Cinna latifolia - Drooping Woodreed

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Cinna latifolia (6081038401)
(Wikimedia)1
Cinna latifolia (6081577824)
(Wikimedia)2
Manual of the grasses of the United States (Page 357) BHL42020996 (Wikimedia)3

Synonyms

General: A tall, slender, perennial grass forming loose tufts from short rhizomes. (GoBotany)
Lifecycle: Perennial. (USDA)
Inflorescence: A large, open, and drooping panicle, often silvery-green, with many single-flowered spikelets. The panicle can be up to 30 cm long. (IlliWild)
Spikelets: Each spikelet contains a single floret. The glumes are lance-shaped and nearly equal in length, while the lemma has a very short awn. (FNAN)
Leaves: Leaf blades are flat, wide (10-20 mm), and lax, giving the plant a lush appearance. The ligule is membranous and can be long. (IlliWild)
Habitat: Found in moist to wet environments, including rich deciduous woodlands, swamps, shaded stream banks, and thickets. (GoBotany)
Range: Circumboreal. Widespread across Canada and the northern United States, extending south in mountain ranges. Also found in temperate and boreal Eurasia. (USDA) (POWO)
Status: Native. Generally secure within its range. (NatureServe)
Ecological Indicator: Its presence indicates moist, rich, often shaded habitats. It provides cover for wildlife and its seeds may be eaten by birds and small mammals. It is a larval host for some skipper butterflies, such as the Northern Pearly-Eye. (NWF)
Possible Lookalikes: Can be confused with other woodland grasses. Cinna arundinacea (Stout woodreed) is similar but has narrower leaves (typically less than 10 mm wide) and a more contracted, erect panicle. (GoBotany) Other genera like Agrostis or Calamagrostis may appear similar but can be distinguished by technical details of their spikelets. (FNAN)

Hazards

Food Uses

Other Uses

Medicinal Uses

Phytochemistry

Specific phytochemical studies on Cinna latifolia are scarce. Like other grasses, it would contain common grass compounds such as cellulose, lignin, and various primary metabolites. Its foliage has been noted for its sweet scent, which may be due to the presence of coumarin, a compound common in many grasses. (PFAF)

Management and Control

As a native plant, control is not typically necessary. Cultivation is not common, but it could be grown from seed in a suitable moist, shaded garden environment. It can self-seed in favorable conditions. (PFAF)

Propagation

Propagation is primarily by seed. Seeds can be sown in the fall or spring. Cold, moist stratification may improve germination rates. The plant can also be propagated by division of the clumps in the spring. (PFAF)

Lore & History

There is little specific lore associated with this particular grass. Its scientific name, Cinna, is derived from the Greek 'kinna', a name used by Dioscorides for a type of grass. The species epithet 'latifolia' is Latin for "broad-leaved," a key identifying feature. (GoBotany)

CINNA WOODREED

Family: Poaceae - Grass

Cinna is a genus of four species of perennial grasses found in temperate regions of the Americas and Eurasia. They are characterized by their single-flowered spikelets and are typically found in moist woodland habitats. The other North American species is Cinna arundinacea (Stout Woodreed). (FNAN) (POWO)

References

Image References