Info
Subfamily: Panicoideae
Genus etymology: Andropogon = "man's beard" [Greek] refering to the long hairs (bearded) pedicels
Species etymology: tenuispatheus = "narrow spathe" [Latin] refering to the inrolled spathes
Photosynthetic type: C4 (warm season)
Nativity: naturalized - accidental
First recorded in Hawaiʻi: 2002
Map
Inflorescence
Plant
Spikelets
Culm base
Description
Plants oblanceolate to obpyramidal in the upper portion. Culms to 2.5 m, but as short as 20 cm in poor soils; internodes not glaucous. Leaf sheaths usually smooth; ligules ciliate, cilia 0.2-0.9 mm; blades green, smooth or pubescent. Subtending sheaths of inflorescence units (2)2.9-4.3(5.2) cm long, 1.5-3 mm wide; peduncles (2)8-15(40) mm; rames 1.3-3 cm, exerted. Keels of lower glumes usually smooth below midlength, scabrous distally; anthers often retained within the spikelets.
(Description source: Barkworth, M.E., Capels, K.M., Long, S. & Piep, M.B. (eds.) 2003. Flora of North America, north of Mexico. Volume 25. Magnoliophyta: Commelinidae (in part): Poaceae, Part 2. Oxford University Press, New York. 783 pp http://floranorthamerica.org/Andropogon_virginicus )