Andropogon ischaemum L. var. songaricus Rupr. ex Fisch. & Mey.
Old World Bluestem

Habit: 		Slender tufted to widely rhizomatous perennial.
Culms: 		Somewhat decumbent often rooting at the nodes, 30-90 cm. tall, grooved on one side,
		glabrous to bearded at the nodes.
Blades: 	Flat to folded or revolute, slightly keeled with a very prominent midrib,
		scabrous to thinly pilose, 2-20 cm. long, 1-4 mm. wide.
Sheaths: 	Slightly keeled, smooth.
Ligule: 		Membranous, fringed, about 1 mm. long.
Inflorescence: 	Short with 2-8 main branches, 2-6 cm. long, rachis internodes and margins of the pedicels long-villous.
Spikelets: 	Sessile spikelet 4-6 mm long, somewhat longer than the pedicel and rachis-joints,
		scabrous, the twisted bent awn 8-15 mm. long.  Pedicellate spikelet reduced to a single glume,
		usually 2-3 mm. long, short-awned, spreading, the pedicel pilose.
Glumes: 	Of fertile (sessile) spikelet subequal, acuminate, the first dorsally flattened,
		with a strong nerve near each margin, the midnerve faint; second thinner, keeled above,
		scabrous on the keel, ciliate on margin.
Sterile lemma: 	Nearly as long as the glumes, acuminate.
Fertile lemma: 	Entire or 2-toothed at the apex, shorter than the sterile lemma,
		with a twisted awn, 8-15 mm. long, bent about 3 mm. from the base.
Habitat: 	Prairies, plains, open woods, sand hills.  July-September.
Kansas Range: Throughout.
Use: 		Has been reseeded on croplands, particularly those areas with low fertility.
		Only cultivars that have been selected for better palatability should be planted for grazing.
Remarks: 	This grass is usually less palatable than native species and will become a single species
		stand in grazed pastures at the expense of the native grasses.
Synonyms:	Bothriochloa ischaemum (L.) Keng var. ischaemum