Andropogon virginicus Linnaeus var. virginicus . Old-field Broomstraw, Broomsedge, "Sedge Grass", "Sage Grass", "Broom Sage". Phen: Sep-Oct (-Dec). Hab: Old fields, roadbanks, disturbed sites. Dist: MA west to MI and e. KS, south to FL and e. TX; West Indies; Mexico and Central America.
Origin/Endemic status: Native
Taxonomy Comments: Campbell (1983) recognized 3 ‘variants’ within A. virginicus var. virginicus; the ‘deceptive variant’ he later (1986) described formally as var. decipiens (see above). The ‘old-field variant’ is the common ‘variant’ in much of our area, occurring abundantly and weedily. It has green stem internodes and the leaves usually pubescent, at least on the margins near the collar. The ‘smooth variant’ is known only from the Coastal Plain and is apparently rare in our area.
Synonymy: = Ar, Mo1, NY; = Andropogon virginicus L. var. virginicus "oldfield variant" – Campbell (1983), Campbell (1986); < Andropogon virginicus L. – Bah, ETx1, Il, Mex, Mex, Mi, NcTx, Pa, RAB, S, Tn, W; > Andropogon virginicus L. var. tetrastachyus (Elliott) Hack. – F; < Andropogon virginicus L. var. virginicus – C, FlGr, FNA25, G, HC, K1, K3, K4, NE, Tx, Va, WH3, WV; >< Andropogon virginicus L. var. virginicus – F
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