Species Detail Grasses

Plant - summer Granite Mtn - Tr 345		Yavapai County Native & Naturalized Plants Elymus elymoides - squirreltail Synonyms: Aegilops hystrix, E. difformis, E. glaberÂ , E. insularisÂ , E. minor, E. pubiflorus, Sitanion hystrix var. hystrix and more. See SEINET. Other Common Names: bottlebrush squirreltail, western bottle-brush grass Plant Form: Grass Family: Poaceae
Plant - summer Granite Mtn - Tr 345


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Plant - summer Willow Lake Sue Smith	Plant - summer Granite Mtn - Tr 345 Sue Smith	Ligule and blade Granite Mtn - Tr 345 Sue Smith	Seedhead - mature Mahan Park John Kava	Seedhead - mature Walker Basin - Big Hill Pasture John Kava	Immature seedhead Granite Mtn - Tr 308 Sue Smith


	Grass Description - Glossary of Grass Terminology Origin: Native Season: Cool and Warm Habitat Description: Dry slopes of the desert ranges to subalpine sites. Plant Communities:Interior Chaparral, Semidesert Grasslands, Pinyon Juniper Woodland, Montane Conifer Forest Elevation: 2000 - 11000 feet Similar Species: Hordeum jubatum General Description Desc: Erect grass not forming dense clumps, often covered in a powdery or waxy bloom. Blades at distinct angles from stem. Seedhead when mature looks like a bottle brush or squirrel tail. Identification Notes: Tufted perennial, 3 to 25 inches; seedheads are spikes, erect to flexuous, clusters of (usually) 2 spikelets per node and stacked up the central stem; very long awns that curve outward when dry, making the seedhead look like a bottlebrush. 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: Unbranched Seedhead Droops: N Flowering Period: Apr - Sep Flower Characteristics Number of Flowers per Spikelet: Multi-flowered Spikelets One-sided: N Awns: Greater than 1 inch Three Awns: N Awns Bent: Y Flower and Seedhead Notes: Spikes 1-1/4 to 8 inches long, 2 to 6 inches wide, bristly with long spreading awns, densely flowered, often partially included in the upper leaf sheath. Spikelets of 2 to 5 florets of which one or more may be fertile. Vegetative Charcteristics Blade Hairy: N Blade with White Margins: N Blade Cross section: Involute Blade Notes: Blades 2 to 8 inches long, 1/16 to 1/4 inch wide, stiff and rolled inward; tapering to a fine point; prominent veins. Sheath Hairy: Y Tuft of Hairs at top of Sheath or Collar: N Ligules: Membranous Auricles (Ear-like lobes at collar area: Y Forage Value: Considered one of the most fire resistant of all native bunchgrasses and provides good forage before the bristly spikes mature and after they have fallen off.


	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