Bothriochloa ischaemum

Yellow Bluestem

Field view of Bothriochloa ischaemum, common name Yellow Bluestem.

The narrow reddish fingers fade to gray as the plant dries.

My fingers show the size of the fingers!

Note the bent awns and pinkish, silverish color.

Most of a plant (in artificial light) shows one of its growth forms.

Closer view of some fingers.

These views should look redder.

Yellow Bluestem spikelet with two florets. The right-hand one is on a short stalk called a pedicel, the left on the rachis.

Roots of Yellow Bluestem

How to Identify Yellow Bluestem

  Start by envisioning the much more common white-fingered Cane Bluestem (Bothriochloa barbinodis) with its snow white seedhead, then look for a similar (usually shorter) plant that has reddish-silverish seedheads instead. Then check the shapes of the spikelets and florets, especially the awns, to differentiate from Feather Fingergrass.

Similar Species

  The biggest problem is Feather Fingergrass (Chloris virgata), because it is superficially very similar and usually pinkish. Feather Fingergrass, however, is quite different in spikelet morphology. You will need your hand lens and micro views of each (below). The upper floret of Yellow Bluestem is attached by an obvious pedicel, unlike Feather Fingergrass. The shapes of the florets are quite different and the long hairs arise from different places. Fastest way to differentiate is to check the awns. Feather Fingergrass awns are only 1/8 inch and straight. In Yellow Bluestem only the lower floret has an awn, half an inch long, sharply bent, and twisted.

Yellow Bluestem Florets

Feather Fingergrass seedheads