POACEAE

Andropogon chinensis

Hairy Blue Grass

Grasses & Sedges

Local Context

Found on rocky hillsides and drainage lines, for example the one crossing the Buffalo trail. Often growing in poor sandy or gravelly soils.

Identification

Growth: Densely tufted perennial grass (60–200 cm tall) with erect, branched stems and a slightly bulbous, knotty base.
Flowers: Arranged in paired racemes (3.5–10 cm long) that are conspicuously covered in silvery-white hairs; the spikelets have distinct, bent, and twisted bristle-like awns (up to 3.5 cm long).
Leaves: Long, narrow, and linear (10–40 cm long) tapering to a fine point; they are often folded or rolled and typically have a blue-green to grey-green (glaucous) color.
Texture: The leaf stalks (sheaths) are mostly smooth and hairless, but the flower stalks and racemes are densely hairy; the plant often has a powdery blue-grey covering.
Fruit: Consists of strongly flattened spikelets (5–8 mm long) that fall off as a complete unit when ripe; the main (sessile) spikelet has a deep groove down the center.

Did You Know?

Andropogon chinensis carries a name that is twice as misleading as it is descriptive. While the specific epithet chinensis suggests it is strictly "of China," this grass is actually a global traveler native to vast stretches of Africa and India as well as East Asia. Its genus name, derived from the Greek words for "man" (aner) and "beard" (pogon), more accurately captures its physical identity, referring to the distinctively hairy, silvery spikelets that give the plant its rugged, bearded appearance.

Back to List