Contains 19 accepted taxa overall.
Characteristics
Plastome data place species of Andropogon sect. Leptopogon in a clade rather distant from Andropogon s.str. (McAllister et al. 2018), and thus nearly all species (except A. gerardii) occurring in Florida have been moved to the genus Anatherum (Vorontsova et al. 2023).
Classification
Citation
ANDROPOGON Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1045. 1753, nom. cons.
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TYPE: Andropogon distachyos Linnaeus, typ. cons.
Species
| Scientific Name | Common Name | Herbarium Specimens | Status | Photos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andropogon arctatus | PINEWOODS BLUESTEM | Native Threatened-State FAC (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Andropogon bicornis | BARBAS DE INDIO | Not Native FAC (NWPL) | ||
| Andropogon brachystachyus | SHORTSPIKE BLUESTEM | Native FAC (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Andropogon cumulicola | Native Endemic | |||
| Andropogon floridanus | FLORIDA BLUESTEM | Native FACU (NWPL) | ||
| Andropogon gerardi | BIG BLUESTEM | Native FAC (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Andropogon glomeratus var. glaucopsis | PURPLE BLUESTEM | Native FACW (NWPL) OD (WAP) FACW (DEP) | ||
| Andropogon glomeratus var. glomeratus | BUSHY BLUESTEM | Native FACW (NWPL) T (WAP) FACW (DEP) | ||
| Andropogon glomeratus var. hirsutior | BUSHY BLUESTEM | Native FACW (NWPL) FACW (DEP) | ||
| Andropogon glomeratus var. pumilus | BUSHY BLUESTEM | Native FACW (DEP) | ||
| Andropogon gyrans | ELLIOTT'S BLUESTEM | Native FACU (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Andropogon liebmannii var. pungensis | Native FACW (NWPL) FACW (DEP) | |||
| Andropogon longiberbis | HAIRY BLUESTEM | Native FAC (NWPL) | ||
| Andropogon perangustatus | ELLIOTT'S BLUESTEM | Native OBL (NWPL) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Andropogon ternarius | SPLITBEARD BLUESTEM | Native FACU (NWPL) | ||
| Andropogon tracyi | TRACY'S BLUESTEM | Native | ||
| Andropogon virginicus var. decipiens | BROOMSEDGE BLUESTEM | Native FAC (NWPL) AD (WAP) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Andropogon virginicus var. glaucus | CHALKY BLUESTEM | Native FAC (NWPL) U (WAP) FAC (DEP) | ||
| Andropogon virginicus var. virginicus | BROOMSEDGE BLUESTEM | Native FAC (NWPL) AD (WAP) FAC (DEP) |
[Family identification key]
1. Rhizomes sometimes present; pedicellate spikelets usually well-developed, (3.5)6-12 mm long, usually staminate; sessile spikelets 5-12 mm long
1. Cespitose; pedicellate spikelets usually vestigial or absent, or occasionally well-developed and staminate in terminal spikelet units; sessile spikelets 2.6-8.4 mm long (Anatherum, Andropogon sect. Leptopogon)
2
2. Rames usually conspicuously wholly exserted or nearly so, and mostly distant from adjacent ones; anthers 1 or 3, 1.2-3.5 mm long
2. Rames usually at least partly concealed by the subtending sheath and sometimes in dense arrays; anthers 1, 0.5-2
1. (Key A) Inflorescence peduncles (5)5-9(11.5) cm long; rame internode pubescence uniform; sessile spikelets 4–5 mm long; lemma awns mostly 5–10 mm long; anthers 1
2
1. Inflorescence peduncles (8)9–17 cm long; rame internode pubescence becomgin sparse basally; sessile spikelets 5–7 mm long; lemma awns mostly 10–25 mm long; anthers 3
2
2. Culms 2.5–4.5 mm wide; basal leaf sheaths appressed-pubescent, often silvery-silky; basal leaf blades 5–6 mm wide, upper surface appressed-pubescent, often silvery-silky; inflorescence units (10)30-40(50) per culm, each with 2–4 rames
