Andropogon glomeratus
Andropogon brachystachyus
bushy beardgrass, bushy bluestem
shortspike bluestem
20-250 cm;
internodes green, sometimes glaucous;
branches mostly erect, straight.
1.1-3.1 m;
internodes not glaucous;
branches arching.
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;
ligules 0.2-0.5 mm, ciliate, cilia 0.6-1.5 mm;
blades 21-54 cm long, 2.3-6 mm wide, glabrous or sparsely pubescent, with spreading hairs.
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.
12-190 per culm; subtending sheaths (2.1)2.4-3.5(4.1) cm long, (2.3)2.6-3(3.8) mm wide;
peduncles (13)20-31(43) mm, with 2(3) rames;
rames (1.2)1.5-2.1(2.6) cm, usually exserted at maturity, pubescence increasing in density 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 (4.1)4.4-4.6(5) mm;
callus hairs 1-1.5 mm;
keels of lower glumes scabrous only above the midpoint;
awns 2-11 mm;
anthers 1, 1.4-2.4 mm, red.
spikelets vestigial or absent, sterile.
spikelets vestigial or absent.
= 20.
= 20.
Andropogon glomeratus
Andropogon brachystachyus
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 brachystachyus grows in sandy, often seasonally wet soils of flatwoods, savannahs, pond margins, and scrublands of the southeastern United States. It sometimes forms large populations, but does not invade disturbed sites as do some morphologically similar forms of A. virginicus var. virginicus.
(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 |
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