Alien grasses (Poaceae) in Germany

Contribution to the discussion on biological invasions

Abstract

At present 42 alien  grass species and subspecies (neophytes) are naturalized in Germany (list 1). None of them are excessively abundant (invasive) threaten indigenous plants,  reduce biodiversity and do harm any natural/semi-natural vegetation, and  likewise, of course, the rare casual grasses observed since World War ii  (list 2). Also detrimental effects caused by hybridisation between alien and  indigenous plant species are unknown so far in Germany. Special attention is focused on the anecophytes, i.e., cultigenic taxa s.l. (list 3): Foreign  cereals may be able to escape from cultivation and then behave as casuals,  other species or subspecies arose as ruderals or agrestals in culture  ecotopes (meadows, pastures, fields etc.) — in the text and lists several  critical comments are addressed to Daisie ("delivering alien invasive Species inventories for Europe"), e. g. concerning wrongly classified and missing taxa.