Image: Wikimedia Commons (See link for license)
Japanese Silver Grass🌾
Miscanthus sinensis
ススキ
An iconic plant of autumn in Japan. A perennial grass (Poaceae) that forms dense colonies in grasslands, riverbanks, and mountain meadows. The silvery plumes swaying in the autumn breeze are a beloved sight. Stems are thick and erect.
Identification Points
- ✓Prominent white midrib on the leaf
- ✓Silvery to white plumes appear in autumn
- ✓Stem bases are swollen and form clumps
- ✓Leaf margins have fine teeth (sharp enough to cut skin)
Habitat
Grasslands, riverbanks, mountain meadows, roadsides
Season
August to October (plumes)
3D Specimen Model
Kyushu University, Shikano Lab (CC0)
View on Sketchfab→Morphological TraitsAI-estimated, needs verification
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf type
Simple
Venation
Parallel
Leaf margin
Serrate
Leaf shape
Linear
Growth form
Herb
Petal fusion
No petals
Flowering season
Autumn
Habitat
Grassland
Leaf dissection
Undivided
Ovary position
Superior
Phylogenetic Positionイネ科 →
Phylogenetic Position
Angiosperms > Monocots > Commelinids > Poales > Poaceae
Divergence Era
Late Cretaceous to Paleogene (approx. 80–70 million years ago)
Sources & References
AI-generated, needs verification