Species Detail Grasses

Plant - summer Page, AZ		Yavapai County Native & Naturalized Plants Achnatherum hymenoides - Indian ricegrass Synonyms: Eriocoma cuspidata, Oryzopsis hymenoides, Stipa hymenoides Plant Form: Grass Family: Poaceae
Plant - summer Page, AZ


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	Grass Description - Glossary of Grass Terminology Origin: Native Season: Warm Habitat Description: Open, dry sandy plains and hills, often in juniper woodlands. Grows in dry well drained soils. Good colonizer in sandy soils. Plant Communities:Interior Chaparral, Semidesert Grasslands, Pinyon Juniper Woodland Elevation: 3500 - 6500 feet General Description Desc: A leafy perennial bunchgrass 1 to 2 feet tall. Sage-green, wiry foliage and ivory-colored diffuse and branching seedheads give the grass an overall light, airy appearance. Identification Notes: Densely tufted perennial. Fringe of hairs at the blade collar. Blades tightly inrolled. Seedhead diffuse, with dichotomous branching that diverges widely. Spikelets one-flowered on stems. Glumes 5 to 8 mm, lemmas hairy, awns 3 to 6 mm. Grass Type: Perennial bunchgrass Rhizomes: N Stolons: N Large Dense Clump (> 2 feet): N Bushy (highly branched): N Height with Seedheads: 12 to 24 inches Seedhead Structure: Branched - open and spreading Seedhead Droops: N Flowering Period: May - Aug Flower Characteristics Number of Flowers per Spikelet: One-flowered Spikelets One-sided: N Awns: Less than 1/4 inch Three Awns: N Awns Bent: Y Flower and Seedhead Notes: Seedheads are very open and widely spreading, branches terminally split into 2 branches. Seed is plump, dark-colored and rice-like. Awns are stout, <1/4 inch long. Lemmas have long white hairs that turn black when mature. Vegetative Charcteristics Blade Hairy: Y Blade with White Margins: N Blade Cross section: Involute Blade Notes: Blades are firm, narrow, rolled longitudinally, <1/16 inch in diameter and 2 to 12 inches long. Bottom surfaces are smooth or roughened with stout projections; top surfaces are clothed with soft hairs or down. Sheath Hairy: Y Tuft of Hairs at top of Sheath or Collar: Y Ligules: Membranous Auricles (Ear-like lobes at collar area: N Forage Value: Very good. Indian ricegrass is highly palatable to livestock and wildlife.


	Arizona Cooperative Extension Yavapai County 840 Rodeo Dr #C Prescott, AZ 86305 (928) 445-6590	Version 8.0 http://cales.arizona.edu/yavapaiplants/SpeciesDetailGrass.php Last Updated: Dec 13, 2022 Content Questions/Comments: Email Matt Halldorson Legal Disclaimer