Asia , in particular a number of species can be found in China and Japan . While the Chinese reed ( Miscanthus sinensis ) is mainly used as an ornamental plant, the giant Chinese reed ( Miscanthus × giganteus ) is an important energy plant .

description

Inflorescence of a Miscanthus species

The species of the genus are perennial , deciduous or evergreen , tufted or rhizome-forming grasses. The reed-like shoots have linear or narrowly lanceolate, folded, overhanging leaves that can be light or medium green or blue to purple-green in color.

The genus Miscanthus can easily be recognized by its inflorescence. The inflorescences consist of dense, terminally arranged, overhanging panicles , which are formed from the paired and basal long silky hairy spikelets . The inflorescences appear in late summer and autumn and after long, hot summers they produce more flowers.

Systematics

The genus Miscanthus was established in 1855 by Nils Johan Andersson . The generic name Miscanthus is derived from the Greek words mískos for "stamp, stem" and τὸ ἂνθος to ánthos for "the flower", "the blossom" and the like. a. derived. Synonyms for Miscanthus Andersson are: Diandranthus Liou nom. inval., Miscanthidium Stapf , Sclerostachya (Hack.) A.Camus , Tiarrhena (Maxim.) Nakai orth. var., Triarrhena (Maxim.) Nakai , Xiphagrostis Coville .

Habitus and inflorescences of Miscanthus floridulus

There are about 14 types:

Miscanthus × ogiformis

use

The fast-growing hybrid Miscanthus × giganteus (from M. sacchariflorus and M. sinensis ), also known as giant Chinese reed, offers favorable conditions for use as a renewable supplier of biomass , fuel, building material or litter in animal husbandry due to its high calorific value and its favorable carbon dioxide balance.

The calorific value roughly corresponds to that of wood. The reason that Miscanthus has not been used industrially so far (2015) is that thermal power stations would have to be converted for it. Miscanthus makes a lot of ash. In Hoffenheim in Baden-Wuerttemberg there is a thermal power station that is only operated with Miscanthus . The delivery of the material by regional growers ensures short distances.

Plant protection products (except in the first year) and mineral fertilizers may not be used on an area with miscanthus, which is designated as an area used in the environmental interest ( Section 32b of the Direct Payments Implementing Ordinance).

As ornamental plants, Miscanthus species are planted as solitary plants or in mixed and herb borders. Chinese reed is also suitable for planting the edges of water and as a privacy screen for the summer time. The inflorescences can be harvested as cut flowers. The Miscanthus species used are fully frost hardy to frost hardy and tolerate almost all cultivation conditions.

supporting documents

Individual evidence

Most of the information in this article has been taken from the sources given under literature; the following sources are also cited:

  1. ^ A b c d e Miscanthus in the Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN), USDA , ARS , National Genetic Resources Program. National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland. Retrieved February 17, 2008.
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h i Chen Shouliang, Stephen A. Renvoize: Miscanthus. In: Wu Zheng-yi, Peter H. Raven, Deyuan Hong (Eds.): Flora of China . Volume 22: Poaceae . Science Press / Missouri Botanical Garden Press, Beijing / St. Louis 2006, ISBN 1-930723-50-4 , pp. 581-583 (English). , ( PDF file , online. )
  3. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Rafaël Govaerts (Ed.): Miscanthus. In: World Checklist of Selected Plant Families (WCSP) - The Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  4. ↑ Wolfgang Franke (original), Reinhard Lieberei, Christoph Reisdorff: Nutzpflanzenkunde. 7th edition. Thieme, Stuttgart / New York 2007, ISBN 978-3-13-530407-6 , p. 411.
  5. ↑ Plant Miscanthus: Energy from Elephant Grass , Deutschlandradio Kultur, January 21, 2015, accessed January 21, 2015.
  6. ↑ Article 46 Paragraph 2 lit. k of Regulation (EU) No. 1307/2013

literature

  • Christopher Brickell (ed.), Wilhelm Barthlott (ed. Of the German edition), Nadja Biedinger, Rüdiger Seine (edited and translated from the English): The Royal Horticultural Society - DuMont's large plant encyclopedia A – Z. - the illustrated lexicon of 15,000 garden and indoor plants. Volume 2: K - Z. DuMont, Cologne 1998, ISBN 3-7701-4350-7 , p. 677. (Original: The Royal Horticultural Society. A – Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants. Dorling Kindersley, London 1996)
  • Steffen Beuch: On the influence of cultivation and the biomass structure of Miscanthus x giganteus (GREEF et DEU.) On the nutrient balance and the organic soil substance . Shaker Verlag, 1999, ISBN 3-8265-4814-0 .

Web links

Commons : Miscanthus  - collection of images, videos and audio files
  • www.miscanthus.de - Information from the teaching and research station of the University of Bonn on Miscanthus sinensis .