Andropogon scoparius

9.9

A hardy North American prairie grass with blue-green stems and leaves that turn bronze in autumn, also called little bluestem

noun
/ˌændrəˈpoʊɡən skəˈpeɪriəs/

Specialized

: Andropogon scoparius

Many gardeners choose Andropogon scoparius for its drought tolerance and attractive appearance.

Examples

In autumn, the leaves of Andropogon scoparius turn a striking bronze color across the fields.
The prairie restoration project included large plantings of Andropogon scoparius to support native wildlife.
The Andropogon scoparius thrives in dry, sandy soils.
Have you seen the Andropogon scoparius in the park?
In autumn, the leaves of Andropogon scoparius turn a striking bronze color across the fields.
Many gardeners choose Andropogon scoparius for its drought tolerance and attractive appearance.
The prairie restoration project included large plantings of Andropogon scoparius to support native wildlife.

Synonyms

Schizachyrium scoparium

vsAndropogon scoparius

Specialized

9.9

A tough North American grass often called little bluestem with leaves that turn pale bronze in autumn

means the same but uses an alternative scientific name

Surface Forms

Andropogon scoparius singular

Andropogon scoparius plural

Morphology

Andropogon + scoparius

The name is a Latin binomial: 'Andropogon' is a genus of grasses, so a learner who knows that constituent can infer this refers to a type of grass (partial transparency). However, the specific epithet 'scoparius' is a Latin term (not a normal English word) and the full common-language sense ('little bluestem', a particular prairie grass) requires botanical/taxonomic knowledge, so the exact meaning is not fully derivable from the parts.

Etymology

Andropogon scoparius may come from old Greek and Latin words: Andropogon means 'man-beard' because the seed heads look hairy, and scoparius means 'broom-like' because the thin stems look like a broom. These strong images help explain the name for this hardy prairie grass, also called 'little bluestem'.