Invasive in Pennsylvania

Small Carpetgrass

Arthraxon hispidus

Description: Biology and Spread:

This grass grows up to one Small carpetgrass produces and a half feet tall and has small, slender yellowish seeds oval to lance-shaped leaves that can be dispersed by that are one to three inches in flowing water. length with heart-shaped bases. The leaf margins have conspicuous hairs. Flowers are contained in one to several three-inch long spikes and bloom in early fall.

Photo: Leslie Mehrhoff, U. of Connecticut, www.invasive.org Photo: Steve Hurst, USDA NRCS, Background: www.invasive.org

Also known as joint-head Ecological Threat: grass, this annual grass was introduced into the U.S. from This grass can form dense and eastern . Earli- stands, particularly along Photo: Leslie Mehrhoff, U. of Connecticut, shorelines, threatening native est reports of the come www.invasive.org from the early 1970s. vegetation. Small carpetgrass often occurs alongside another Range: highly invasive annual grass Habitat: species, Japanese stilt grass It can be found throughout the ( vimineum). eastern half of the U.S. from This grass grows in wet areas New York to Florida, all the such as stream banks, way to Kansas and Texas. shorelines, flood plains and wet meadows. It prefers sunny, moist areas.

Photo: Leslie Mehrhoff, U. of Connecticut, Map courtesy of www.eddmaps.org www.invasive.org How to Control this Native Alternatives: Species: There are many drought-tolerant native warm season grasses, Manual such as (1) big bluestem ( gerardii), (2) little bluestem ( scoparium), indiangrass (Sorgastrum nutans) and (3) Small carpetgrass may be switchgrass (Panicum virgatum). pulled or mowed before it produces seeds.

Chemical

It can be also effectively controlled using any of several readily available general-use approved for wetlands. Repeat applications may be necessary to reduce plant density. Be sure to follow the label and all state requirements.

Look-A-Likes: References:

Small carpetgrass looks Invasive Plant Atlas of New England: similar to deertongue grass http://www.eddmaps.org/ipane/ipanespecies/grass/ (Dicanthelium clandestinum). Arthraxon_hispidus.htm Deertongue grass is slightly larger, covered with stiff hairs Center for Invasive Species and Ecosystem Management: and the leaves are typically www.invasive.org longer and more lanceolate in shape. U.S. Forest Service Weed of the Week: http://www.na.fs.fed.us/ fhp/invasive_plants/weeds/jointhead-grass.pdf

For More Information:

DCNR Invasive Species Site: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/ conservationscience/invasivespecies/index.htm

US Forest Service Invasive Plant Field Guide: http://na.fs.fed.us/pubs/misc/ip/ip_field_guide.pdf

National Park Service Plant Invaders of Mid-Atlantic Natural Areas:

Photo: John Cardina, OSU, http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/pubs/midatlantic/ www.forestryimages.org midatlantic.pdf