Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Asparagales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Liriope muscari
FAMILY
Ruscaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Learn more about Liriope from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Liriope muscari
FAMILY
Liliaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Liriope muscari
(?) Flora of China
Liriope muscari
SYNONYMOUS WITH Liriope & Ophiopogon naturalized & commonly cultivated in the USA (Nesom, 2010)
Liriope muscari
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Liriope muscari
COMMON NAME:
Liriope, Big Blue Lily-turf
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
Rebekah D. Wallace, University of Georgia, Bugwood.org bug_5370296
Month Unknown GA
Leaves relatively thin, flexuous and arching 45-140 degrees or more, per Overview of Liriope and Ophiopogon (Ruscaceae) naturalized and commonly cultivated in the USA (Nesom, 2010).
)
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org bug_5379570
Month Unknown
Fruits globose, blue-black to dark or blackish-purple to nearly black, per Overview of Liriope and Ophiopogon (Ruscaceae) naturalized and commonly cultivated in the USA (Nesom, 2010).
)
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org bug_5422004
Month Unknown
Some cultivated forms produce short stolons, but elongating stolons unusual, per Overview of Liriope and Ophiopogon (Ruscaceae) naturalized and commonly cultivated in the USA (Nesom, 2010).
)
James H. Miller, USDA Forest Service, Bugwood.org bug_5422032
Month Unknown
Scapes usually equal or longer than leaves; tepals lilac-purple/lavender, per Overview of Liriope and Ophiopogon (Ruscaceae) naturalized and commonly cultivated in the USA (Nesom, 2010).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Liriope muscari
FAMILY
Ruscaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Liriope muscari
FAMILY
Liliaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Liriope muscari
(?)
Flora of China
Liriope muscari
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Liriope & Ophiopogon naturalized & commonly cultivated in the USA (Nesom, 2010)
Liriope muscari
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Liriope muscari
850
Forb
Perennial
Habitat: Commonly planted, persistent and escaping, locally abundant, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: China, Japan & Taiwan
Rare
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
- Forest Health Assessment & Applied Sciences Team: New Invaders of the Southeast
- Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2006
- SC Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2014
- US Forest Service Southern Research Station
LEAVES:
Evergreen
Simple
Basal
FLOWER:
Summer
Lavender/ Lilac
Radially symmetrical
6 tepals
Superior ovary
Bisexual
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Blackish
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- A Field Guide for the Identification of Invasive Plants in Southern Forests (Miller, Chambliss, & Lowenstein, 2010) p100
- New Invaders of the Southeast (Rawlins et al., 2018) p005
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".