Andropogon glomeratus (Walt.) B.S.P., Poaceae

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Present on Pacific Islands?  yes

Primarily a threat at high elevations?  no

Risk assessment results:  High risk, score: 14 (Go to the risk assessment)

Other Latin names:  Cinna glomerata Walter

Common name(s): [more details]

English: bushy beardgrass, bushy bluestem, chalky bluestem

Habit:  grass

Description:  Grass, "[c]ulms tufted, robust, flattened and covered with crowded keeled sheaths, 1-1.5 m high in flower; leaf-blades 3-5 mm broad; inflorescence dense, club-shaped, the spathes at first green turning pink; racemes 1.5-3 cm long, villous with whitish or tawny hairs; sessile spikelets 3-4 mm long; awns about 15 mm long." (Adams, 1972; p. 201).

"Habit: Perennial; caespitose. Basal innovations flabellate. Culms erect; 75-150 cm long. Leaf-sheaths keeled; glabrous on surface; outer margin glabrous, or hairy. Ligule a ciliolate membrane. Leaf-blades 2.5-6 mm wide. Inflorescence: Synflorescence compound; paniculate (oblong); dense. Inflorescence composed of racemes; terminal and axillary; subtended by a spatheole; embraced at base by subtending leaf. Spatheole lanceolate; 1.5-3 cm long. Peduncle 0.5-1 cm long; hirsute above. Racemes 2; paired; sinuous; 1.5-3 cm long. Rhachis fragile at the nodes; plumose on surface; plumose on margins. Rhachis internodes filiform. Rhachis internode tip transverse; cupuliform; with simple rim. Spikelets in pairs. Fertile spikelets sessile; 1 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 1 in the cluster. Pedicels filiform; curved; plumose. Steriles spikelets: Companion sterile spikelets represented by barren pedicels. Fertile spikelets: Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets lanceolate; dorsally compressed; 3-4.5 mm long; falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelet callus pilose; base obtuse; inserted. Glumes: Glumes dissimilar; exceeding apex of florets; firmer than fertile lemma. Lower glume lanceolate; 1 times length of spikelet; membranous; 2-keeled; keeled laterally. Lower glume intercarinal veins absent. Lower glume surface concave. Upper glume lanceolate; membranous; 1-keeled; 1-veined. Upper glume lateral veins absent. Upper glume muticous. Florets: Basal sterile florets barren; without significant palea. Lemma of lower sterile floret lanceolate; hyaline. Fertile lemma lanceolate; hyaline; without keel. Lemma apex lobed; 2 -fid; awned; 1 -awned. Principal lemma awn from a sinus; straight; 10-20 mm long overall. Palea absent or minute. Flower: Anthers 3" (GrassBase).

Habitat/ecology:  Ditches, swamp margins, pastures and other disturbed areas.

Propagation:  Seed

Native range:  Southeastern US and Mexico to northern South America, Greater Antilles, St. Kitts to Martinique.

Presence:

Pacific
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	Hawai‘i (Big) Island	introduced invasive	Snow, Neil/Lau, Alex (2010) (pp. 47-48) var. pumilus. Voucher cited: T. Tunison s.n. (BISH 734261)
State of Hawaii Hawaiian Islands	O‘ahu Island	introduced invasive	Snow, Neil/Lau, Alex (2010) (pp. 47-48) var. pumilus. Vouchers cited: A. Lau OISC 002 (BISH), K. Metzler A004 (BISH)K. Kawelo s.n. (BISH 687841), J. Fisher OISC s.n. (BISH 718772)
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Midway Atoll	Midway Atoll	introduced invasive	Starr, Forest/Martz, Kim/Loope, Lloyd L. (2002) (p. 22) Incorrectly identified as Andropogon virginicus per Snow & Lau, 2010; p. 48. Voucher cited: Starr & Martz 990407-1 (BISH)
United States (other Pacific offshore islands) Midway Atoll	Sand Island	introduced invasive	Snow, Neil/Lau, Alex (2010) (pp. 47-48) var. pumilus. Vouchers cited: J.T. Duncan s.n. (BISH 661392), F. Starr & K. Martz 990407-1 (BISH), C. Corn s.n. (BISH 667024), K. McDermond s.n. (BISH 634271)

Pacific Rim
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Costa Rica (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	El Salvador (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Guatemala (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Honduras (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Nicaragua (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Central America Central America (Pacific rim)	Panama (Republic of)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
Mexico Mexico	Mexico (United Mexican States)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
South America (Pacific rim) South America (Pacific rim)	Colombia	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
United States (west coast) United States (west coast states)	USA (California)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Also reported from
Country/Terr./St. & Island group	Location	Cited status & Cited as invasive & Cited as cultivated & Cited as aboriginal introduction?	Reference & Comments
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	United States (other states)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)
United States (continental except west coast) United States (other states)	USA (Florida)	native	U.S. Dept. Agr., Agr. Res. Serv. (2013)

Control:  If you know of control methods for Andropogon glomeratus, please let us know.