Andropogon gerardi Vitman

Big Bluestem

© DETenaglia

Family - Poaceae/Andropogoneae

Habit - Perennial grass.

Stems - Erect, to 3 m, usually unbranched, circular in cross-section, glabrous, usually glaucous.

	Node.
© DETenaglia

Leaves - Sheaths rounded on the back, glabrous or hairy, the uppermost sheaths not inflated, the ligule a short, stiff membrane with a hairy (fringed) margin. Leaf blades 8-50 cm long, 5-10 mm wide, glabrous or the lowermost ones hairy, especially near the base, relatively flat, the midvein noticeably thickened

	Leaf sheath.
© DETenaglia

© DETenaglia

	Ligule.
© DETenaglia

Inflorescences - Palmate clusters of 2-4 spikelike racemes not enclosed by the subtending leaf sheaths, the racemes mostly 4-11 cm long, relatively stiff and straight, with a purplish brown coloration, the hairs on the joints of the axis and the spikelet stalks 1-4 mm long, white or yellow.

Flowers - Stalked spikelets staminate, similar in size and appearance to the sessile, perfect spikelets (but awnless), the stalk about 1?2 as long as the sessile spikelet (excluding the awn). Glumes 6-11 mm long, narrowly ovate, usually somewhat roughened and often also glaucous. Lemmas with the body 5-9 mm long, the awn 8-19 mm long, spirally twisted and bent near the base. Anthers 2.5-4.0 mm long.

	Purple styles, yellow anthers.
© DETenaglia

Flowering - June - September.

Habitat - Prairies, glades, open rocky woods, railroads.

Origin - Native to U.S.

Other info. - This large species can be found throughout most of Missouri except for the extreme southeastern lowlands. This is a common grass in the habitats mentioned above. The blue glaucous coating on the stems and bluish color of the leaves give the plant its common name - "Big Bluestem."

The specific epithet has long been spelled "gerardii." The apparently correct orthography is that indicated at the top of the page.

Photographs taken in the Ozark Scenic Riverways, Shannon County, MO., 8-29-03, and at the Sunklands Conservation Area, Shannon County, MO., 7-26-04.