25 Major Rangeland Plants Range Plants -- OBJ 3: PPT 25 Major Rangeland Plants Grasses and Grass-like Plants By Karen Launchbaugh There are

Grass Morphology Spike Panicle Most grasses a have Spike or Panicle inflorescence

Sodgrass vs Bunchgrass Rhizomes are below-ground modified stems that give rise to new plants. Solons are above-ground modified stems that give rise to new plants. www.usu.edu/weeds/

Major Grasses & Grass-likes For Rangeland Principles Course

Range Plants -- OBJ 3: PPT Big Bluestem Perennial Native Seedhead with 3-major “finger-like” branches Can have thick scaly rhizomes USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Hitchcock, A.S. (rev. A. Chase). 1950. Manual of the grasses of the United States. USDA Miscellaneous Publication No. 200. Washington, DC. University of Idaho Stillinger Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org) There are 16 slides in this presentation

Range Plants -- OBJ 3: PPT Big Bluestem Warm Season Tallgrass Prairie Dominant Mike Haddock Turns red at maturity Tall grass 1.5 feet to 8 feet K. Launchbaugh There are 16 slides in this presentation

Range Plants -- OBJ 3: PPT Blue Grama Eyebrow-like inflorescence Usually 2 branches per seedhead Perennial Native Panicle seed heads Forms thick sod – mostly basal leaves USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Hitchcock, A.S. (rev. A. Chase). 1950. Manual of the grasses of the United States. USDA Miscellaneous Publication No. 200. Washington, DC. University of Idaho Stillinger Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org) There are 16 slides in this presentation

Range Plants -- OBJ 3: PPT Blue Grama Robert Soreng Warm Season Shortgrass Prairie Dominant Mike Haddock Panicle seed heads True shortgrass 6 to 20 inches tall There are 16 slides in this presentation

Range Plants -- OBJ 3: PPT Bluebunch Wheatgrass Perennial Native Seeds have awns; bend outward as the seed head dries. Has purple nodes. Spike Seedhead University of Idaho Stillinger Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org) USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Hitchcock, A.S. (rev. A. Chase). 1950. Manual of the grasses of the United States. USDA Miscellaneous Publication No. 200. Washington, DC. There are 16 slides in this presentation

Range Plants -- OBJ 3: PPT Bluebunch Wheatgrass Cool season Pacific & Intermountain Bunchgrass Regions Jennifer Peterson Has purple nodes. Bunchgrass Jennifer Peterson There are 16 slides in this presentation

Range Plants -- OBJ 3: PPT Buffalograss Perennial Native Dioecious = Male & Female flowers on different plants Female Pant Female Pant Male Pant Male Pant This grass makes a really good lawn grass. Mike Haddock True sodgrass with stolons Mike Haddock USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Hitchcock, A.S. (rev. A. Chase). 1950. Manual of the grasses of the United States. USDA Miscellaneous Publication No. 200. Washington, DC. Mike Haddock There are 16 slides in this presentation

Range Plants -- OBJ 3: PPT Buffalograss Warm Season Shortgrass Prairie Dominant True shortgrass 2 to 8 inches tall This grass makes a really good lawn grass. Male flower Mike Haddock Female flower Mike Haddock Mike Haddock There are 16 slides in this presentation

Cheatgrass/Downy Brome Range Plants -- OBJ 3: PPT Cheatgrass/Downy Brome Annual Introduced Panicle Inflorescence Turns a purplish color as it matures As it matures, plants turn purple-red. They are palatable for grazers if they are grazed during early growth stage. Later in the season it becomes lignified and becomes less palatable. When it turns purple, it is very good fuel for fire because of the continuous mats it forms. Cheatgrass is highly invasive, especially in sagebrush ecosystems after fire disturbance. USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Hitchcock, A.S. (rev. A. Chase). 1950. Manual of the grasses of the United States. USDA Miscellaneous Publication No. 200. Washington, DC. University of Idaho Stillinger Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org) There are 16 slides in this presentation

