Spermatophytes (seed plants): Angiosperms (flowering plants): Monocots: Commelinids: Poales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Arthraxon hispidus var. hispidus
FAMILY
Poaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
Check out EDDMapS.org to see where this has been reported.
Hairy Jointgrass is a multi-stem, multi-branch, spreading plant whose stems root at nodes; the upper portion of the stem (the final foot or less) turns rather erect and is terminated by a hand-like or fan-shaped inflorescence composed of 12-20 slender divisions. Read more at Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
Like Microstegium, Arthraxon is steadily and aggressively increasing its abundance across most of our region, per Weakley's Flora (2023).
INCLUDED WITHIN
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Arthraxon hispidus
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 25 (2003)
Arthraxon hispidus var. hispidus
INCLUDED WITHIN Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Arthraxon hispidus
INCLUDING VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 029-86-001:
Arthraxon hispidus var. cryptatherus FAMILY Poaceae
INCLUDING Manual of the Grasses of the US (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950)
Arthraxon hispidus var. cryptatherus
COMMON NAME:
Hairy Jointgrass, Small Carpgrass, Joint-head Grass, Basket Grass
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
)
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide pnd_arhi3_003_lvd
)
Terry Holdsclaw tdh_a_hispidus_hispidus_2
September Iredell County NC
Stem terminated by a hand-like or fan-shaped inflorescence composed of 12-20 slender divisions, per Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
)
Terry Holdsclaw tdh_a_hispidus_hispidus2b
September Iredell County NC
Sometimes confused with Microstegium, but Arthraxon has distinctly cordate-clasping leaves, per Weakley's Flora (2023).
)
JK Marlow jkm161009_875
October Pickens County SC
Clemson Forest
Spikelets not paired, unaccompanied by a vestige, per Weakley's Flora (2015).
)
JK Marlow jkm161009_878
October Pickens County SC
Clemson Forest
Plants weak-stemmed annuals, branching, decumbent, rooting at the lower nodes, per Weakley's Flora (2023).
)
JK Marlow jkm161009_879
October Pickens County SC
Clemson Forest
)
Keith Bradley kab_a_hispidus_7343
October Henderson County NC
)
Keith Bradley kab_a_hispidus_7353
October Henderson County NC
)
Terry Holdsclaw tdh_a_hispidus_hispidus_1
October Iredell County NC
Panicles of few to several racemes, flabellate, on filiform peduncles, per Manual of the Grasses of the United States (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950).
)
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org bug_5273064
Month Unknown
)
Steve Hurst, USDA NRCS PLANTS Database, Bugwood.org bug_5306069
Month Unknown
)
Bruce Ackley, The Ohio State University, Bugwood.org bug_5437555
Month Unknown
)
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org bug_5448818
Month Unknown
)
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org bug_5448841
Month Unknown
Leaves ovate-lanceolate, cordate-clasping at base, per Weakley's Flora (2023).
)
Leslie J. Mehrhoff, University of Connecticut, Bugwood.org bug_5448842
Month Unknown
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/14/23):
Arthraxon hispidus var. hispidus
FAMILY
Poaceae
INCLUDED WITHIN
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Arthraxon hispidus
FAMILY
Poaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America north of Mexico, vol. 25
Arthraxon hispidus var. hispidus
INCLUDED WITHIN
Floristic Synthesis of North America (Kartesz, 1999)
Arthraxon hispidus
INCLUDING
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 029-86-001:
Arthraxon hispidus var. cryptatherus
FAMILY
Poaceae
INCLUDING
Manual of the Grasses of the US (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950)
Arthraxon hispidus var. cryptatherus
2939
Grass, Sedge, or Rush
Annual
Habitat: Moist ditches, bottomlands, disturbed areas, per Weakley's Flora
Non-native: southeast Asia
Common (uncommon in SC Coastal Plain, rare in GA Coastal Plain)
CLICK HERE to see a map, notes, and images from Weakley's Flora of the Southeastern US.
This plant is causing problems in natural areas outside its native range, according to authorities such as:
- Georgia Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2006
- Kentucky Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2013
- Mid-Atlantic Exotic Pest Plant Council
- Tennessee Exotic Pest Plant Council, 2009
- Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, 2014
LEAVES:
Simple
Alternate, 2-ranked
FLOWER:
Summer/Fall
FRUIT:
Summer/Fall
Grain yellowish
Grain
TO LEARN MORE about this plant, look it up in a good book!
- Invasive Plants, Guide to Identification, Impacts and Control (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2007) p388
- Manual of the Grasses of the United States (Hitchcock & Chase, 1950) p748
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".