Andropogon virginicus*

Andropogon virginicus* L. Sp. Pl. 1046 (1753).

Classification. (GPWG 2001) : Subfamily
Panicoideae. Andropogoneae.

Type of Basionym or
Protologue Information
: LT: " 7 virginicum", USA (LINN-1211.12).
LT designated by Hitchcock, Contr. U.S. Natl. Herb. 12: 125 (1908);
Campbell, J. Arnold Arbor 64: 224 (1983).

Key references
(books and floras):
[2002] D.Sharp & B.K.Simon, AusGrass, Grasses of
Australia
, [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Walley & D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses
of New South Wales
(122).

Illustrations:
[1983] J.C.Tothill & J.B.Hacker, Grasses of Southern Queensland
(98), [1984] N.T.Burbidge. rev. S.W.L.Jacobs, Australian Grasses  (53), [2008] S.W.L.Jacobs, R.D.B.Whalley &
D.J.B.Wheeler, Grasses of New South Wales, 4th edn (122).

Derivation: L.
-ica, belonging to. From Virginia, USA.

Habit.
Perennial. Culms erect, 50–100 cm tall. Mid-culm nodes glabrous. Lateral
branches branched. Leaf-sheaths glabrous on surface or hairy. Ligule a fringed
membrane, a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades flat or conduplicate, 10–40 cm
long, 2–5 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface glabrous.

Inflorescence.
Inflorescence compound, composed of rames. Rhachis fragile at the nodes.

Spikelets.
Spikelets sessile, 1 in the cluster. Companion spikelets pedicelled, 1 in the
cluster. Companion spikelets absent or represented by barren pedicels. Fertile
spikelets 2-flowered, the lower floret barren (rarely male), the upper fertile,
comprising 1 basal sterile florets, comprising 1 fertile floret(s), without
rachilla extension, lanceolate, dorsally compressed, 2.5–4 mm long.

Glumes.
Glumes dissimilar, firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate,
membranous, keeled, 2-keeled, wingless, 2 -nerved. Lower glume surface
glabrous. Upper glume lanceolate, membranous, keeled, 1-keeled, 1 -nerved.
Upper glume apex muticous. Florets. Basal sterile florets 1, barren,
without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret hyaline.

Fertile lemma without
keel. Lemma apex lobed, awned, 1 -awned. Median (principal) awn from a sinus,
10–26 mm long overall. Palea absent. Anthers 3.

Continental
Distribution
: Temperate Asia, Australasia, Pacific, North America, and
South America.

Australian
Distribution
: Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria.

Queensland:
Darling Downs, Moreton. New South Wales: North Coast, Central Coast,
South Coast, Central Tablelands, North-Western Slopes, Central-Western Slopes. Victoria:
East Gippsland, Midlands.

Notes. Eastern
United States and Mexico. In Australia naturalised in the coastal, tableland
regions and western slopes of New South Wales, in coastal SE Qld and two
localities of Victoria. Along roadsides and in low fertility pastures. Flowers
Mar.--Dec.

AVH 2011


Scratchpads developed and conceived by (alphabetical): Ed Baker, Katherine Bouton Alice Heaton Dimitris Koureas, Laurence Livermore, Dave Roberts, Simon Rycroft, Ben Scott, Vince Smith