*Microstegium vimineum (Trinius) A. Camus. Japanese Stilt-grass, Flexible Sasa-grass, Japanese-grass. Phen: Sep-Nov. Hab: Disturbed areas, colonizing moist, rich soil, especially in floodplains, though sometimes patchily in even dry or dry-mesic uplands. Dist: Native of tropical se. Asia. The following chronological synopsis of flora accounts of Microstegium is instructive: not treated by Small (1933), "local" (Fernald 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). Radford, Ahles, & Bell (1968) reported 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) documented the continuing northern expansion of Microstegium into NY and CT. Redman (1995) discussed its habitat preferences in MD and DC. Koyama (1987) reported it as "common as undergrowth of forests" in Japan, part of its native distribution.

Origin/Endemic status: E. and se. Asia

Synonymy: = Ar, C, ETx1, FlGr, FNA25, GW1, Il, K1, K3, K4, Mi, Mo1, NE, NY, Pa, RAB, Tn, Va, W, WH3, Chen, Veldkamp, & Kuoh (2012); = Eulalia viminea (Trin.) Kuntze – G; > Eulalia viminea (Trin.) Kuntze var. variabilis Kuntze – F, Tat; > Eulalia viminea (Trin.) Kuntze var. viminea – F; > Microstegium vimineum (Trin.) A.Camus var. imberbe (Nees) Honda – HC; > Microstegium vimineum (Trin.) A.Camus var. vimineum – HC

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FAC
• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FAC
• Great Plains: FAC
• Midwest: FAC
• Northcentral & Northeast: FAC

Heliophily ?: 5