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Anatherum ternarium Michx.
Splitbeard Bluestem
Silver Bluestem
Synonym(s): Andropogon ternarius Michx.
Florida native
A common grass of dry pinelands, turkey-oak scrub and old fields throughout nearly all of Florida. The range extends throughout the southeastern United States, west into Texas to Kansas, north into Illinois and Indiana and as far as New Jersey on the Atlantic coast.
The rounded culms are purplish-red with erect branching in the upper part of the plant. Leaf blades are flat to 4mm (3/16 in.) wide and 36cm (14 in.) long. The inflorescence is loose, with terminal racemes, often in pairs and up to 6cm (2-1/3 in.) long. Awnsa are 1cm (3/8 in.) or longer.
Anatherum ternarium is a member of the Poaceae - Grass family.
Other species of the Anatherum genus in the Wild Florida Photo database:
Anatherum brachystachyum - SHORTSPIKE BLUESTEM
Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants (Institute for Systemic Botany) profile for this species
iNaturalist profile for this species
USDA Plant Profile for this species
Date record last modified: May 25, 2025
