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Wavyleaf basketgrass (Oplismenus undulatifolius)

Wavyleaf basketgrass Synonyms: Oplismenus undulatifolius, Oplismenus hirtellus ssp. undulatifolius

Common Names: Basketgrass, wavy grass

Description: Introduction method unknown but are sold by plant nurseries for hanging baskets.

Habit: Shade tolerant, low-growing, stoloniferous perennial grass, growing up to 20-30 cm tall.

Leaves: Ovate, elongated, sharply pointed, dark green, 0.5 inches wide, 1.5 to 4 inches long, with rippling waves across the leaf blades.

Stems: Covered in scattered hairs. 1-3 mm in diameter, creeping beneath leaf littler, rooting and branching from nodes.

Flowers: Blooms from mid-September to November.

Fruit and seeds: Forms spikelets with long sticky awns, which adhere to passing animals greatly enhancing seed dispersal.

Habitat: Native to Europe and Asia. Found in full canopy hardwood forests, forest margins, and shady riparian zones.

Reproduction: Vegetatively through stolons and by seed. Stands of this species can produce upwards of 1,000 seeds per square meter per year.

Similar species: Similar in appearance to Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum).

Monitoring and rapid response: Easily hand pulled at the roots and nodes and thought to be more effective than herbicide. May be effectively treated with a 1-2% solution of glyphosate.

Credits: The information provided in this factsheet was gathered from the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. National Early Detection and Rapids Response System for Invasive Plants.

Individual species images that appear with a number in a black box are courtesy of the Bugwood.org network (http://www.invasive.org).Individual photo author credits may not be included due to the small display size of the images and subsequent difficulty of reading the provided text. All other images appear courtesy of Google (http://images.google.com).


Common Name:

Wavyleaf basketgrass

Scientific Name:

Oplismenus undulatifolius

Family:

Poaceae
(Grass)

Duration:

Perennial

Habit:

Grasses

USDA Symbol:

OPHIU2