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North American Wildland Plants
A Field Guide
By James Stubbendieck, Stephan L. Hatch, Neal M. Bryan, Cheryl D. Dunn, Angie Fox, Kelly L. Rhodes Hays, Bellamy Parks Jansen, Debra Meier UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA PRESS
Copyright © 2017 Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-8032-9965-8
CHAPTER 1
GRASSES
TRIBE: ANDROPOGONEAE
SPECIES:Andropogon gerardi Vitman
COMMON NAME: Big bluestem (popotillo gigante, turkeyfoot)
LIFE SPAN: Perennial
ORIGIN: Native
SEASON: Warm
Inflorescence Characteristics
type: panicles of 2–7 (commonly 3, hence turkeyfoot) digitate or subdigitate rames (4–15 cm long), long-exserted, terminal and axillary, fewer than 10 per culm, often purplish, sometimes yellowish
spikelets: paired; pedicellate and sessile spikelets nearly equal in length; lower spikelet sessile and perfect (7–10 mm long), florets 2; upper floret perfect; pedicellate spikelet neuter or staminate (4–10 mm long); rame nodes densely hairy
glumes: glumes of sessile spikelet subequal (7–10 mm long), first slightly grooved or dished; glumes of pedicellate spikelet not grooved (4–10 mm long)
awns: lemma of sessile spikelet awned; awn (1–2 cm long) geniculate and tightly twisted below; pedicellate spikelets awnless
Vegetative Characteristics
growth habit: rhizomatous, sometimes appearing cespitose
culms: erect or ascending (0.5–3 m tall), robust, sparingly branched toward apices, glabrous, glaucous, often grooved on one side
sheaths: compressed, purplish at bases, glabrous, glaucous, lower sheaths sometimes villous, margins hyaline
ligules: ciliate membranes (0.4–5 mm long)
blades: flat to involute (5–45 cm long, 2–10 mm wide), lower blades often villous; margins scabrous
GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS: grows rapidly from midspring to early autumn, many leaves produced in late spring and early summer, growing points stay near ground level until late summer, reproduces primarily from rhizomes
FORAGE VALUES: excellent and highly palatable to all classes of livestock when grazed or consumed in hay, commonly selected by livestock in preference to other grasses in summer, becomes coarse late in the season
HABITATS: deep soils of upland and lowland prairies, open woodlands, and wet overflow sites; most abundant in lowland prairies; adapted to all soil textures; frequently used in seed mixtures for prairie reconstruction and for forage production
TRIBE: ANDROPOGONEAE
SPECIES:Andropogon virginicus L.
COMMON NAME: Broomsedge bluestem (popotillo, broomsedge)
LIFE SPAN: Perennial
ORIGIN: Native
SEASON: Warm
Inflorescence Characteristics
type: panicles of 2–5 (commonly 2) rames (2–3 cm long), paired or digitate, numerous (6–25), broomlike appearance; bases of panicle branches enclosed in an inflated, tawny spathe (3–6 cm long, 2–6 mm wide, usually 3–4 mm wide)
spikelets: paired; lower spikelet sessile and perfect (3–4 mm long), glabrous, florets 2; upper floret perfect; pedicellate spikelet absent or vestigial, usually represented only by the villous pedicel
glumes: acuminate (3–4 mm long), green to yellowish
awns: upper lemma of sessile spikelet with delicate awn (1–2 cm long), awns straight
Vegetative Characteristics
growth habit: cespitose
culms: erect (0.5–1.5 m tall), branched above, slender, sulcate on one side, glabrous or with a few short hairs; basal nodes flat
sheaths: imbricate, lower sheaths laterally compressed, strongly keeled, usually wider than the blades; glabrous, scabrous, or pilose; margins hairy
ligules: ciliate membranes (0.3–1 mm long), truncate
blades: flat or folded (8–55 cm long, mostly 2–6 mm wide), tan to stramineous at maturity, midveins prominent, glabrous to pilose adaxially and near collar
GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS: starts growth when daytime temperatures average 16–17° C, produces seeds mostly from August or September until frost, reproduces from seeds and tillers, grows in infertile soils, not shade tolerant; may rapidly increase with improper grazing; indicator of early stages of plant succession
FORAGE VALUES: poor for livestock and wildlife, except in early growth stages during spring and early summer, nearly unpalatable when mature; may provide important wildlife habitat
