SPECIES:  Andropogon ternarius

• Introductory
• Distribution and Occurrence
• Management Considerations
• Botanical and Ecological Characteristics
• Fire Ecology
• Fire Effects
• References

Introductory
SPECIES: Andropogon ternarius



AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION : 
Walsh, Roberta A. 1994. Andropogon ternarius. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. 
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, 
Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). 
Available: http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/ [].




ABBREVIATION : 
ANDTER

SYNONYMS : 
   Andropogon ternarius var. glaucescens (Scribn.) Fern. & Grisc. [22]


SCS PLANT CODE : 
   ANTE2
   ANTEG


COMMON NAMES : 
   paintbrush bluestem
   splitbeard bluestem


TAXONOMY : 
The currently accepted scientific name of paintbrush bluestem is
Andropogon ternarius Michx. [13,15,16,29].  It is in the family Poaceae.
There are no recognized infrataxa.


LIFE FORM : 
Graminoid

FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS : 
No special status

OTHER STATUS : 
NO-ENTRY

DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Andropogon ternarius



GENERAL DISTRIBUTION : 
Paintbrush bluestem occurs from New Jersey to Florida and west to
southeastern Kansas, eastern Oklahoma, and eastern Texas [13,16,19,29].


ECOSYSTEMS : 
   FRES12  Longleaf - slash pine
   FRES13  Loblolly - shortleaf pine
   FRES14  Oak - pine
   FRES15  Oak - hickory
   FRES16  Oak - gum - cypress
   FRES31  Shinnery
   FRES39  Prairie


STATES : 
     AL  AR  DE  FL  GA  KS  KY  LA  MD  MS
     MO  NJ  NC  OK  SC  TN  TX  VA



BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS : 
   14  Great Plains


KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS : 
   K071  Shinnery
   K072  Sea oats prairie
   K076  Blackland prairie
   K082  Mosaic of K074 and K100
   K083  Cedar glades
   K084  Cross Timbers
   K088  Fayette prairie
   K089  Black Belt
   K090  Live oak - sea oats
   K100  Oak - hickory forest
   K104  Appalachian oak forest
   K111  Oak - hickory - pine forest
   K112  Southern mixed forest
   K113  Southern floodplain forest


SAF COVER TYPES : 
    40  Post oak - blackjack oak
    67  Mohrs (shin) oak
    70  Longleaf pine
    71  Longleaf pine - scrub oak
    72  Southern scrub oak
    75  Shortleaf pine
    79  Virginia pine
    80  Loblolly pine - shortleaf pine
    81  Loblolly pine
    83  Longleaf pine - slash pine
    85  Slash pine - hardwood


SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES : 
NO-ENTRY


HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES : 
Species associated with paintbrush bluestem are listed for the Piedmont
region in North Carolina [3,26], Virginia, and South Carolina [26].  On
the Coastal Plain of South Carolina associated species are listed for a
midsuccessional 35-year-old abandoned field [5] and for pine-dominated
flatwoods [12].

Associated species are listed for the Central Basin and Cumberland
Plateau of Tennessee [6] and for remnant unbroken prairie in the Grand
Prairie region of eastern Arkansas [21].

Species associated with paintbrush bluestem are listed for sandhills in
northwestern Florida [17].

Associated species are listed for open grasslands of central Louisiana
[7], for a longleaf pine (Pinus palustris) plantation in central
Louisiana [33], for pitcher-plant (Sarracenia alata) bogs in western
Louisiana [25], and for upland longleaf pine savanna on the West Gulf
Coastal Plain in southwestern Louisiana and southeastern Texas [4].
Associates are listed for the Trinity River Floodplain, east Texas [27],
for a first-year loblolly pine (P. taeda) plantation in east-central
Texas [1], and for sites in north-central Texas [10].

Associates of paintbrush bluestem are listed for naturally revegetated
central Oklahoma abandoned cropland [28].

MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS
SPECIES: Andropogon ternarius





IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Paintbrush bluestem is grazed readily by cattle in the spring shortly
after growth starts.  If paintbrush bluestem is used as the principal
winter forage, cattle should be fed a protein supplement [24].

Paintbrush bluestem on open grassland in central Louisiana contributed
large quantities of forage for cattle [7].

Northern bobwhite nesting sites in cultivated field borders and old
fields on the upper Coastal Plain of southern Georgia were inventoried
in August 1967.  Nineteen percent of the nests had been built in
paintbrush bluestem bunches [18].


