Andropogon glomeratus
Andropogon arctatus
bushy beardgrass, bushy bluestem
pinewoods bluestem
20-250 cm;
internodes green, sometimes glaucous;
branches mostly erect, straight.
90-170 cm;
internodes occasionally somewhat glaucous just below the nodes;
branches straight, erect to ascending.
usually scabrous, sometimes smooth;
ligules 0.6-2.2 mm, sometimes ciliate, cilia to 0.9 mm;
blades 13-109 cm long, 2.9-9.5 mm wide, glabrous or sparsely to densely pubescent, hairs usually spreading, rarely appressed.
smooth, rarely somewhat scabrous;
ligules 0.3-0.9 mm, sometimes ciliate, cilia to 0.5 mm;
blades 15-35 cm long, 3-8 mm wide, glabrous or densely pubescent, hairs spreading.
10-600 per culm; subtending sheaths (2.0)2.9-4.4(6.5) cm long, (1.5)2.3-3.4(4.4) mm wide;
peduncles (1)6-14(60) mm, with 2(4) rames;
rames (1)1.7-2.5(3.5) cm, exserted or not at maturity, pubescence sparse basally and increasing in density distally within each internode.
5-45 per culm; subtending sheaths (3.3)3.8-6.8(9) cm long, (2.5)3.2-4(5) mm wide;
peduncles (9)26-66(115) mm, with 2(4) rames;
rames (2.2)2.6-4.3(5.3) cm, usually exserted at maturity, pubescence either evenly distributed or more dense distally within each internode.
spikelets 3-5 mm;
callus hairs 1-2.5 mm;
keels of lower glumes sometimes scabrous below midlength, usually scabrous distally;
awns 6-19 mm;
anthers 1(3), 0.5-1.5 mm, yellow, red, or purple.
spikelets (4.3)4.9-5.4(6.1) mm;
callus hairs 1.5-2.5 mm;
keels of lower glumes scabrous from below the midpoint;
awns 5-16 mm;
anthers 1(3), 2-3.5 mm, red.
spikelets vestigial or absent, sterile.
spikelets vestigial or absent.
= 20.
= 20.
Andropogon glomeratus
Andropogon arctatus
Andropogon glomeratus hybridizes with both A. longiberbis and A. virginicus. Some of its varieties are morphologically similar to the latter species.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Andropogon arctatus grows in flatwoods, bogs, and scrublands of southern Alabama and Florida. Its flowering appears to be stimulated by fire but, unlike other members of sect. Leptopogon in the Flora region, the effect lasts only one or two years, the plants then remaining vegetative until the next fire occurs. It is similar to A. ternarius, but differs in its long, usually solitary anther and shorter spikelets.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
1. Blades glaucous, glabrous, and smooth | var. glaucopsis |
1. Blades green, often pubescent or scabrous | → 2 |
2. Sheaths subtending the inflorescence units 1.5-3 mm wide; leaf sheaths usually smooth; ligules ciliate, the cilia 0.2-0.9 mm long | var. pumilus |
2. Sheaths subtending the inflorescence units (1.5)2.3-3.4(4.4) mm wide; leaf sheaths often scabrous; ligules, when ciliate, with the cilia no more than 0.5 mm long. | → 3 |
3. Keels of the lower glumes scabrous below and beyond midlength | var. scabriglumis |
3. Keels of the lower glumes usually smooth below midlength, scabrous distally. | → 4 |
4. Upper portion of the plants oblong to obpyramidal; mature peduncles (4)11-35(60) mm long; anthers eventually falling | var. glomeratus |
4. Upper portion of the plants cylindrical to oblong; mature peduncles 2-5 (8) mm long; withered remnants of anthers retained within the spikelets | var. hirsutior |
CalFlora
Go Botany
IL Wildflowers
LA Plants
MD Biodiversity
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist
USDA Plants Database
