Bothriochloa laguroides (DC.) Herter var. torreyana (Steud.) M. Marchi & Longhi-Wagner

Silver Beardgrass; Sliver Bluestem

Herb

Perennial

Vascular

Silver Beardgrass is an introduced perennial in the Grass family (Poaceae). It is native to the mid- and southwestern United States from Missouri and Louisiana west to Utah and Arizona. It Alabama in occurs most frequently in areas underlain by limestone such as the Black Belt region and Tennessee Valley. It occurs in prairies, in pastures, and along roadsides. It is a perennial clump forming warm season grass. Stems are erect to geniculate at the base and from 1-3 feet in height. The stems are often branched with nodes that are hirsute to glabrous. Leaves are mostly basal, those on the stems few and reduced in size. They are linear, glaucous, and glabrous. Flowers are produced in terminal panicles held well above the foliage. The panicles are hairy with silvery white to light tan hairs. The fruit is a grain with a long awn. Silver Beardgrass is sometimes planted as a warm season forage grass for livestock. It is also sometimes cultivated in gardens for its showy fruit.--A. Diamond

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Not Native

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