Kleberg's Bluestem

Andropogon nodosus (Willem.) Nash
Dichanihiufn nodosum Willem. Ann. Bot. Usteri 18: 11. 1796.
Andropogon arisiatus Poir. in Ivam. Encyc. Suppl. 1 : 585. 1810.
Andropogon molUcomus Kunth, R§v. Gram. 365. 1830.
Diplasanthum lanosum Desv. Opusc. 67. 1831.
Andropogon caricosus molUcomus Hack, in DC. Monog. Phan. 6 : 569. 1889.
Stems up to 1.5 m. tall, rather stout, usually branched above, decumbent and rooting below, softly pubescent at the apex below the inflorescence; leaf-sheaths compressed, keeled, shorter than the internodes; blades up to 3 dm. long, 4-6 mm. wide, usually rough, glabrous, or pubescent at the base; racemes in 2's-4's, sometimes solitary, 6-10 cm. long, the internodes and pedicels about one third as long as the sessile spikelets, ciliate on one margin; perfect sessile spikelet 4^5 mm. long, somewhat convolute below, the first scale chartaceous-herbaceous, broadly obovate-elliptic, about 12-nerved, the nerves vanishing below the somewhat 3-toothed apex, pubescent on the smooth shining back, the second scale much narrower and almost enclosed by the first, the foiurth scale bearing an awn 2-2.5 cm. long; pedicellate spikelet equaling the sessile one and similar to it, but flat and more pubescent, the first scale 15-19nerved, ciliate on the keels.
Type locality : Mauritius.
Distribution : Introduced into Florida, Antigua, Guadeloupe, and Barbados ; a native of the Old World tropics.