Invasive Look-Alikes
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Invasive Look-alikes Morgan Pinkerton and Tina McIntyre UF/IFAS Extension Seminole County This presentation was adapted from Dexter Sowell & Kim Gulledge at the Florida Natural Areas Inventory (March 2018). What is the difference? INVASIVE NATIVE • Non-native and causes • Occurs naturally in a region some kind of harm. or ecosystem without • Problems with invasives: human introduction. • Economic losses • Benefits of natives: • Ecological harm • Support local • Human/animal health ecosystems hazards Resources Distinction & Dissection • Habitat • Where is the plant growing? • Range • Are the range maps showing it found in your area? • Does the dichotomous key also state it to be found in a particular ecosystem or part of Florida? • Dissecting scope • Use a microscope to LOOK at the various parts of the plant collected Grasses- Poaceae COGON GRASS BROOMSEDGE BLUESTEM Imperata cylindrica Andropogon virginicus COGON GRASS BROOMSEDGE BLUESTEM Imperata cylindrica Andropogon virginicus • Rhizomatous • Clumping • Midvein of leaf white and often • Midvein of leaf usually offset centered COGON GRASS BROOMSEDGE BLUESTEM Imperata cylindrica Andropogon virginicus COGON GRASS YELLOW INDIANGRASS Imperata cylindrica Sorghastrum nutans COGON GRASS YELLOW INDIANGRASS Imperata cylindrica Sorghastrum nutans • Midvein of leaf white and often • Midvein of leaf usually offset centered • Ligule short (0.2-3.5 mm) • Ligule long (2-6 mm) • Large fuzzy panicle of flowers, • Plume-like panicle of silvery white and cylindrical flowers, bronze yellow COGON GRASS YELLOW INDIANGRASS Imperata cylindrica Sorghastrum nutans HOW DO YOU TELL COGON GRASS FROM OTHER SPECIES? 1. The color is always light green 2. The off-set mid-vein 3. The ligule is really small TORPEDO GRASS MAIDENCANE Panicum repens Panicum hemitomon Torpedo Grass TORPEDO GRASS MAIDENCANE Panicum repens Panicum hemitomon • Plants shorter (20-90 cm tall), • Plants taller (50-200 cm tall), leaves narrower leaves broader • Rhizomes sharp-pointed • Rhizomes not sharp • Inflorescence broader • Inflorescence narrow (up to 1 cm wide) WEST INDIAN MARSH GRASS MAIDENCANE Hymenachne amplexicaulis Panicum hemitomon WEST INDIAN MARSH GRASS MAIDENCANE Hymenachne amplexicaulis Panicum hemitomon • Ligules 1-2.5 mm long • Ligules <1 mm long • Internodes with solid white • Internodes without solid white pith pith • Base of leaf blade clasping • Base of leaf cordate WEST INDIAN MARSH GRASS MAIDENCANE Hymenachne amplexicaulis Panicum hemitomon WEST INDIAN MARSH GRASS AMERICAN CUPSCALE Hymenachne amplexicaulis Sacciolepis striata WEST INDIAN MARSH GRASS AMERICAN CUPSCALE Hymenachne amplexicaulis Sacciolepis striata • Ligules 1-2.5 mm long • Ligules <1 mm long • Internodes with solid white • Internodes without pith solid white pith • Base of leaf blade clasping • Base of leaf cordate MAIDENCANE AMERICAN CUPSCALE Panicum hemitomon Sacciolepis striata BURMA REED COMMON REED Neyraudia reynaudiana Phragmites australis BURMA REED COMMON REED Neyraudia reynaudiana Phragmites australis • Ligules on both sides of leaf • Ligule only on inside of leaf • Glabrous internodes • Pubescent internodes NAPIER GRASS COMMON REED Pennisetum purpureum Phragmites australis NAPIER GRASS COMMON REED Pennisetum purpureum Phragmites australis • Ligules 1.5 to 5 mm long • Ligules about 1 mm long • Inflorescence a dense • Inflorescence a bushy terminal panicle panicle NAPIER GRASS COMMON REED Pennisetum purpureum Phragmites australis NAPIER GRASS Pennisetum purpureum Ligule on Napier grass GOLDEN BAMBOO SWITCHCANE Phyllostachys aurea Arundinaria gigantea GOLDEN BAMBOO SWITCHCANE Phyllostachys aurea Arundinaria gigantea • Stem flattened or grooved • Stem round on one side just above the • Node may be swollen, but node lacking a swollen band just • Swollen band just below below the node node Sedges- Cyperaceae TROPICAL NUTRUSH TALL NUTGRASS Scleria microcarpa Scleria triglomerata TROPICAL NUTRUSH TALL NUTGRASS Scleria microcarpa Scleria triglomerata • Leaf sheath strongly winged • Stem sharply angled, but leaf • Achenes in multiple lax sheath not winged racemes • Achenes in 1 to several clusters • Achenes with a large “cupula” • Achenes with 3-lobed disk at at base base and subtended by bracts, but no “cupula” TROPICAL NUTRUSH TALL NUTGRASS Scleria microcarpa Scleria triglomerata DWARF PAPYRUS HASPAN FLATSEDGE Cyperus prolifer Cyperus haspan DWARF PAPYRUS HASPAN FLATSEDGE Cyperus prolifer Cyperus haspan • 50-100 inflorescence rays • 10-15 inflorescence rays • Horizontal or slightly • 30-60° brackets ascending brackets PAPYRUS HASPAN FLATSEDGE Cyperus papyrus Cyperus haspan PAPYRUS HASPAN FLATSEDGE Cyperus prolifer Cyperus haspan • 1-4.5 meters tall • 0.7 meters tall • Over 100 inflorescence rays • 10-15 inflorescence rays UMBRELLA FLATSEDGE HASPAN FLATSEDGE Cyperus alternifolius Cyperus haspan UMBRELLA FLATSEDGE HASPAN FLATSEDGE Cyperus alternifolius Cyperus haspan • 2 meters tall • 0.7 meters tall • 12-25 umbrella shaped rays • 10-15 inflorescence rays Is it really that easy to identify stuff? • Your plant will not always be flowering. • Sometimes it is hard to see the characters you need. • There might be natural variation in the population. Questions? Morgan Pinkerton: [email protected] Tina McIntyre: [email protected] UF/IFAS Extension Seminole County.