HABITATS: open ground, old fields, open woodlands, lowlands, and sterile hills; sandy to rocky moist soils; most common in abandoned fields and on improperly grazed rangelands; will invade improved pastures
TRIBE: ANDROPOGONEAE
SPECIES:Bothriochloa laguroides (DC.) Herter
COMMON NAME: Silve r bluestem (popotillo plateado, silver beardgrass)
LIFE SPAN: Perennial
ORIGIN: Native
SEASON: Warm
Inflorescence Characteristics
type: panicles of 6 to many rames or compound rames, long-exserted, elongate (usually 7–15 cm long), terminal and axillary, usually fewer than 5 per culm, silvery-white in color; rames erect to ascending (less than 5 cm long), aromatic, margins fringed with long silky hairs; rame joints and pedicels long-villous; pedicels sulcate or dumbbell-shaped in cross section
spikelets: paired; lower spikelet sessile and perfect (3–4 mm long), florets 2; pedicellate spikelet neuter (1.5–3 mm long), narrow
glumes: unequal (2.5–4.5 mm long), firm but papery, without glandular pit; first with 2 keels; second with 1 keel; veins 3
awns: upper lemmas of sessile spikelets with delicate geniculate awns (8–25 mm long), twisted below
other: can be confused with Digitaria californica; compare inflorescence arrangements, spikelets, and awns
Vegetative Characteristics
growth habit: cespitose
culms: erect from geniculate bases (0.6–1.3 m tall), branched below, sulcate; hairs at the nodes short-appressed
sheaths: keeled near collar, glabrous, glaucous; collars usually with a few long hairs on margin; hairs may extend up the leaf margins
ligules: membranous (1–3 mm long), obtuse to acute, erose to entire
blades: flat or folded (2–25 cm long, 3–9 mm wide), linear, acuminate, glaucous; midveins prominent; margins white; often brownish toward the margin
GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS: starts growth in spring when daytime temperatures reach 21–24° C, inflorescences emerge 3–4 weeks later; produces abundant seeds, reproduces from seeds and tillers, seedlings must be protected from grazing to enhance establishment
FORAGE VALUES: fair to good for all classes of livestock and fair for wildlife, only lightly grazed following maturity
HABITATS: prairies, pastures, rocky slopes, waste grounds, and roadsides; adapted to a broad range of soil textures, does not grow well on moist sites
TRIBE: ANDROPOGONEAE
SPECIES:Heteropogon contortus (L.) P. Beauv. ex Roem. & Schult.
COMMON NAME: Tangl ehead (barba negra, barba, zacate colorado)
LIFE SPAN: Perennial
ORIGIN: Native
SEASON: Warm
Inflorescence Characteristics
type:unilateral spicate racemes (3–8 cm long, excluding awns), terminal and axillary, few; unilateral arrangement lends to a braided appearance
spikelets: paired, imbricate; sessile spikelets perfect (5–8 mm long); calluses well developed (1.5–3 mm long); pedicellate spikelets staminate or neuter (7–10 mm long); few to several pairs at the base of the inflorescence staminate or neuter
glumes: sessile spikelet glumes rounded, dark brownish, papillose-hispid; pedicellate spikelet glumes thin, green, sparingly hispid to glabrous; veins many
awns: upper lemma of sessile spikelet awned; awns weakly twicegeniculate (5–12 cm long), hispid (hairs 0.5–1 mm long), dark brown to black at maturity, tangled with other awns; lemma of pedicellate spikelet awnless
Vegetative Characteristics
growth habit: cespitose
culms: erect to ascending (20–80 cm tall), flat, simple or branched at the base and upper nodes
sheaths: laterally compressed, keeled; margins glandular; glandular depressions on keel; collars with short hairs
ligules: ciliate membranes (about 1 mm long), acute to truncate
blades: flat (6–20 cm long, usually 3–7 mm wide); apices acute to obtuse; midveins prominent adaxially; margins white-glandular, usually ciliate; apices and bases reddish at maturity; somewhat aromatic
GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS: starts growth in early spring, produces inflorescences June through November, low seed production; relatively easy to establish from seeds, reproduces from seeds and tillers
LIVESTOCK LOSSES: awns may be troublesome to eyes and mouths of grazing animals, especially to sheep
FORAGE VALUES: fair to good for cattle and horses before maturity; little value to sheep due to coarseness
