Sorghastrum secundum
Sorghastrum nutans
lopside indiangrass
faux-sorgho penche, Indian grass
90-180 cm tall, 1.5-3 mm wide;
internodes glabrous or pubescent beneath the nodes.
50-240 cm tall, 1.5-4.5 mm thick, erect;
internodes glabrous.
usually glabrous, occasionally pubescent in young plants;
ligules 2.5-4(5.7) mm;
blades 20-50 cm long, (1.8)3-6 mm wide, scabrous, particularly on the adaxial surfaces.
glabrous or sparsely hispid;
ligules 2-6 mm, usually with thick, pointed auricles;
blades 10-70 cm long, 1-4 mm wide, usually glabrous.
15-40 cm, straight to slightly arching, secund, somewhat open;
nodes glabrous or almost so;
branches erect or nearly so.
20-75 cm, loosely contracted, yellowish to brownish;
branches often flexible.
6-8 mm long, 0.8-1.2 mm wide, lanceolate, dark brown to golden brown at maturity.
5-8.7 mm.
2-3 mm.
2-3 mm.
4-7.5 mm, pubescent, sharply curved to recurved.
3-6 mm, flexible.
1-1.2 mm, blunt, densely bearded;
lower glumes 6-7.5 mm, pubescent, truncate, 7-9-veined;
upper glumes 6.5-8 mm, glabrous, acuminate, 5-veined;
awns 30-40 mm, 4-5 times longer than the spikelets, twice-geniculate, dark brown;
anthers 2.5-4.5 mm.
blunt, villous;
lower glumes 5-8 mm, pubescent, 7-9-veined;
upper glumes 5-8 mm, 5-veined;
awns 10-22(30) mm, about 2-3 times longer than the spikelets, once-geniculate;
anthers (2)3-5 mm.
= 20.
= 20, 40, 80.
Sorghastrum secundum
Sorghastrum nutans
Sorghastrum secundum grows in woodlands, sandy soils, and occasionally at the edges of marshes, at elevations below 1000 m. Its native range extends north and west from Florida to the Appalachian Mountains; other records probably reflect introductions. The mountains may have effectively prevented its further spread to the northwest.
Sorghastrum secundum is easily confused with plants of S. elliottii that are not at anthesis, because both species have straight to slightly arching panicles with ascending branches. However, the rachis nodes of S. secundum are glabrous or almost glabrous.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
Sorghastrum nutans grows in a wide range of habitats, from prairies to woodlands, savannahs, and scrubland vegetation. It is native from Canada to Mexico and was one of the four principal grasses of the tallgrass prairie that occupied the central United States prior to agricultural development of the region. It is frequently used for forage, for erosion control on slopes and along highways, and in restoration work. It is an attractive plant and can be used to advantage in flower arrangements. It grows readily from seed if adequate moisture is available. There are several cultivars on the market.
(Discussion copyrighted by Flora of North America; reprinted with permission.)
- Local Web sites:
Go Botany, 
IL Wildflowers, 
KS Wildflowers, 
LA Plants, 
MD Biodiversity, 
MI Flora, 
MN Wildflowers, 
MO Plants, 
PNW Herbaria 
WildflowerSearch
iNaturalist (observations)
USDA Plants Database- LBJ Wildflower Center
- SEINet
- Plants of the World Online
- Encyclopedia of Life
- Wikipedia
- Google Image Search
