Andropogon brachystachyus

Chapm.
Common names: Shortspike bluestem
Endemic
Treatment appears in FNA Volume 25. Treatment on page 659.

Plants cespitose, open and ovate to obpyramidal above. Culms 1.1-3.1 m; internodes not glaucous; branches arching. Sheaths 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. Inflorescence units 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. Sessile 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. Pedicellate spikelets vestigial or absent. 2n = 20.

Discussion

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.

Selected References

None.

Lower Taxa

None.

"decumbent" is not a number.

... more about "Andropogon brachystachyus"
0.14 cm1.4 mm <br />0.0014 m <br /> (0.24 cm2.4 mm <br />0.0024 m <br />) +
anatomy +  and kranz +
Christopher S. Campbell +
Chapm. +
1 (?) +  and 3 (?) +
0.2 cm2 mm <br />0.002 m <br /> (1.1 cm11 mm <br />0.011 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 +
21 cm210 mm <br />0.21 m <br /> (54 cm540 mm <br />0.54 m <br />) +
pubescent +  and glabrous +
convolute +, folded +, flat +  and linear +
reduced +
0.23 cm2.3 mm <br />0.0023 m <br /> (0.6 cm6 mm <br />0.006 m <br />) +
spikelike +
0.1 cm1 mm <br />0.001 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
0.06 cm0.6 mm <br />6.0e-4 m <br /> (0.15 cm1.5 mm <br />0.0015 m <br />) +
Shortspike bluestem +
much-branched +
purple +  and reddish +
110 cm1,100 mm <br />1.1 m <br /> (310 cm3,100 mm <br />3.1 m <br />) +
not woody +
S.C. +, N.C. +, Fla. +  and Ga. +
capillary +
sometimes longer +
concealing +
compressed +  and terete +
shorter or longer +
subtending +
compressed +  and rounded +
unequal +
uncinate +
bracteate +  and ebracteate +
pedunculate +  and multiple-stalked +
2.4 cm24 mm <br />0.024 m <br /> (3.5 cm35 mm <br />0.035 m <br />) +
0.26 cm2.6 mm <br />0.0026 m <br /> (0.3 cm3 mm <br />0.003 m <br />) +
with inconspicuous veins +  and veined +
fimbriate +  and cupulate +
solid +  and hollow +
exserted +  and not glaucous +
photosynthetic +
not aromatic +
coriaceous +
0.02 cm0.2 mm <br />2.0e-4 m <br /> (0.05 cm0.5 mm <br />5.0e-4 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 /> (?) +
13 cm130 mm <br />0.13 m <br /> (?) +
2 cm20 mm <br />0.02 m <br /> (?) +  and 3.1 cm31 mm <br />0.031 m <br /> (?) +
dry +  and fleshy +
elongate +
pedicellate +  and sessile +
in triplets +  and paired +
well-developed +
usually smaller +  and reduced +
0.44 cm4.4 mm <br />0.0044 m <br /> (0.46 cm4.6 mm <br />0.0046 m <br />) +
1 +  and 3 +
fused +  and free +
2 +  and 3 +
dome--shaped +  and triangular +
Gramineae +
Andropogon brachystachyus +
Andropogon sect. Leptopogon +
species +
membranous +
sessile-pedicellate +
inconspicuous +
plant +  and cespitose +
aquatic +  and terrestrial +
dioecious +, monoecious +  and synoecious +
ovate +  and obpyramidal +