Grasses + Grass Like Species
Species in this group are grasses or grass-like, with long, slender leaf blades. Species can be differentiated based on overall plant size, leaf size and shape, flowerhead characteristics, and habitat.
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Resource Table
| Classification | Common Name | Other Common Names | Scientific Name | Other Scientific Names | Factsheets | Statewide Distribution Map | National Distribution Map | Look-Alike Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Restricted | Hybrid cattail | Typha x glauca | Factsheet | State Map | National Map | |||
| Prohibited | Japanese stilt grass | Microstegium vimineum | Factsheet 1 Factsheet 2 | State Map | National Map | |||
| Prohibited | Johnsongrass | Sorghum halepense | Factsheet 1 Factsheet 2 | State Map | National Map | |||
| Prohibited/Restricted | Lyme grass | Sand ryegrass | Leymus arenarius | Elymus arenarius | Factsheet | State Map | National Map | |
| Prohibited | Medusahead | Taeniatherum caput-medusae | Factsheet | Not Present in Wisconsin | National Map | |||
| Restricted | Narrow-leaf cattail | Typha angustifolia | Factsheet | State Map | National Map | |||
| Prohibited/Restricted | Phragmites | Common reed | Phragmites australis | Factsheet | State Map | National Map | ||
| Not Regulated | Reed canary grass | Phalaris arundinacea | Factsheet | State Map | National Map | |||
| Prohibited/Restricted | Rough mannagrass | Tall mannagrass, Reed mannagrass | Glyceria maxima | Factsheet 1 Factsheet 2 | State Map | National Map | ||
| Prohibited | Wavy leaf basket grass | Oplismenus hirtellus ssp. undulatifolius | Factsheet 1 Factsheet 2 | Not Present in Wisconsin | National Map |
Species Summary Table
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Leaves | Flowers | Seeds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glyceria maxima | Reed manna grass | Up to 8’ tall, reddish tint on lower stem | Protrude at angle from white, strongly V- shaped base; flat, rough-edged | 6-12” panicle; June – Aug. |
| Leymus arenarius | Lyme grass / sand ryegrass | Smooth, round, stout; 2-4’ tall | Broad, rigid, straight, blue-green leaves | Dense spike with 3 flowered spikelets |
| Microstegium vimineum | Japanese stiltgrass | 1-3’ tall; hairless, branched | 2-3” long; pale green with silvery, off-center stripe down midvein | 1-3” flower spikes; mid-September |
| Oplismensus hirtellus spp. undulatifolius | Wavy leaf basket grass | Covered in scattered hairs; 8-12” tall | Wavy leaf blades with horizontal ripples across their width | Small, feathery, wispy; mid-August |
| Phalaris arundinacea | Reed canary grass | 2-5’ tall, smooth, unbranched | Hairless but rough-textured; ligule translucent, up to 1/3” long | 2-16” long, pyramidal branching cluster; late spring to early summer |
| Phragmites australis | Phragmites / common reed | 3-15’ tall, ribbed, rough-textured; lower stems dull green to tan | Blue-green, flat, hairless; ligule with fringe of short hairs; nodes green to purple with ring of fine hairs along upper edge | Feathery branching clusters, 6-14” long; Sept. – Nov. |
| Sorghum halepense | Johsongrass | Up to 12’ tall, coarse textured | 2’ long, distinct white midribs | spreading, purplish panicle, 4-24” tall |
| Taeniatherum caput-medusae | Medusahead | 6-20” tall, 1+ stems from base of plant | Few leaves; somewhat rolled, less than 1/8” wide | Single short spike-type seed head in late spring |
| Typha angustifolia | Narrow-leaf cattail | 5-10’ tall, often with submerged base | Erect, linear, flat; 1/8 – ½” wide; ~15 leaves per shoot | Spike with upper section of yellow, male flowers and lower, brown, sausage-shaped section of female flowers separated by ½ - 4”; late spring |
| Typha x glauca | Hybrid cattail | 5-10’ tall; often with submerged base | Erect, linear, flat; 1/3 – ¾” wide; ~15 leaves per shoot | Spike with upper section of yellow male flowers and lower brown/green sausage-shaped section of female flowers separated by 0-2”; late spring |