Culms 40-210 cm; internodes green. Leaves green or slightly glaucous, glabrous or pubescent, at least on the margins near the collar. Inflorescence units with 2-5(7) rames; subtending sheaths (2.2)3.3-4.4(5.6) mm wide; peduncles (2)3-6(12) mm; rames (0.5)1.9-3.3(4.4) cm, not exserted.

Andropogon virginicus var. virginicus is the widespread and weedy variety of A. virginicus that grows as a native species from the central plains through Mexico and Central America to Colombia and, as a naturalized species, in California, Hawaii, Japan, and Australia. Plants colonizing openings in mature vegetation created by disturbance have green culms and green, pubescent leaves. Those growing in poorly drained soils of pond margins, swales, and cutover flatwoods have glaucous culms and glabrous, green to somewhat glaucous leaves. Glaucous plants of A. virginicus var. virginicus differ from those of var. decipiens in having no exposed rames and, often, wider sheaths subtending the inflorescence units.

This species is restricted essentially to the southern half of the state where it is local to infrequent or common in slightly acid soil. It prefers moist soil but thrives also in dry situations. It is commonly found in old, worn out fields, hayfields, and pastures.

Lvs seldom over 3 dm; stem-sheaths glabrous; infl slender, elongate, simple or racemosely branched, the branches when present rarely surpassing the third node above their base; uppermost nodes mostly glabrous; fertile spikelets avg 3.6 mm; sterile spikelet very seldom developed; dry soil of fields and open woods; Mass. to s. Ont., O., Mo., and Kans., s. to Fla. and Tex.

Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

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