Plants cespitose, dense and cylindrical to obpyramidal above. Culms 40-210 cm; internodes glaucous or not; branches erect to ascending, usually straight, sometimes arching. Sheaths usually smooth, rarely some¬what scabrous; ligules 0.2-1 mm, ciliate, cilia 0.2-1.3 mm; blades 11-52 cm long, 1.7-6.5 mm wide, smooth and glabrous or sparsely to densely pubescent with spreading hairs. Inflorescence units 6-195 per culm; subtending sheaths (2.1) 3.1-4.6 (6.7) cm long, (1.7) 3-3.8 (5.6) mm wide; peduncles usually (1) 4-6 (30) mm, with 2-7 rames; rames (0.5) 1.7-2.8 (4.4) cm, sometimes exerted at maturity, pubescence sparse basally and increasing in density distally within each internode. Sessile spikelets (2.6) 3.5-3.8 (4.7) mm; callus hairs 1-3 mm; keels of lower glume usually smooth below midlength, scabrous distally; awns 6-21 mm; anthers 1 (3), 0.6-1.5 mm, yellow or purple. Pedicellate spikelets vestigial to absent. 2n = 20.

Distribution

Conn., N.J., N.Y., Del., D.C., W.Va., Pacific Islands (Hawaii), Fla., Puerto Rico, Mass., R.I., La., N.C., Tenn., S.C., Pa., Va., Ont., Calif., Ala., Ark., Ill., Ga., Ind., Iowa, Okla., Ky., Md., Kans., Tex., Ohio, Mo., Mich., Miss.

Discussion

Andropogon virginicus is native from the southeastern United States to northern South America, but has become established outide its native range in California, Hawaii, Japan, and Australia. Three varieties are recognized, two of which contain morphologically distinct variants. Andropogon virginicus hybridizes with A. glomeratus and A. longiberbis (Campbell 1986).

Selected References

None.

Key

1 Leaves bluish-green, more or less strongly glaucous Andropogon virginicus var. glaucus
1 Leaves green, sometimes somewhat glaucous. > 2
2 Sheaths subtending the inflorescence units (1.7)2.4-3.1(4) mm wide; inflorescences units usually with 2 rames; rames (1.3)1.5-2.3(3) cm long; peduncles (1) 4-9 (30) mm long Andropogon virginicus var. decipiens
2 Sheaths subtending the inflorescences units (2.2)3.3-4.4(5.6) mm wide; inflorescence units with 2-5(7) rames; rames (0.5)1.9-3.3(4.4) cm long; peduncles (2)3-6(12) mm long Andropogon virginicus var. virginicus

"decumbent" is not a number.

... more about "Andropogon virginicus"
purple +  and yellow +
0.06 cm0.6 mm <br />6.0e-4 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
anatomy +  and kranz +
Christopher S. Campbell +
1 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (2.1 cm21 mm <br />0.021 m <br />) +
terete +  and flattened +
slender +
keeled +  and rounded +
pseudopetiolate +  and branching +
divergent +  and parallel +
intravaginal +, extravaginal +, branching +  and basal +
swelling +
pseudopetiolate +
non-radiate +  and radiate +
well-developed +
11 cm110 mm <br />0.11 m <br /> (52 cm520 mm <br />0.52 m <br />) +
glabrous or +  and sparsely densely pubescent +
convolute +, folded +, flat +  and linear +
reduced +
0.17 cm1.7 mm <br />0.0017 m <br /> (0.65 cm6.5 mm <br />0.0065 m <br />) +
arching;erect;ascending +
spikelike +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
0.02 cm0.2 mm <br />2.0e-4 m <br /> (0.13 cm1.3 mm <br />0.0013 m <br />) +
Broomsedge bluestem +
much-branched +
purple +  and reddish +
40 cm400 mm <br />0.4 m <br /> (210 cm2,100 mm <br />2.1 m <br />) +
not woody +
Conn. +, N.J. +, N.Y. +, Del. +, D.C. +, W.Va. +, Pacific Islands (Hawaii) +, Fla. +, Puerto Rico +, Mass. +, R.I. +, La. +, N.C. +, Tenn. +, S.C. +, Pa. +, Va. +, Ont. +, Calif. +, Ala. +, Ark. +, Ill. +, Ga. +, Ind. +, Iowa +, Okla. +, Ky. +, Md. +, Kans. +, Tex. +, Ohio +, Mo. +, Mich. +  and Miss. +
capillary +
sometimes longer +
concealing +
compressed +  and terete +
shorter or longer +
subtending +
compressed +  and rounded +
unequal +
uncinate +
bracteate +  and ebracteate +
pedunculate +  and multiple-stalked +
3.1 cm31 mm <br />0.031 m <br /> (4.6 cm46 mm <br />0.046 m <br />) +
0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br /> (0.38 cm3.8 mm <br />0.0038 m <br />) +
with inconspicuous veins +  and veined +
fimbriate +  and cupulate +
solid +  and hollow +
(0.5)1.7-2.8(4.4) cm +, not +  and glaucous +
photosynthetic +
not aromatic +
coriaceous +
0.02 cm0.2 mm <br />2.0e-4 m <br /> (0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br />) +
membranous +
inconspicuous +
2-9-veined +  and veined +
concave +, flat +  and 2-keeled +
complex +  and simple +
concealed +  and prominent +
sessile-pedicellate +
heterogamous +
not fused +
3 cm30 mm <br />0.03 m <br /> (?) +
1 cm10 mm <br />0.01 m <br /> (?) +
0.4 cm4 mm <br />0.004 m <br /> (?) +  and 0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br /> (?) +
dry +  and fleshy +
elongate +
pedicellate +  and sessile +
in triplets +  and paired +
well-developed +
usually smaller +  and reduced +
0.35 cm3.5 mm <br />0.0035 m <br /> (0.38 cm3.8 mm <br />0.0038 m <br />) +
1 +  and 3 +
fused +  and free +
2 +  and 3 +
dome--shaped +  and triangular +
Gramineae +
Andropogon virginicus +
Andropogon sect. Leptopogon +
species +
membranous +
sessile-pedicellate +
inconspicuous +
plant +  and cespitose +
aquatic +  and terrestrial +
dioecious +, monoecious +  and synoecious +
cylindrical +  and obpyramidal +