HABITATS: open, dry, rocky hills and canyons, usually in sandy soils; most abundant on heavily grazed rangelands
TRIBE: ANDROPOGONEAE
SPECIES:Schizachyrium scoparium (Michx.) Nash
COMMON NAME: Little bluestem (popotillo colorado, popotillo cañuelo, prairie beardgrass)
LIFE SPAN: Perennial
ORIGIN: Native
SEASON: Warm
Inflorescence Characteristics
type: spicate racemes (3–8 cm long), several per culm, terminal and axillary, jointed, breaking apart into spikelet pairs as the rachis disarticulates; peduncle included in sheaths; pedicels semiterete
spikelets: paired; sessile spikelets perfect (4–10 mm long), florets 2; upper floret perfect; pedicellate spikelets staminate or neuter; rachises and pedicels pilose
glumes: sessile spikelet glumes thickened (4–10 mm long), subequal, rounded on the back, glabrous to scabrous, firm
awns: upper lemma of sessile spikelet awned; awns once-geniculate and twisted (3–15 mm long); lemma of pedicellate spikelet awnless or with a short awn
other: spicate racemes have a zigzag pattern at maturity
Vegetative Characteristics
growth habit: cespitose or rhizomatous; rhizomes short or well developed
culms: erect (0.4–1.2 m tall), sometimes from decumbent bases, slender to robust, flat, not grooved, branching above; bases leafy, green to purplish, glaucous
sheaths:keeled, compressed laterally, glabrous to rarely pubescent
ligules: ciliate membrane (1–3 mm long), usually truncate
blades: flat (8–60 cm long, 2–8 mm wide), linear, acute, glabrous to hispid, scabrous adaxially and on margins; midveins strongly thickened below
GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS: starts growth in late spring, inflorescences appear in midsummer, matures in early autumn, seeds mature October to November; reproduces from tillers, rhizomes, and seeds
FORAGE VALUES: good while immature for all classes of livestock; after inflorescences mature, forage is fair for cattle and horses but too coarse for sheep, goats, and wildlife; can be an important component of upland hay
HABITATS: prairies, open woodlands, and dry hills in all soil textures; most conspicuous with season-long, moderate grazing which allows spot grazing leaving some plants ungrazed; frequently used in seed mixtures for revegetation
TRIBE: ANDROPOGONEAE
SPECIES:Sorghastrum nutans (L.) Nash
COMMON NAME: India ngrass (zacate indio, yellow indiangrass)
LIFE SPAN: Perennial
ORIGIN: Native
SEASON: Warm
Inflorescence Characteristics
type: panicles of compound rames (15–35 cm long, 6–8 cm wide), loosely contracted, yellowish or tawny; apices of rames, rame nodes, and pedicels grayish-hirsute
spikelets: paired; sessile spikelet perfect (5–8 mm long); pedicellate spikelet absent, represented only by the hairy pedicel
glumes: subequal (5–8 mm long), coriaceous, tawny or yellowish, first hirsute with edges inflexed over the second, abaxial surfaces flat or convex
awns: upper lemma of perfect spikelets awned; awns once-geniculate (1.5–2.8 cm long), tightly twisted below the bend, loosely twisted above
Vegetative Characteristics
growth habit: cespitose or rhizomatous; rhizomes short, scaly
culms: erect (1–2.4 m tall), robust to slender; nodes pubescent
sheaths: round or sometimes compressed, not keeled, glabrous to rarely pilose; auricles erect; extending into firm, pointed projections (2–7 mm long) flanking and adnate to the ligules
ligules: membranous (3–6 mm long)
blades: flat or somewhat keeled (to 60 cm long, 5–10 mm wide), constricted at the bases, apices acute to acuminate, midveins conspicuous abaxially
GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS: starts growth in midspring from rhizomes, matures from September to November, reproduces from rhizomes and seeds
FORAGE VALUES: excellent, palatable to cattle and horses throughout the summer, but does not cure well and is generally considered only moderately palatable after maturity; fair forage for winter grazing; produces good hay if cut before maturity
HABITATS: prairies, bottomlands, open woodlands, and meadows (moderately salt tolerant) in all soil textures; withstands occasional flooding; sometimes grown and managed with fertilization and irrigation in pure stands; a common component of seed mixtures for revegetation
TRIBE: ANDROPOGONEAE
SPECIES:Tripsacum dactyloides (L.) L.
