''Miscanthus sinensis'', the eulalia or Chinese silver grass,
is a
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
of
flowering plant
Flowering plants are plants that bear flowers and fruits, and form the clade Angiospermae (), commonly called angiosperms. The term "angiosperm" is derived from the Greek words ('container, vessel') and ('seed'), and refers to those plants th ...
in the grass
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
Poaceae,
native
Native may refer to:
People
* Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth
* Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory
** Native Americans (disambiguation)
In arts and entert ...
to eastern Asia throughout most of
China,
Japan,
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
and
Korea
Korea ( ko, 한국, or , ) is a peninsular region in East Asia. Since 1945, it has been divided at or near the 38th parallel, with North Korea (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) comprising its northern half and South Korea (Republic o ...
.
Description
It is an
herbaceous perennial
A perennial plant or simply perennial is a plant that lives more than two years. The term ('' per-'' + '' -ennial'', "through the years") is often used to differentiate a plant from shorter-lived annuals and biennials. The term is also wid ...
grass, growing to tall, rarely , forming dense clumps from an underground
rhizome. The
leaves are tall and 0.3–2 cm broad. The
flower
A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...
s are purplish, held above the foliage. This plant is the preferred structure for the nesting of some species of paper wasps, such as ''
Ropalidia fasciata''.
Nomenclature
The Latin
specific epithet ''sinensis'' means "from China",
though the plant is found elsewhere in eastern Asia.
Forms and varieties
*''M. sinensis''
f. ''glaber'' Honda
*''M. sinensis''
var. ''gracillimus'' Hitchc.
*''M. sinensis'' var. ''variegatus'' Beal
*''M. sinensis'' var. ''zebrinus'' Beal
Cultivation
It is widely cultivated as an
ornamental plant
Ornamental plants or garden plants are plants that are primarily grown for their beauty but also for qualities such as scent or how they shape physical space. Many flowering plants and garden varieties tend to be specially bred cultivars that ...
in
temperate climate
In geography, the temperate climates of Earth occur in the middle latitudes (23.5° to 66.5° N/S of Equator), which span between the tropics and the polar regions of Earth. These zones generally have wider temperature ranges throughout ...
s around the world.
It has become an
invasive species in parts of North America. However, it is possible to reduce the likelihood of escape or
hybridization with extant wild ''M. sinensis'' populations with breeding and proper management.
Cultivars
Several
cultivar
A cultivar is a type of cultivated plant that people have selected for desired traits and when propagated retain those traits. Methods used to propagate cultivars include: division, root and stem cuttings, offsets, grafting, tissue culture ...
s have been selected, including 'Strictus' with narrow growth habit, 'Variegata' with white margins, and ‘Zebrinus’ (sometimes incorrectly rendered as 'Zebrina') with horizontal yellow and green stripes across the leaves. Those marked have gained the
Royal Horticultural Society
The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), founded in 1804 as the Horticultural Society of London, is the UK's leading gardening charity.
The RHS promotes horticulture through its five gardens at Wisley (Surrey), Hyde Hall (Essex), Harlow Carr (Nor ...
's
Award of Garden Merit.
*'Border Bandit'
*'Cosmopolitan'
*'Dronning Ingrid'
*'Ferner Osten'
*'Flamingo'
*'Gewitterwolke'
*'Ghana'
*'Gold und Silber'
*'Gracillimus'
*'Grosse Fontäne'
*'Kaskade'
*'Kleine Fontäne'
*'Kleine Silberspinne'
*'Malepartus'
*'Morning Light'
*'Septemberrot'
*'Silberfeder'
*'Strictus'
*'Undine'
*'Variegatus'
*'Zebrinus'
File:Zebra grass 1.jpg, 'Zebrinus'
File:Zebra grass 5.jpg, 'Strictus'
File:Ferner Osten 1.jpg, 'Ferner Osten'
File:Malepartus2.jpg, 'Malepartus'
Uses
''M. sinensis'' is a candidate for
bioenergy production due to its high yield, even in high stress environments, easy propagation, effective nutrient cycling, and high genetic variation.
[Stewart R, Toma Y, Fernández FG, Nishiwaki A, Yamada T, Bollero G (2009) The ecology and agronomy of “Miscanthus sinensis”, a species important to bioenergy crop development, in its native range in Japan: a review. Global Change Biology Bioenergy. 1-2, 126-153.]
Synonyms
*''Eulalia japonica'' Trin.
*''Saccharum japonicum'' Thunb.
Gallery
File:Tonomine highland 01 b.jpg, The beginning of November, on Tonomine highlands in Kamikawa, Hyogo, Japan
File:Han iri susuki Zebra grass.png, Plant with horizontal variegations
File:Miscanthus sinensis ja01.jpg,
File:Leaf edge of Miscanthus sinensis.png, Magnified view of leaf;
0 to 1 = 1 mm; the saw-like edge can cut human skin
References
External links
Photos of ''Miscanthus sinensis'': seasonal/color changeFlora of China: ''Miscanthus sinensis''
{{Authority control
sinensis
Grasses of China
Grasses of Russia
Flora of tropical Asia
Flora of Japan
Flora of Korea
Flora of the Russian Far East
Flora of Taiwan
Garden plants of Asia
Plants described in 1855