2. Culms 1.5–2.0 mm wide; basal leaf sheaths moderately to densely villous; basal leaf blades 2–2.5 mm wide, glabrous to sparsely pubescent with spreading hairs; inflorescence units (3)8-14(27) per culm, all with 2 rames
3. Rame internodes with longest hairs 8–9 mm long, somewhat obscuring the spikelets; first glume nerveless and glabrous or nearly so between the keels; lemma awns (18)20-22(25) mm long; pedicellate spikelet vestigal, 1–2 mm long
3. Rame internodes with longest hairs 3–6 mm long, not obscuring the spikelets; first glume 2–3-nerved between the keels, its surface moderately to densely scabridulous; lemma awns (9)11-16(18) mm long; pedicellate spikelets, 2–4 mm long
4
4. Culms (1.1)1.4-1.7(1.9) m tall; basal leaf sheaths and lower surface of basal leaf blades green or bluish-green, not glaucous; culm internodes not glaucous; inflorescence units (5)10-20(26) per culm
4. Culms (1.5)1.8-2.1(2.3) m tall; basal leaf sheaths and lower surface of basal leaf blades bluish-glaucous; culm internodes slightly to evidently glaucous; inflorescence units (6)8-10(12) per culm
1. (Key B) Leaves strongly chalky-glaucous
2
1. Leaves green to slightly glaucous
3
2. Ligule 0.9-2 mm long (excluding cilia), the cilia 0-0.2 mm long; cauline leaf blades 33-75 cm long; pubescence below raceme sheath usually moderate to dense; racemes (1)1.3-2(2.3) cm long
2. Ligule 0.2-0.5 mm long (excluding cilia), the cilia 0.3-1.2 mm long; cauline leaf blades 12-38 cm long; pubescence below raceme sheath absent or sparse to dense; racemes (1.4)1.8-2.7(4) cm long
3
3. Pubescence below raceme sheath absent; raceme sheaths (2.1)2.6-3.8(4.9) cm long; racemes (1.4)1.7-2.4(3.2) cm long; spikelets (2.6)3.4-3.7(4.4) mm long
3. Pubescence below raceme sheath sparse to dense; raceme sheaths (2.4)3.2-4.8(6) cm long; racemese (1.5)2-3(4) cm long; spikelets (3)3.5-3.9(4.9) mm long
4. Spikelets lacking awns; anthers 3
4. Sessile spikelets with awns; anthers 1(-3)
5
5. Leaf blades appressed-pubescent; peduncles (1)3-4(13) mm long; callus (base of sessile spikelet) hairs 1.5-5 mm long; sessile spikelets (3.5)4.1-4.5(5) mm long
5. Leaf blades glabrous or with mostly spreading (rarely appressed) hairs; peduncles (1)5-70(100) mm long; callus hairs 1-3(3.5) mm long; sessile spikelets (2.6)3.5-5(5.5) mm long
6
6. Peduncles with (2)4-13 rames
6. Peduncles with (1)2-5(7) rames
7
7. Culms 0.3-1.2(1.4) m tall; leaf blades 0.8-3(5) mm wide; inflorescence units 2-31 per culm
10
7. Culms (0.2)0.9-3.1 m tall; leaf blades (1.7)3-9.5 mm wide; inflorescence unites 5-210 per culm
13
8. Peduncles with 2 rames; anthers 1.2-2 mm long; sessile spikelets (4)4.8-5(5.5) mm long
8. Peduncles with 2-5 rames; anthers 0.6-1.7 mm long; sessile spikelets (3)4.1-4.4(5.7) mm long
11
11. Ligules 0.8-1.5 mm long, the cilia <0.1 mm long
11. Ligules 0.2-0.8(1) mm long
12
12. Basal leaf sheath faces appressed-pubescent, 2.5-5 mm wide from keel to keel; basal leaf blades 2-5 mm wide unfolded, not difficult to unfold; upper culm sheaths 6.6-8.5 mm wide when unrolled; rachis internode 3.8-5 mm long; pedicel 5.6-8 mm long
12. Basal leaf sheaths faces glabrous, (0.5)1.4-2.6(3) mm wide from keel to keel; basal leaf blades (0.6)1-2.2(2.8) mm wide unfolded, very difficult to unfold; upper culm sheaths (4)4.7-6.3(7) mm wide when unrolled; rachis internode (2.5)3-3.8(4) mm long; pedicel 4.5-5.6(5.8) mm long
13. Culm 1-3 m long; inflorescence branches arching; rames (1.2)1.5-2.1(2.6) cm long
