Echinochloa muricata var. wiegandii (Fassett) Mohlenbr. (syn.: E. wiegandii (Fassett) McNeill & Dore, E. pungens (Poir.) Rydb. var. wiegandii Fassett, E. muricata var. occidentalis auct. non Wiegand) (N Am.) – A probably rare, locally naturalized alien. This variety of E. muricata was first recognized in Belgium by Hoste (2004). While revising Belgian collections of E. crus-galli and E. muricata it became apparent that the latter is fairly variable. However, he refrained from accepting infraspecific taxa, also because their nomenclature was fairly confusing.
Although not recognized by most contemporary American taxonomists (e.g. Michael 2003) var. wiegandii is relatively easily separated. Distinguishing features are thoroughly discussed and illustrated by Hoste (2004) and Bomble (2016; sub E. wiegandii). It is more or less intermediate between E. muricata s.str. and E. crus-galli but, particularly based on upper lemma morphology, clearly belongs to the former.
The distribution of var. wiegandii in Belgium needs to be assessed. It appears to be rather frequent in maize fields between Brugge and Gent (comm. I. Hoste) and is also well-established in the Aachen area in western Germany, including adjacent territories in the Netherlands and probably Belgium as well (Bomble 2016). Scattered other occurrences are known, for instance from the Kortrijk area.
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Selected literature
Bomble F.W. (2016) Die Gattung Echinochloa in der Umgebung von Aachen, Teil 1: Die Echinochloa muricata-Gruppe. Veröff. Bochumer Bot. Ver. 8(9): 100-109. [available online at: http://www.botanik-bochum.de/publ/OVBBV8_9_Bomble_Echinochloa_muricata_G...
Hoste I. (2004) The naturalisation history of Echinochloa muricata in Belgium with notes on its identity and morphological variation. Belg. Journ. Bot. 137: 163-174. [available online at: http://alienplantsbelgium.be/sites/alienplantsbelgium.be/files/Echinochl...
Michael P.W. (2003) Echinochloa. In: Barkworth M.E. & al. (eds.), Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 25. Oxford University Press, New York-Oxford: 390-403.