Andropogon glomeratus
Andropogon hallii
bushy beardgrass, bushy bluestem
sand bluestem
20-250 cm;
internodes green, sometimes glaucous;
branches mostly erect, straight.
(40)60-150(200) cm, strongly glaucous.
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.
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.
usually only terminal;
peduncles with 2-7 rames;
rames 4-7(9) cm, exserted at maturity;
internodes usually densely pubescent, hairs 3.7-6.6 mm, often strongly yellowish.
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 (5)6.5-12 mm;
lower glumes often ciliate;
awns absent or to 11 mm;
anthers 3, (2.3)4-6 mm.
spikelets vestigial or absent, sterile.
spikelets 3.5-12 mm, usually well-developed and staminate.
(0.9)2.5-4.5 mm, ciliate;
blades 3-40(51) cm long, (1.5)2-10 mm wide, often pilose, at least near the collar.
= 20.
= 60 (usually), 70, 100.
Andropogon glomeratus
Andropogon hallii
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 hallii grows on sandhills and in sandy soil. Its range extends through the central plains into northern Mexico. It is similar to A. gerardii, differing primarily in its rhizomatous habit, more densely pubescent rames and pedicels, and greater drought tolerance. Andropogon hallii and A. gerardii are sympatric in some locations. The two species can hybridize and are sometimes treated as conspecific subspecies.
(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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