PALATABILITY : 
NO-ENTRY


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Paintbrush bluestem was collected on north-central Texas ranges.
Analysis of young growth showed it to have fair protein content,
deficient phosphoric acid content, and good lime content when compared
to other range grasses in the area.  At maturity it was deficient in
protein, very deficient in phosphoric acid, and high in lime content [10].


COVER VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
NO-ENTRY


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
NO-ENTRY


OTHER MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Paintbrush bluestem on naturally revegetated abandoned cropland and on
depleted ranges in central Oklahoma was reduced in abundance following
nitrate and phosphate fertilization, which was applied the first week of
April or May 1973.  Abundance was measured in December, 1973 [28].

In the Palustris Experimental Forest in central Louisiana, excessive
grazing by cattle converted a principally bluestem range (including
paintbrush bluestem) under a longleaf pine canopy to forbs; in patch
cuts excessive grazing converted the bluestem range to carpetgrass
(Axonopus affinis) [33].  In the same forest paintbrush bluestem had a
20-fold increase from 1959 to 1963 under moderate grazing [8].

BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Andropogon ternarius



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Paintbrush bluestem is a native, warm-season, perennial bunchgrass
[13,16,19,24] which forms bunches 2 to 8 inches (5-20 cm) or more in
diameter [24].  Culms are 20 to 47 inches (50-120 cm) tall [13,19].  The
upper half to two-thirds of the culm is branching [19,24]; the branches
are long, slender and erect [19].  The inflorescence has three to six
pairs of racemes [13,16,19].  Spikelets are paired:  The sessile fertile
spikelet is 0.20 to 0.28 inches (5-7 mm) long; the pedicel of the
rudimentary spikelet is long-villous [19].  The awn on the fertile lemma
is 0.63 to 0.98 inches (16-25 mm) long [16,29].  The fruit is a
caryopsis [16].

Paintbrush bluestem roots in sandy, oldfield soil on the Coastal Plain
of South Carolina went no deeper than 6 inches (15 cm).  They did not
extend laterally beyond the aerial portion of the plant [5].


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Hemicryptophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Paintbrush bluestem sprouts from perennating buds at the base of the
culms.  It also reproduces by seed [24].


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Paintbrush bluestem occurs in open woods [13,19], woodland borders,
prairies, pastures [16], ditches [29], and waste ground [16].

Paintbrush bluestem grows best on well-drained coarse- to
medium-textured soils on ridges and knolls [24], but it grows in a wide
variety of soils, including some that are poor in nutrients.

Paintbrush bluestem on the Coastal Plain of South Carolina grew in the
nutrient-poor sandy soil of an old field.  Soil nutrients in this field
decreased in the 35 years since abandonment [5].  On the South Carolina
lower Atlantic Coastal Plain paintbrush bluestem occurred on clayey,
strongly acid, poorly drained soils [12].

In the Grand Prairie region of eastern Arkansas, paintbrush bluestem grows
on loessal terrace deposits of the Mississippi alluvial plain at
elevations of 187 to 220 feet (57-67 m).  The silty loam soils where
paintbrush bluestem occurs are acid and poorly to moderately drained.
Topsoil is 20 to 24 inches (50-60 cm) thick, but strongly leached and
only moderately fertile [21].

Paintbrush bluestem in northwest Florida grew in comparatively dry deep
sand on sandhills [17].  Paintbrush bluestem in Durham County, North
Carolina, grew on sandy loam soil [3].

Paintbrush bluestem in western Louisiana grew in pitcher plant bogs.
Elevation was 197 to 276 feet (60-84 m).  Soil was fine, slow-draining,
permanently damp loam with pH 4.5 to 5.1 [25].  On the West Gulf Coastal
Plain of southwestern Louisiana, paintbrush bluestem grew on excessively
drained sandy soils of sandhill woodland-barrens as well as on the
well-drained sandy soils of longleaf pine savannas.  Both soils were
nutrient deficient [4].  Paintbrush bluestem in the Palustris
Experimental Forest grew in deep, silty loam soils with moderate to slow
internal drainage [8].

Paintbrush bluestem in east-central Texas grew on fine sandy loam of
good quality [1].

Paintbrush bluestem in central Oklahoma occurred on naturally
revegetated abandoned cropland and depleted ranges.  Soil was low in
nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and organic matter [28].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Facultative Seral Species

Paintbrush bluestem and broomsedge (Andropogon virginicus) dominate old
fields throughout the South, and often persist for many years [21].
Paintbrush bluestem is moderately shade tolerant [24].

