Illinois Natural History Survey - University of Illinois

Aristida purpurascens
Arrowfeather
Taxonomy

Synonyms: Aristida purpurascens var. pupurascens, Aristida geylriana

Subspecific taxa:

Classification:

  • Magnoliophyta

Other taxonomic & nomenclature sources: USDA Plants;  ITIS;  The Plant List;  IPNI

Species Distribution
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More about map & occurrence records

County Map Legend
Absent:
Not known from county
Medium confidence:
Medium or unknown confidence;
often old records or unverifiable observations
Medium-high confidence:
Often observations by expert botanists
High confidence:
Often vouchered herbarium records
Planted / introduced:
Native species introduced outside historic range,
or only in planted locations within county (e.g., restorations)
Historic / extirpated:
Only historic records for the species; likely extirpated
(Note that this category is not yet functional)

North American distribution maps for this species: FLNA;  USDA Plants;  BONAP;  BISON

Collections, Observations & Flowering by Month [?]

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F
0
M
0
A
0
M
0
J
0
J
0
A
0
S
0
O
0
N
0
D
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Collections & Observations by Decade [?]

Species Status

Status/Listing: No Information

Notes:

Origin: Native

Species Description

General: Monocot, perennial

Roots: adventitious, fibrous

Shoots: alternate leaf arrangment; simple leaf type; entire leaf margin; Parallel leaf venation; awl-shaped leaf shape

Inflorescence: panicle

Flowers: perfect; 3 merous; complete; hypogynous ovary position

Fruit: grain

Physiology: autotrophic

Reproduction:

Ecology & Natural History

Habitat: Species is distributed in sandy soil. It is found in open oak or pine-oak, often with sourgum and red maple, woodlands developed over acid rock strata of chert sandstone or granite. Sometimes it is found on chert, and granite glades; in open sterile ground. In northern Illinois, it is found in sand barrens, and at Grand beach in Berrien county.

ILPIN Notes: This is the only perennial Aristida in Illinois. First glume is longer than the second. Species is found throughout state, but is tending to be uncommon in the southern counties. Steudal's A. geyeriana was originally collected in Illinois. Stephens, H.A. 1980. Poisonous Plants of the Central United States. Regent Press of Kansas. Lawrence, KA. 165 pp.

Functional Relationships:

  • Pollinators:
  • Dispersal:
  • Mycorrhizae:
  • N2 fixation:

Human Relationships:

  • Edibility [?] :
  • Showy Flowers:

Wildlife and Livestock Information:

  • Food Value:
  • Cover Value:

Coefficient of Conservatism (C-value) [?] :

  • Entire State: 5
  • Chicago Area: 5

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