Names and Species of Ophiopogon Cultivated in the Southeastern United States

Abstract

Species of Ophiopogon Ker-Gawl (aztec grass, monkey grass, mondo grass, and snake's beard) are versatile, evergreen, grass-like perennials used in a variety of landscape situations. The nursery/landscape industry commonly recognizes the Ophiopogon species O. japonicus (Linn. f.) Ker-Gawl and O. plansicapus Nakai, with O. clarkei Hook. f., O. intermedius D. Don, O. graminifolius (L.) Wehrh., O. jaburan (Sieb.) Lodd., O. kansuensis Bat., and O. ohwii Okuyama available, but often misidentified and marketed under other names. Additional taxa are being introduced through botanic gardens and plant expeditions by horticulturists. A taxonomic treatment by the author of liriopogons cultivated in the southeastern United States had been in progress for nearly 15 years. Plants bearing the name O. graminifolius included additional misidentified species of Liriope Lour. and Ophiopogon. Plants bearing the name O. chingii Wang and Chang did not bear inflorescences, but vegetatively appear to be equivalent to O. graminifolius. Plants bearing the name O. mairei H. Lév. and O. wallichianus (Kunth) J.D. Hook. were misidentified as Liriope exiliflora (L.H. Bailey) H.H. Hume. Additional taxa available in botanic gardens included O. bockianus Diels., O. bodnieri H. Lév., O. checkiangensis Koiti Kimura and Migo, O. chingii, and O. marmoratus Pierre ex L. Rodr. Plants bearing the name O. parviflorus (Hook. f.) Hara died without producing reproductive structures; thus, identification to even genus was unattainable. Ophiopogon arabicus Hort., O. nigra Hort., and O. nigrescens Hort. were invalid names used in the trade for O. planiscapus. This treatment includes original morphological descriptions from data obtained in the study, observational notes, and a table with a key to segregation of taxa.