Andropogon gerardii

Andropogon gerardii
big bluestem
Poaceae, the grass family
Coefficient of Conservatism = 5

Big bluestem is whimsically called “turkey-foot.”
Augysr 25, 2005

Big bluestem is the signature grass of the tallgrass prairie. It can grow 6-8 feet tall. The flower spkelets are arranged in a few narrow spikes that are clusted at the tops of the stems, lookimg like a bird’s foot, and giving this specis the charming alternative name “turkey-foot.”

Grasses are wind-pollinated, and thus lack coloerful petaslsd and sepals. The flowers consisist of large dangling stamens that release copious amounts of pollen inot the air, and pollen-receptive stimas that are plumose, thus able to capture the wind-borne pollen. The photo below show both the anthers and the stigmas.

Grass flowers are tiny and lack petals and sepals.
Photo taken by Bob Klips on August 25, 2005 at OSU-Marion.

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