Andropogon glomeratus
Andropogon tracyi
bushy beardgrass, bushy bluestem
Tracy's bluestem
20-250 cm;
internodes green, sometimes glaucous;
branches mostly erect, straight.
50-120 cm;
internodes not glaucous;
branches mostly erect, straight.
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 0.2-0.8 mm;
blades 10-22 cm long, 1.2-2.6 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.
3-11 per culm; subtending sheaths (2.8)4.1-5.8(7.2) cm long, (3)4-4.7(5.8) mm wide;
peduncles (9)14-31(65) mm, with 2 rames;
rames (1.5)2.4-3.6(4.2) 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)4.8-5(5.5) mm;
callus hairs 1.5-3.5 mm;
keels of lower glumes scabrous only above the midpoint;
awns 11-23 mm;
anthers 1, 1.2-2 mm, yellow.
spikelets vestigial or absent, sterile.
spikelets vestigial or absent.
= 20.
= 20.
Andropogon glomeratus
Andropogon tracyi
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 tracyi grows on sandhills, sandy pinelands, and scrublands of the southeastern United States. It resembles A. longiberbis, but usually differs in having sparsely pubescent blades and a more slender appearance.
(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
