Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Poales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Tridens flavus
FAMILY
Poaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Learn more about Tridens from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Tridens flavus var. flavus
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Tridens flavus var. flavus
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 25 (2003)
Tridens flavus var. flavus
INCLUDED WITHIN Guide to the Vascular Plants of the Blue Ridge (Wofford, 1989)
Tridens flavus
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 029-08-004a:
Tridens flavus var. flavus FAMILY Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Manual of the Grasses of the US (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950)
Tridens flavus
INCLUDED WITHIN Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Triodia flava
COMMON NAME:
Purpletop, Purpletop Tridens, Greasy Grass, Tall Redtop
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
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JK Marlow jkm0408g_24
August Greenville County SC
Just opening up.
)
JK Marlow jkm060826_066
August Greenville County SC
Bunched Arrowhead Heritage Preserve
Spikelets usually red or purple at maturity w 4-8 flowers in a herringbone, per Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses (Miller & Miller, 2005).
)
JK Marlow jkm210819_2936
August Greenville County SC
Panicle branches ascending or spreading becoming drooping at the ends, per Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses (Miller & Miller, 2005).
)
JK Marlow jkm210819_2942
August Greenville County SC
Leaf blade flat, often 1/2" wide, 10-28" long, lax, smooth, glossy green, per 100 Native Forage Grasses in 11 Southern States (Leithead, Yarlett, & Shiflet, 1971, 2008).
)
Gill Newberry gn09_t_flavus_habitat
September
)
Gill Newberry gn09_tridens_flavus
September
)
JK Marlow jkm200910_7168
September Greenville County SC
)
JK Marlow jkm0210f_14a
October Oconee County SC
Branchlets droop & are covered with an oily or greaselike substance, per 100 Native Forage Grasses in 11 Southern States (Leithead, Yarlett, & Shiflet, 1971, 2008).
)
JK Marlow jkm061008_005
October Anderson County SC
Field
)
JK Marlow jkm061028_018
October Pickens County SC
Grain whitish-yellow, ellipsoid, released within smooth husks, per Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses (Miller & Miller, 2005).
)
JK Marlow s021026_c1
October Greenville County SC
Open panicle 8-14" long, spreading, pyramidal shaped, usually purple, per 100 Native Forage Grasses in 11 Southern States (Leithead, Yarlett, & Shiflet, 1971, 2008).
)
JK Marlow jkm0311g_08
November Chester County SC
Sumter National Forest: Tyger Ranger District
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Tridens flavus
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Tridens flavus var. flavus
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Tridens flavus var. flavus
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 25
Tridens flavus var. flavus
INCLUDED WITHIN
Guide to the Vascular Plants of the Blue Ridge (Wofford, 1989)
Tridens flavus
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 029-08-004a:
Tridens flavus var. flavus
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Grasses of the US (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950)
Tridens flavus
INCLUDED WITHIN
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Triodia flava
1532
Grass, Sedge, or Rush
Perennial
Habitat: Roadsides, disturbed areas, glades, barrens, per Weakley's Flora
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Common
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
Click here to see a map showing all occurrences known to SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria. (Zoom in to see more detail.)
LEAVES:
Simple
Basal & alternate, 2-ranked
FLOWER:
Spring/Summer/Fall
Spikelets usually purple or purplish
Inflorescence an open panicle
FRUIT:
Spring/Summer/Fall
Grain whitish-yellow
Grain
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses (Miller & Miller, 2005) p262
- Manual of the Grasses of the United States (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950) p213
- Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants p199
- 100 Native Forage Grasses in 11 Southern States (Leithead, Yarlett, & Shiflet, 1971, 2008) p199
- Field Guide to the Wildflowers of Georgia (Chafin, 2016) p416
- Wildflowers of the Sandhills Region (Sorrie, 2011) p343
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
Or, to minimize chances of a misspelling, try just "Carex le".
Less is more: If "pencil flower" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "pencil".