COMMON NAME: Easte rn gamagrass (zacate maicero, zacate maizero, maicillo)
LIFE SPAN: Perennial
ORIGIN: Native
SEASON: Warm
Inflorescence Characteristics
type: spicate racemes or panicles (12–40 cm long) of 2–5 rames, terminal (occasionally axillary)
spikelets: unisexual; staminate spikelets above, paired, florets 2 (7–12 mm long), coriaceous, sessile or one slightly pedicellate in 2 rows on the branch, often breaking apart at maturity; pistillate spikelets below (7–10 mm long), solitary, indurate, beadlike, sunken in depressions of the branch or rachis, breaking into single spikelet segments at maturity
glumes: staminate spikelet glumes equal (7–12 mm long), somewhat pyriform, coriaceous, keeled; pistillate spikelet glumes equal (5–9 mm long), indurate, shiny, often embedded in the rachis
awns: none
other: plants monoecious; pistillate portion of inflorescences one-fourth or less of the entire length
Vegetative Characteristics
growth habit: rhizomatous; rhizomes thick, knotty; forming extensive colonies
culms: erect to decumbent (1.5–3 m tall), stout, solid, slightly compressed, glabrous
sheaths: round to prominently keeled, glabrous, shiny, usually shorter than the internodes
ligules: ciliate membranes or lacerate membranes (to 2.5 mm long), truncate
blades: flat (30–75 cm long, 1–4.5 cm wide); midveins prominent, whitish; margins scabrous
GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS: most growth is in the spring and early summer, stays green until late autumn; produces seeds from July to September, although few seeds are produced; most reproduction is from rhizomes
FORAGE VALUES: excellent for all classes of livestock and wildlife throughout the growing season, makes good hay, foliage breaks down rapidly and it is not dependable for winter grazing; usually one of the first species to be eliminated by improper grazing
HABITATS: well-drained soils of upland and lowland prairies, swales, stream banks, and grasslands; most abundant in fertile soils; does not tolerate standing water for long periods; occasionally seeded for pastures
TRIBE: ARISTIDEAE
SPECIES: Aristida oligantha Michx.
COMMON NAME: Prairi e threeawn (tres barbas anual, oldfield threeawn)
LIFE SPAN: Annual
ORIGIN: Native
SEASON: Warm
Inflorescence Characteristics
type: racemes (5–20 cm long, 1–4 cm wide), loose, purplish
spikelets: widely spaced, florets 1; lemma firm (6–28 mm long, excluding the awns); callus well developed, pilose; pedicel short, scabrous or pubescent
glumes:nearly equal (2–3 cm long); first veins 3–7; second usually veins 1, slightly longer than the first (compare to Aristida purpurea)
awns:lemma awn columns branch into 3 awns, awns divergent (3–7 cm long), nearly equal or central awn longest; first glume awnless or short-awned; second glume mucronate
(Continues...)
Excerpted from North American Wildland Plants by James Stubbendieck, Stephan L. Hatch, Neal M. Bryan, Cheryl D. Dunn, Angie Fox, Kelly L. Rhodes Hays, Bellamy Parks Jansen, Debra Meier. Copyright © 2017 Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska. Excerpted by permission of UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA PRESS.
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