13. Culms 0.3-2.5 m long; inflorescence branches erect to ascending; rames (0.5)1.7-5.3 cm long
14
14. Leaf blades 32-61 cm long, usually glabrous; sheaths often scabrous; inflorescence units (9)50-210 per culm; rame internode hairs uniform (not sparse basally); anthers 1.3-2 mm long
14. Leaf blades 11-109 cm long, glabrous to densely pubescnet; sheath smooth to scabrous; inflorescence units 6-600 per culm; rame internodes sparsely pubescent basally, more densely pubescent distally; anthers 0.5-1.5 mm long
15
15. Leaf blades 13-109 cm long; sheaths usually scabrous, sometimes smooth; ligules 0.6-2.2 mm long; keels of the lower glumes sometimes scabrous below midlength
16
15. Leaf blades 11-52 cm long; sheaths smooth, rarely somewhat scabrous; ligules 0.2-1 mm long; keels of the lower glumes usually smooth below midlength, scabrous distally
18
16. Leaf sheaths usually smooth; ligules ciliate, the cilia 0.2-0.9 mm long; sheaths subtending the inflorescence units 1.5-3 mm wide;
16. Leaf sheaths often scabrous; ligules, when ciliate, with the cilia no more than 0.5 mm long; sheaths subtending the inflorescence units (1.5)2.3-3.4(4.4) mm wide
17
17. Leaves usually glabrate to sparsely pilose; upper portion of the plants oblong to obpyramidal; mature peduncles (4)11-35(60) mm long; anthers eventually falling
17. Leaves densely villous; upper portion of the plants cylindrical to oblong; mature peduncles 2-5 (8) mm long; withered remnants of anthers retained within the spikelets
18. Sheaths subtending the inflorescence units (1.7)2.4-3.1(4) mm wide; inflorescences units usually with 2 rames; peduncles (1) 4-9 (30) mm long; rames (1.3)1.5-2.3(3) cm long
18. Sheaths subtending the inflorescences units (2.2)3.3-4.4(5.6) mm wide; inflorescence units with 2-5(7) rames; peduncles (2)3-6(12) mm long; rames (0.5)1.9-3.3(4.4) cm long
Genus Synonyms
| Synonym | Full Citation | Basionym | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anatherum | Anatherum Palisot de Beauvois, Ess. Agrostogr. 128, 150, pl. 22(10-11). 1812. | TYPE: Anatherum bicorne (Linnaeus) Palisot de Beauvois (Andropogon bicorne Linnaeus) Lectotypified by Niles & Chase, Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 24: 203. 1925. | |
| Arthrolophis | Arthrolophis Chiovenda, Boll. Soc. Bot. Ital. 1917: 57. 1917. | TYPE: Non designatus. | |
| Arthrostachys | Arthrostachys Desvaux, Mém. Soc. Agric. Angers 1: 178, t. 9(2). 1831; Opusc. Sci. Phys. Nat. 74, t. 6(2). 1831-1833. | TYPE: Arthrostachys gracilis Desvaux | |
| Diectomis | Diectomis Kunth, Mém. Must. Hist. Nat. 2: 69. 1815, nom. cons. vs. Diectomis Palisot de Beauvois 1812. | TYPE: Diectomis fastigiata (Swartz) Palisot de Beauvois, typ. cons. (Andropogon fastigiatus Swartz) | |
| Dimeiostemon | Dimeiostemon Rafinesque, Neogenyton 4. 1825. | TYPE: Andropogon vaginatus Elliott Lectotypified by Hitchcock, U.S.D.A. Bull. (1915-1923) 772: 260. 1920. | |
| Euklastaxon | Euklastaxon Steudel, Syn. Pl. Glumac. 1: 412. 1854 ("1855"). | TYPE: Euklastaxon tenuifolius Steudel | |
| Heterochloa | Heterochloa Desvaux, Opusc. Sci. Phys. Nat. 66, pl. 5(3). 1831. | TYPE: Heterochloa alopecurus Desvaux | |
| Homoeatherum | Homoeatherum C. Nees von Esenbeck, in Lindley, Nat. Syst., ed. 2. 448. 1836. | TYPE: Homoeatherum chinense C. Nees von Esenbeck | |
| Hypogynium | Hypogynium C. Nees von Esenbeck, in Martius, Fl. Bras. Enum. Pl. 2(1): 364. 1829. | TYPE: Non designatus. | |
| Leptopogon | Leptopogon Roberty, Boissiera 9: 193. 1960, non Borzi 1907. | TYPE: Non designatus. |