Paintbrush bluestem occurred in a midsuccessional South Carolina coastal
plain oldfield that had been abandoned for 35 years [5].

Paintbrush bluestem was found in the Piedmont region of the Carolinas on
fields abandoned because of soil erosion and deterioration.  Where
several inches of topsoil remained, the herbaceous plant succession
began with annual weeds, passed rapidly through a perennial weed stage,
and culminated, usually within 5 years, in a bluestem (Andropogon spp.)
community which included paintbrush bluestem.  This stage persisted
until invading loblolly pine and shortleaf pine (Pinus echinata)
developed a closed canopy which shaded out the grasses.  If most of the
A horizon of the soil was lost, succession remained in the annual weed
stage until soil improved enough to support the bluestem community.  In
these conditions pines sometimes followed annuals directly, and the
bluestem stage was excluded [26].


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Paintbrush bluestem growth starts about April.  Basal leaves remain
green until late fall; some leaves at the center of large bunches stay
green all winter [24].

Paintbrush bluestem blooms August to October in the Great Plains [16]
and September and October in the Carolinas [29].  It blooms in autumn in
the West Gulf Coastal Plain of southwestern Louisiana [4].

Paintbrush bluestem clumps in a South Carolina oldfield broomsedge
community were measured for several morphological traits.  Clumps did
not flower until they reached a basal diameter of at least 1.2 inches (3
cm).  All clumps with basal diameters of 3.1 or more inches (8 cm)
flowered.  Height of live stems increased with basal diameter of clumps [14].

FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Andropogon ternarius



FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : 
Paintbrush bluestem has basal culm buds [19] which probably sprout after
aerial portions are burned.  If thick tufts form [14], they may protect
the basal buds from fire damage.


POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : 
   Tussock graminoid
   Secondary colonizer - off-site seed

FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Andropogon ternarius



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Paintbrush bluestem culms are probably killed by fire during the growing
season.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
Paintbrush bluestem withstands periodic controlled burning.  Annual
burning followed by grazing tends to eliminate it [24].  Where burning
increases soil nutrients, paintbrush bluestem may decline because of
competition from species that require higher nutrient concentrations [20].

Paintbrush bluestem on naturally revegetated abandoned cropland and
depleted ranges in central Oklahoma was subjected to prescribed fire the
first week of April, 1973.  Frequency was measured in December 1973.
Paintbrush bluestem was considered an early successional species; this
group of species was most reduced by burning [28].

Northwestern Florida sandhills were cleared of vegetation and plant
succession was studied for 4 years.  Three plots were burned May 1955,
and then chopped with a brush cutter in June and again in September.
Slash pine (Pinus elliottii) seedlings were planted on the bare plots in
January 1956.  Paintbrush bluestem was not present on any plot in July
1956.  By July 1957, it occurred on one of three burned plots, in less
than 20 percent of the quadrats on that plot and at a density of less
than one plant per quadrat. (Quadrats were 1/4 milacre in area).  In
July 1958, it occurred at low density in two plots.  In September 1959,
it occurred on only one plot, again at low density [17].


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Paintbrush bluestem is a dominant grass in the upland longleaf pine
savanna on the West Gulf Coastal Plain of southwestern Louisiana and
southeast Texas.  With complete fire exclusion this vegetation will
progress to a mixed hardwood-loblolly pine forest, an association in
which paintbrush bluestem does not occur [4].

Paintbrush bluestem was a component of unbroken, poorly drained terrace
prairie in the Grand Prairie region of eastern Askansas.  This prairie
was annually mowed in early June and burned in late February or early
March for 65 years.  Paintbrush bluestem and broomsedge together
contributed 64 percent of total biomass.  Other prairie remnants that
have been hayed and burned annually are also dominated by these species.
When annual haying ceases, paintbrush bluestem declines in favor of more
typical prairie dominants.  In a prairie that had not been hayed or
burned for 16 years, paintbrush bluestem and broomsedge were absent
[21].  On a managed prairie subject to burning only, paintbrush bluestem
and broomsedge were almost absent.  Widespread dominance of paintbrush
bluestem on the terrace prairie remnants is thought to be the result of
long-term haying, which lowers soil fertility and gives paintbrush
bluestem a competitive advantage [20]. 

REFERENCES
SPECIES: Andropogon ternarius



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