Murdannia Keisak (Hasskarl) Hand.-Mazz)

Invasive Alien Plant Species of Virginia Aneilema (Murdannia keisak (Hasskarl) Hand.-Mazz)

Description Tibet. In the United States, it is Murdannia keisak has no common found in all coastal states from name and is generally known as Delaware to Louisiana, and in aneilema from its former scientific Kentucky and Tennessee. It is also name, Aneilema keisak. It is a found in a freshwater tidal marsh in member of the spiderwort family the Columbia River estuary between (Commelinaceae) with weak, Washington and Oregon. Initially prostrate stems 12 to 30 inches long, thought to be restricted to the coastal rooting at the lower nodes, with plain, aneilema is increasing in the upturned tips. The alternate leaves Piedmont and Ridge and Valley taper rapidly from the sheath to a Provinces of Virginia, Tennessee, very narrow blade 1 to 2½ inches northern Alabama and northern long. In Virginia the three-petalled, Mississippi. In Virginia, it is present white to bluish-purple, perfect in all Coastal Plain counties except flowers extend from the upper axils the Eastern Shore, most of the in late August to late September. central and northern Piedmont, and in Augusta County of the Habitat Shenandoah Valley. Aneilema seeds Found in freshwater marshes and are a favored food of ducks and along the edges of ponds and other waterfowl, which may be an streams, aneilema is associated with important dispersal vector for the rice culture in East Asia. It was plant. probably first brought to South Threat Carolina or Louisiana in rice The aggressive nature of this plant imported for growth in this country. has now been clearly displayed by While the earliest records of its ability to establish itself in existence in the United States date freshwater wetlands and crowd out to the 1920s and early 1930s, native vegetation by forming a solid circumstantial evidence suggests Aneilema (Murdannia keisak (Hasskarl) mat of vegetation. Even in its native that it could have been associated Hand.-Mazz) region, this species is a troublesome with our rice industry many years ground that will support the weed. Not only does it produce earlier. equipment because remaining stem thousands of very small seeds, it can fragments will root and re-establish reproduce vegetatively. Distribution the plant. Only a biodegradable Aneilema is found today throughout Control herbicide licensed for use in Asia but is generally considered Mechanical removal of aneilema is wetlands can be used. Consult an native to China, Japan, Korea and not recommended even when on agricultural extension agent or

For more information, contact the Department of Conservation and Recreation or the Virginia Native Plant Society. Virginia Native Plant Society Blandy Experimental Farm Route 2, Box 214 Boyce, VA 22620 (540) 837-1600 217 Governor Street, Richmond, VA 23219 (804) 786-7951; http://www.state.va.us/~dcr/vaher.html http://www.hort.vt.edu/vnps/ Jim Gilmore, Governor • John Paul Woodley, Jr., Secretary of Natural Resources • David G. Brickley, Director, Department of Conservation and Recreation Invasive Alien Plant Species of Virginia Aneilema (Murdannia keisak (Hasskarl) Hand.-Mazz) natural resource specialist to Natural Heritage Program (see Gleason, Henry A. and Cronquist, Arthur. determine the appropriate control address below). 1991. Manual of vascular plants of method for your situation. northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. New York Botanical Garden. References For more information on native Dunn, Christopher and Rebecca Sharitz. Harvill, A., et al. 1992. Atlas of Virginia plant conservation, contact the 1990. History of Murdannia keizak flora. Burkesville, VA Virginia Native Plant Society at the (Commelinaceae) in the Southeastern address below. For information on United States. Castanea, 55 (2):122-129 Illustration reprinted with permission from Virginia’s natural areas and natural (June 1990). The Illustrated Companion to Gleason and Cronquist’s Manual: Illustrations of heritage resources, contact the Fernald, M.L. 1950. Gray’s manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United Virginia Department of botany, eighth edition. American Book States and Adjacent Canada, copyright Conservation and Recreation’s Company, Boston. 1998, The New York Botanical Garden.

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