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); < Anatherum virginicum (L.) Voronts. & E.A.Kellogg – Vorontsova et al (2023); < Andropogon virginicus L. – Bah, ETx1, Il, Mex, Mi, NcTx, Pa, RAB, S, S13, Tn, W; > Andropogon virginicus L. var. tetrastachyus (Elliott) Hack. – F; < Andropogon virginicus L. var. virginicus – C, FlGr, FNA25, G, HC, K1, K3, K4, NE, Tat, Tx, Va, WH3, WV; >< Andropogon virginicus L. var. virginicus – F

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Wetland Indicator Status:

• Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain: FAC (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Eastern Mountains and Piedmont: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Great Plains: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Midwest: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)
• Northcentral & Northeast: FACU (taxonomic split from wetland indicator species)

Heliophily: 9