Aristida beyrichiana Trin. & Rupr.

Southern Wiregrass

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Southern Wiregrass is a native perennial warm season bunch grass in the Grass family (Poaceae). It is native to the southernmost tier of counties in Alabama. Southern Wiregrass is a major component of the herbaceous layer in sandy Longleaf pine forests, and occurs on sites ranging from xeric to hydric. Southern Wiregrass is cespitose and forms large clumps of basal leaves. The leaf blades are tightly involute (rolled) and stiff. The leaves are pubescent on both surfaces, at least when young and near their base. At the base of the blade in the collar area there is a patch of long hairs. Flowers are produced in panicles. The inflorescence is on a shoot approximately 3 feet in height. The branches of the panicle are appressed. Spikelets are in groups of 2-3. The fruit is a grain with 3 nearly equal terminal awns. Southern Wiregrass is sometimes not recognized as a species different from Carolina Wiregrass (Aristida stricta Michaux). Others treat it as a variety of that species (Aristida stricta Michaux var. beyrichiana (Trinius & Ruprecht) D.B. Ward). Regardless of its taxonomic status, Wiregrass is a keystone species of the southern Longleaf Pine forest. Its fine textured foliage provides fuel for the fires that maintain the diversity of these habitats. Unfortunately, this species has been extirpated from much of its range due to development, conversion of Longleaf Pine forests for agriculture or intensively managed timber stands, and suppression of fire. Wiregrass does not tolerate soil disturbance well, and is eliminated by plowing or disking. The few remaining stands of this species occur mostly on public lands where fire is used as a management tool. Southern Wiregrass is a very ornamental grass species and is available from some nurseries. It requires a sandy location in full sun. Foliage should be cut back severely or burned off in the spring to promote flowering.--A. Diamond

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Native

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