Strand Memorial Herbarium

Family: Poaceae   Grass Family
Plant group comprising one of the largest families of flowering plants. Formerly referred to as Graminae.

Genus: Andropogon   Bluestem
About 200 species of tall annual or perennial grasses with spikelike racemes distributed worldwide in temperate and tropical zones. Tribe Andropogoneae.

Scientific Name: Andropogon gerardii Vitman
Common Name(s): Big Bluestem, Turkey-foot
Growth Type: perennial
Species Description: Native warm season sod forming grass. One of the dominant grasses of the tall grass prairie.

Click on the thumbnails to view large image.

Caption: A large patch of flowering big bluestem alongside a railroad track. ID: Hrb-ANOGE-005 Source: 35mm slide (photo) Credit: Keyword(s): flowering, inflorescence

Caption: Big bluestem's flowering racemes ID: Hrb-ANOGE-004 Source: 35mm slide (photo) Credit: Keyword(s): flowering, inflorescence

Caption: Big bluestem's inflorescences consisting of 2-6 digitate racemes. ID: Hrb-ANOGE-002 Source: 35mm slide (photo) Credit: Keyword(s): flowering, inflorescence

Caption: Flowering big bluestem inflorescences consisting of 2-6 digitate racemes. ID: Hrb-ANOGE-006 Source: 35mm slide (photo) Credit: Keyword(s): flowering, inflorescence

Caption: Flowering big bluestem's purple and yellow inflorescences. ID: Hrb-ANOGE-009 Source: 35mm slide (photo) Credit: Keyword(s): flowering, inflorescence

Caption: Illustration of mature big bluestem detailing its three digitate racemes. ID: Hrb-ANOGE-003 Source: 35mm slide (illustration) Credit: Keyword(s): inflorescence, mature

Caption: Mature big bluestem plants. ID: Hrb-ANOGE-007 Source: 35mm slide (photo) Credit: Keyword(s): mature

Caption: Mature big bluestem with raceme inflorescence ID: Hrb-ANOGE-001 Source: 35mm slide (photo) Credit: Keyword(s): inflorescence, mature

Caption: Maturing big bluestem plants. ID: Hrb-ANOGE-008 Source: 35mm slide (photo) Credit: Keyword(s): mature