OF THE CAROLINAS & GEORGIA

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



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.

image of Tridens flavus, Purpletop, Purpletop Tridens, Greasy Grass, Tall Redtop

JK Marlow    jkm0408g_24

August    Greenville County    SC

Just opening up.

image of Tridens flavus, Purpletop, Purpletop Tridens, Greasy Grass, Tall Redtop

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).

image of Tridens flavus, Purpletop, Purpletop Tridens, Greasy Grass, Tall Redtop

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).

image of Tridens flavus, Purpletop, Purpletop Tridens, Greasy Grass, Tall Redtop

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).

image of Tridens flavus, Purpletop, Purpletop Tridens, Greasy Grass, Tall Redtop

Gill Newberry    gn09_t_flavus_habitat

September        

image of Tridens flavus, Purpletop, Purpletop Tridens, Greasy Grass, Tall Redtop

Gill Newberry    gn09_tridens_flavus

September        

image of Tridens flavus, Purpletop, Purpletop Tridens, Greasy Grass, Tall Redtop

JK Marlow    jkm200910_7168

September    Greenville County    SC

image of Tridens flavus, Purpletop, Purpletop Tridens, Greasy Grass, Tall Redtop

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).

image of Tridens flavus, Purpletop, Purpletop Tridens, Greasy Grass, Tall Redtop

JK Marlow    jkm061008_005

October    Anderson County    SC

Field

image of Tridens flavus, Purpletop, Purpletop Tridens, Greasy Grass, Tall Redtop

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).

image of Tridens flavus, Purpletop, Purpletop Tridens, Greasy Grass, Tall Redtop

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).

image of Tridens flavus, Purpletop, Purpletop Tridens, Greasy Grass, Tall Redtop

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

 

Find by SCIENTIFIC NAME:

1532

Grass, Sedge, or Rush
Perennial

Habitat: Roadsides, disturbed areas, glades, barrens, per Weakley's Flora

Native to the Carolinas & Georgia

Common

map
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!



 


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