Cheatgrass/Downy Brome Range Plants -- OBJ 3: PPT Cheatgrass/Downy Brome Winter Annual Wildland fire fuel Seedhead is a drooping panicle As it matures, plants turn purple-red. They are palatable for grazers if they are grazed during early growth stage. Later in the season it becomes lignified and becomes less palatable. When it turns purple, it is very good fuel for fire because of the continuous mats it forms. Cheatgrass is highly invasive, especially in sagebrush ecosystems after fire disturbance. Jennifer Peterson There are 16 slides in this presentation

Range Plants -- OBJ 3: PPT Crested Wheatgrass Spike Inflorescence Overlapping spikelets; seed head appears feather-like or comb-like Perennial Introduced -useful in restoring rangelands, especially in potential or current cheatgrass-dominated areas. Overlapping spikes = imbricated. A very persistent plant = grazing resistant, drought resistant, fire resistant. University of Idaho Stillinger Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org) Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission – drawing by Beverly Jaquish There are 16 slides in this presentation

Range Plants -- OBJ 3: PPT Crested Wheatgrass Cool Season Strong Bunchgrass -useful in restoring rangelands, especially in potential or current cheatgrass-dominated areas. Overlapping spikes = imbricated. A very persistent plant = grazing resistant, drought resistant, fire resistant. Jennifer Peterson bunchgrass Jennifer Peterson There are 16 slides in this presentation

Range Plants -- OBJ 3: PPT Idaho Fescue Perennial Native Panicle Inflorescence -a soft-feeling grass, distinctively thin narrow leaves and roots. Panicle seed head, mostly basal leaves, dark roots. Narrow and tightly rolled leaves; 2 to 10 inches long Distinctive rich black, dense, fine fibrous root system University of Idaho Stillinger Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org) Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission – drawing by Beverly Jaquish There are 16 slides in this presentation

Range Plants -- OBJ 3: PPT Idaho Fescue Pacific & Intermountain Bunchgrass Regions -a soft-feeling grass, distinctively thin narrow leaves and roots. Panicle seed head, mostly basal leaves, dark roots. Strong bunchgrass Jennifer Peterson There are 16 slides in this presentation

Tobosa Grass Perennial Native * 07/16/96 Tobosa Grass Perennial Native Spike inflorescence with fan-like spikelets Rhizmatous sodgrass University of Idaho Stillinger Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org) USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Hitchcock, A.S. (rev. A. Chase). 1950. Manual of the grasses of the United States. USDA Miscellaneous Publication No. 200. Washington, DC. *

* 07/16/96 Tobosa Grass Warm season Desert grasslands *

Range Plants -- OBJ 3: PPT Nebraska Sedge Perennial Native Triangular stems Male Flowers Female Flowers Named in Nebraska, but more common in the West. Monecious (both flowers on one plant) male flower on top, female flower below. Strongly rhizomatous. Nutricious plant. Leaves arise on three sides of stem University of Idaho Stillinger Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org) USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 1: 423. Tough, Thick Rhizomes There are 4 slides in this presentation

Range Plants -- OBJ 3: PPT Nebraska Sedge Important riparian plant Distinctive blue leaves Male Flowers Named in Nebraska, but more common in the West. Monecious (both flowers on one plant) male flower on top, female flower below. Strongly rhizomatous. Nutricious plant. Female Flowers Sheri Hagwood There are 4 slides in this presentation

Range Plants -- OBJ 3: PPT Baltic Rush Perennial Native Seedhead located on the side of stem; below the tip Round stems; no joints Few leaves at the base, not the stem Also called wiregrass. Flowers below the tip of the plant. Few leaves = poor forage value. Strongly rhizomatous, forms solid stands. As it starts to dry, it twists which is why its called wiregrass. University of Idaho Stillinger Herbarium (http://www.pnwherbaria.org) Creeping rhizome USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA NRCS. Wetland flora: Field office illustrated guide to plant species. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. There are 4 slides in this presentation

Range Plants -- OBJ 3: PPT Baltic Rush Important wetland plant Also called wiregrass. Flowers below the tip of the plant. Few leaves = poor forage value. Strongly rhizomatous, forms solid stands. As it starts to dry, it twists which is why its called wiregrass. K. Launchbaugh Robert H. Mohlenbrock There are 4 slides in this presentation