Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Poales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (11/30/12):
Tridens flavus
FAMILY
Poaceae
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
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 029-08-004a:
Tridens flavus var. flavus
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Britton & Brown Illus Flora of Northeast US & adjacent Canada (Gleason, 1952)
Triodia flava
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Grasses of the US (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950)
Tridens flavus
COMMON NAME:
Purpletop, Purpletop Tridens, Greasy Grass, Tall Redtop
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
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.
)
Gill Newberry gn09_t_flavus_habitat
September
)
Gill Newberry gn09_tridens_flavus
September
Panicle branches ascending or spreading becoming drooping at the ends, per Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife Uses.
)
JK Marlow jkm200910_7168
September 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.
)
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.
)
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.
)
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.
)
JK Marlow jkm0311g_08
November Chester County SC
Sumter National Forest: Tyger Ranger District
WEAKLEY'S FLORA (11/30/12):
Tridens flavus
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Tridens flavus var. flavus
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 029-08-004a:
Tridens flavus var. flavus
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Britton & Brown Illus Flora of Northeast US & adjacent Canada (Gleason, 1952)
Triodia flava
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Manual of the Grasses of the US (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950)
Tridens flavus
1532
Grass, Sedge, or Rush
Perennial
Native to the Carolinas & Georgia
Documented growing wild in GA NC SC
Common
Look for it on roadsides, in disturbed areas, glades, per Weakley's Flora
Click here to see a more detailed map from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Herbarium,
or click here to see a map from SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
...Moist
...Variable
...Dry
LEAVES:
Simple
Basal & alternate, 2-ranked
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
Spikelets usually purple or purplish
Inflorescence an open panicle
FRUIT:
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 p262
- Manual of the Grasses of the United States p213
- Native Alternatives to Invasive Plants p199
- 100 Native Forage Grasses in 11 Southern States p199
- Wildflowers of the Sandhills Region p343