Vascular Plants of North Carolina
Section: Common Name: Scientific Name: Family:
Account for Nash's Bluestem - Andropogon subtenuis   Nash
Members of Poaceae:
Members of Andropogon with account distribution info or public map:
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Section 5 » Family Poaceae
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AuthorNash
DistributionThis species is in Weakley's (2020) flora. The SERNEC database lists fairly recent specimens from Brunswick and Pender counties.

According to Weakley's (2018) map, NC south to central FL, and west to MS.
AbundanceNot certain, as this is a recent split from A. gyrans; presumed to be rare or scarce at the present time. The website editors suggest a State Rank of S1? and a Watch List status until more is known about this species.
Habitat"Longleaf pine flatwoods" (Weakley 2018). Specimens from the Pender County site are from a pine savanna, but the ones in Brunswick County do not specify the habitat.
PhenologyFlowering and fruiting September - October.
IdentificationThis is a relatively short Andropogon, the stems under 3 feet tall, with green (and not glaucous) stem and leaves. It has quite narrow leaves (less than 2 mm wide); some racemes are usually fully included within sheaths at maturity on peduncles less than 10 mm long (Weakley 2018). For other separation distinctions, check that reference.
Taxonomic CommentsFormerly included with A. elliottii, but more recent references included it within A. gyrans.

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)None. There seem to be no common names mentioned except by Weakley (2018), and the website adopts his Nash's Bluestem name.
State Rank[S1?]
Global RankGNR
State Status[W7]
US Status
USACE-agcp
USACE-emp
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