ILLINOIS PLANT INFORMATION NETWORK
 
 ILPIN INFORMATION ON    Aristida longespica
 
 
 CLASS:    MONOCOTYLEDENAE
 ORDER:    CYPERALES
 FAMILY:   POACEAE
 SCIENTIFIC NAME:  Aristida longespica
 AUTHORITY:  Poir.
 
 COMMON NAMES:
    THREE AWN
 
 SYNONOMY:   None
 
 PLANTS CODE: ARLO2
 
 NATURAL COMMUNITIES:
     FOREST
       UPLAND FOREST
       SAND FOREST
       FLATWOODS
     PRAIRIE
     SAVANNA
     PRIMARY
       GLADE
       BLUFF
     CULTURAL
       AGRICULTURAL FIELD
       SUCCESSIONAL FIELD
       DEVELOPED LAND
 
 
 SAF FOREST COVER TYPE:
     CENTRAL
        Upland oak
 
 NATURAL DIVISION:  UNAVAILABLE
 
 COUNTIES:
   ADAMS           BROWN           CASS            CHAMPAIGN       CLARK
   CLAY            COLES           COOK            CRAWFORD        CUMBERLAND
   EFFINGHAM       FAYETTE         FRANKLIN        FULTON          GALLATIN
   GRUNDY          HANCOCK         HENDERSON       JACKSON         JEFFERSON
   JO DAVIESS      JOHNSON         KANKAKEE        LAKE            LAWRENCE
   MCDONOUGH       MACOUPIN        MARION          MASSAC          MENARD
   MONTGOMERY      MORGAN          MOULTRIE        PEORIA          PERRY
   PIATT           PIKE            POPE            ST. CLAIR       SALINE
   SANGAMON        SCHUYLER        SCOTT           SHELBY          UNION
   WABASH          WASHINGTON      WHITE           WILLIAMSON
 
 GROWTH FORM:  Monocot
 
 TAXONOMY COMMENTS:
     Two varieties are listed in Ref. 8 and on master list.
     Specific epithet is sometimes spelled longispica (Ref. 7).
 
 TAXONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS:
    ROOTS:  Adventitious   (fibrous)
    LEAF ARRANGEMENT:   Alternate
    LEAF TYPE:   Simple
    LEAF MARGIN:   Entire
    LEAF VENATION:  Parallel
    LEAF SHAPE:     Linear
    INFLORESCENCE:   Panicle
    FLOWER MEROUS:  3
    FLOWER STRUCTURE:   Complete
    FLOWER PLACEMENT:  Hypogynous
    FRUIT:   Grain
 
 DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTIC COMMENTS:
     This type variety has lateral awns 3-4 mm long, central awn
     6.5-13.0 mml., and glumes of 4-6 mm long. It has unique
     feature of having conspicuous basal bend of the center awn.
 
 GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION:
     ORIGIN:   Native
 
 GEOGRAPHIC COMMENTS:
     Species is occasional throughout the state, although rare to absent
     in the north-central counties.
 
 POPULATION DYNAMICS:
     STATE STATUS: Not listed
     FEDERAL STATUS: Not listed
     COMMONNESS:  Occasional
     ENDEMIC:   NOT-ENDEMIC
 
 BIOLOGIC:
     HABIT:   Grasslike
     LIFE CYCLE:   Annual
     FLOWERING PERIOD:
         MONTH BEGINNING-      8         MONTH END-     10
     TROPHIC STATUS:  Autotrophic
     C02 FIXATION:  C4
     SEX:      Perfect
 
 ECODISTRIBUTION COMMENTS:
     Species is distributed on sandy soil, especially in fields
     and along railroads and highways; rocky prairies; bluff edges; open woods
     and eroded slopes; open and waste ground; and especially in hard
     clayey soil.
 
 ENVIRONMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS:   No data entered
 
 FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:    No data entered
 HUMAN RELATIONSHIP DATA:    No data entered
 
 WILDLIFE AND LIVESTOCK INFORMATION:
     FOOD VALUE:  No data entered
     COVER VALUE:  No data entered
 
 LIVESTOCK PALATABILITY DATA:
     CATTLE FORAGE: No data    SHEEP FORAGE:  No data    HORSE FORAGE:  No data
     GOAT FORAGE:   No data    ENERGY VALUE:  No data    PROTEIN VALUE: No data
     POISONOUS (LIVESTOCK):     -mechanical injury
 
 LIVESTOCK COMMENTS:
     Awns can be damaging.
 
 REVEGETATION PLANTINGS:    No data entered
 
 
 REFERENCES:
Steyermark, J. A.  1963.  Flora of Missouri.  Iowa State University Press, Ames.
     1725 pp.
Swink, F., and G. S. Wilhelm.  1979.  Plants of the Chicago region.  Third ed.
     The Morton Arboretum, Lisle, Illinois.  922 pp.
Mohlenbrock, R. H.  1967-continuing.  The illustrated flora of Illinois.
     Southern Illinois University Press, Carbondale.
 
 OTHER REFERENCES:
     Stephens, H.A. 1980. Poisonous Plants of the Central United States.
          Regent Press of Kansas. Lawrence, KA. 165 pp.
     Baskin, J. M., and C. C. Baskin.  1981.  Photosynthetic pathways indicated
          by leaf anatomy in fourteen summer annuals of cedar glades.
          Photosynthetica 15: 205-209.
 
 END OF DATA FOR SPECIES  Aristida longespica
 
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 ILPIN was developed by Louis Iverson*, with data compiled by David Ketzner and Jeanne Karnes
 Illinois Natural History Survey, 607 E. Peabody Dr., Champaign, IL 61820
     *currently employed by USDA Forest Service, 359 Main Rd., Delaware, OH 43015