Vascular Plants of North Carolina
Section: Common Name: Scientific Name: Family:
Account for Broomsedge + - Andropogon virginicus var. virginicus   L.
Members of Poaceae:
Members of Andropogon with account distribution info or public map:
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Section 5 » Order Cyperales » Family Poaceae
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AuthorL.
DistributionThroughout the state; uncommon on Outer Banks.

MA to MI and KS, south to FL and TX; West Indies; Central America.
AbundanceCommon to abundant.
HabitatAbandoned fields, formerly farmed soils, mechanically disturbed soils within forests, powerlines, roadsides, fire-suppressed pinelands.
PhenologyFlowering and fruiting September-October. Plants from the previous growing season turn straw-color over winter and last well into spring and early summer.
IdentificationOur commonest bluestem and most often seen, due to its preference for disturbed soils. Stems generally grow 2-4 feet tall and may dominate abandoned fields. The inside surface of each stem sheath and inflorescence sheath is bright cinnamon color.
Taxonomic CommentsIn older texts, a number of taxa were lumped within a very broadly defined A. virginicus; we have split them off in this website.

While the genus Andropogon is quite easy to recognize in the field, ID of species is not so easy and there are no shortcuts. Readers are strongly advised to read the introductory paragraphs in Weakley (2018) and to use his key. Once one has successfully keyed out several species, or compared collections with verified specimens, one can learn to recognize them in the field.
Other Common Name(s)Oldfield Bluestem; Oldfield Broomsedge.
State RankS5
Global RankG5T5
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US Status
USACE-agcp
USACE-emp
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B.A. SorrieSame place, January 2022. ScotlandPhoto_natural
B.A. SorrieSandhills Game Land, disturbed roadside, plans beginning to flower, Sept 2021, ScotlandPhoto_natural
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