Roadless Areas
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Andropogon gerardi

Vitman

Big Bluestem

G5Secure Found in 28 roadless areas NatureServe Explorer →
G5SecureGlobal Rank
Identity
Unique IDELEMENT_GLOBAL.2.133783
Element CodePMPOA0C090
Record TypeSPECIES
ClassificationSpecies
Classification StatusStandard
Name CategoryVascular Plant
Endemicoccurs (regularly, as a native taxon) in multiple nations
KingdomPlantae
PhylumAnthophyta
ClassMonocotyledoneae
OrderCyperales
FamilyPoaceae
GenusAndropogon
Synonyms
Andropogon gerardiiVitman
Other Common Names
Barbon de Gérard (FR) big bluestem (EN)
Concept Reference
Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
Conservation Status
Rank MethodExpertise without calculation
Review Date2016-05-13
Change Date1984-02-09
Ecology & Habitat

Description

Grass, perennial, growing in tufts, with offshoots on short rhizomes. Culms 0.7-1.5 m tall; sheaths hairless or with soft hairs. Leave blades to 10 mm wide, 8-50 cm long, flat or v-shaped, light green and often red-tinged; veins distinct, margins rough to the touch; rolled at emergence. Ligule to 3 mm long, membranous, rounded at the tip, ciliate. Auricles absent. Racemes 3-6, 5-10 cm long, usually purplish. Sessile spikelets with bent awn 10-20 mm long.

Diagnostic Characteristics

Grass, perennial, in coarse tufts 0.7-1.5 m high; leaves with ligules to 3 mm long, membranous, obtuse, ciliate and often lacerate; racemes usually 3, in a 'turkey foot' arrangement; plants blue to purplish. Sessile spikelets perfect, with first glume with a geniculate awn; pedicellate spikelets usually staminate, the first glume without an awn.

Habitat

Grows in praries, meadows, and generally dry soils (FNA 2003).
Other Nations (2)
United StatesN5
ProvinceRankNative
OhioSNRYes
ArizonaSNRYes
MaineSNRYes
New YorkS5Yes
New HampshireSNRYes
OklahomaSNRYes
North CarolinaS5Yes
MarylandSNRYes
IowaS5Yes
FloridaS3Yes
MichiganSNRYes
IllinoisS4Yes
North DakotaSNRYes
New JerseyS4Yes
Navajo NationSNRYes
KansasS5Yes
District of ColumbiaSNRYes
West VirginiaS4Yes
GeorgiaS5Yes
MississippiSNRYes
AlabamaSNRYes
MinnesotaSNRYes
UtahSNRYes
TennesseeSNRYes
DelawareS4Yes
VermontS4Yes
TexasSNRYes
MissouriSNRYes
WyomingS3Yes
WisconsinSNRYes
LouisianaSNRYes
PennsylvaniaS5Yes
South DakotaS5Yes
MassachusettsSNRYes
KentuckyS5Yes
NebraskaSNRYes
South CarolinaS4Yes
ColoradoS4Yes
ConnecticutSNRYes
New MexicoSNRYes
IndianaS5Yes
VirginiaS5Yes
Rhode IslandSNRYes
MontanaS4Yes
ArkansasSNRYes
CanadaN5
ProvinceRankNative
OntarioS4Yes
SaskatchewanS4Yes
ManitobaS5Yes
QuebecS3Yes
New BrunswickSNANo
Plant Characteristics
DurationPERENNIAL
Economic Value (Genus)No
Roadless Areas (28)
Arkansas (2)
AreaForestAcres
Clifty CanyonOzark-St. Francis National Forest1,963
Little BlakelyOuachita National Forest3,342
Indiana (1)
AreaForestAcres
Mogan RidgeHoosier National Forest8,435
Louisiana (1)
AreaForestAcres
Saline Bayou W & S River CorridorKisatchie National Forest5,355
New Hampshire (1)
AreaForestAcres
Pemigewasset ExtWhite Mountain National Forest15,840
New Mexico (5)
AreaForestAcres
Elk MountainGila National Forest6,550
Guaje CanyonSanta Fe National Forest6,104
RendijaSanta Fe National Forest2,176
South Guadalupe MountainsLincoln National Forest20,930
T BarGila National Forest6,823
North Carolina (1)
AreaForestAcres
Tusquitee BaldNantahala National Forest13,670
North Dakota (4)
AreaForestAcres
Dawsons WaterholeDakota Prairie Grasslands6,087
DelamereDakota Prairie Grasslands5,087
SheyenneDakota Prairie Grasslands14,537
VenloDakota Prairie Grasslands5,317
Tennessee (2)
AreaForestAcres
Flint Mill GapCherokee National Forest9,494
Joyce Kilmer Slickrock Add.Cherokee National Forest1,396
Texas (1)
AreaForestAcres
Little Lake CreekNational Forests in Texas596
Vermont (1)
AreaForestAcres
Bread LoafGreen Mountain and Finger Lakes National Forests1,768
Virginia (6)
AreaForestAcres
Brush MountainJefferson National Forest6,002
JerkemtightGeorge Washington National Forest16,687
Oliver MountainGeorge Washington National Forest13,090
Peters Mountain Addition BJefferson National Forest2,909
Southern MassanuttenGeorge Washington National Forest11,985
The PriestGeorge Washington National Forest5,737
West Virginia (2)
AreaForestAcres
Canaan LoopMonongahela National Forest7,867
Mcgowan MountainMonongahela National Forest10,504
Wyoming (1)
AreaForestAcres
Sand CreekBlack Hills National Forest7,950
References (3)
  1. Flora of North America Editorial Committee (FNA). 2003a. Flora of North America north of Mexico. Vol. 25. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Poaceae, part 2. Oxford Univ. Press, New York. xxv + 781 pp.
  2. Kartesz, J.T. 1994. A synonymized checklist of the vascular flora of the United States, Canada, and Greenland. 2nd edition. 2 vols. Timber Press, Portland, OR.
  3. Weakley, A.S., and Southeastern Flora Team. 2024. Flora of the southeastern United States. Edition of March 4, 2024. University of North Carolina Herbarium (NCU), North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2203 pp.