Family: Poaceae
white cutgrass, whitegrass
[Leersia virginica var. ovata Willd.]
Kitty Kohout
Christopher Noll
University of Wisconsin - Madison (WIS-VP)
Etymology: Leersia: for Johann Daniel Leers, 18th century German botanist
Plants: perennial grass
Habitat: damp woods
Plants: perennial grass
Habitat: damp woods
Floodplain forests and swamps of silver maple-green ash, silver maple-basswood-elm, silver maple-honey locust-elm-walnut-hackberry, green ash-black ash, white cedar-cottonwood, spruce-white cedar. Also in upland mesic to dry-mesic forests usually around vernal pools, along streams, trails, or logging roads: sugar maple-beech, sugar maple-basswood, oak-hickory, pine-oak-red maple, white pine. Occasionally in sedge meadows, ditches, and at the bases of shaded, moist cliffs. A delicate grass of lowland and upland forests that often forms patches of foliage reclining on other vegetation. The spikelets are no doubt dispersed by animals and hikers and the species seems to be moving northward; found mostly in the southern half of the state
Floristic Rating: Coefficient of Conservatism = 5, Wetland Indicator = FACW USDA Plants Database: Federal Distribution and detailed information including photos Grasses of Iowa: Detailed photographs, descriptions, maps
Christopher Noll
Christopher Noll
Christopher Noll
