Question 5

• I am working on miscanthus as a sabbatical leave project. Who can I talk to about miscanthus in Wisconsin, where is it and why is it on the invasive plant list.... Miscanthus sacchariflorius.

Answer 5

The best info we currently have on the distribution of M. sacchariflorus in WI is on the following web site  from the University of Wisconsin Botany Department: http://www.botany.wisc.edu/wisflora/scripts/detail.asp?SpCode=MISSAC.

These records are all based only on herbarium vouchers, so they generally do not reflect the full range of a species.  Staff at the UW Madison herbarium could give your more details about the records.

Regarding it being listed on an invasive plant list, I'm not sure what list you are referring to. Very recently (March 2003), the Invasive Plants Association of WI (IPAW) printed and distributed the most comprehensive list of invasive plants ever developed for WI.  This  is a draft working list - seeking comments from persons who know more about these individual plants. This "working list of invasive plants", is based on data from a written survey sent to knowledgeable people of over 300 plants that was done over the last year.

Neither Miscanthus made that list. Both Miscanthus's are on the potential list, based on info available from other states/provinces and from biologists around WI and the Midwest. Most of the concerns I have heard about were related to vegetative spread rather than spread by seed. Neither are listed as a "serious invader", but are listed in order to get more info from people who are familiar with them.

Response provided by: 
Kelly Kearns,
Endangered Resources Program, WDNR