Major Rangeland Plants of Idaho: Grasses

1. Major Rangeland Plants of Idaho: Grasses

2. Bluebunch Wheatgrass • Perennial • Native • Good for Grazers • Good for Browsers Spike Seedhead Seeds have awns; bend outward as the seed head dries out Bunchgrass Jennifer Peterson

3. Bottlebrush Squirreltail • Perennial • Native • Fair for Grazers • Poor for Browsers Spike seedhead several awns

4. Cheatgrass/Downy Brome • Annual • Introduced • Fair for Grazers • Poor for Browsers Turns a purplish color as it matures Seedhead is a drooping panicle Jennifer Peterson

5. Columbia Needlegrass • Perennial • Native • Fair for Grazers • Fair for Browsers Long awn (up to 1 ½ inch); lower part of the awn is twisted, but the upper part is straight awn One floret per spikelet

6. Crested Wheatgrass • Perennial • Introduced • Good for Grazers • Fair for Browsers Overlapping spikelets; seed head appears feather-like or comb-like bunchgrass Jennifer Peterson

7. Great Basin Wildrye • Perennial • Native • Fair for Grazers • Fair for Browsers 3-6 florets/seeds per spikelet spikelets attach all around the stem forming a thick, dense, rounded, long spike Jennifer Peterson

8. Idaho Fescue • Perennial • Native • Good for Grazers • Fair for Browsers Narrow and tightly rolled leaves; 2 to 10 inches long Distinctive rich black, dense, fine fibrous root system Jennifer Peterson

9. Indian Ricegrass • Perennial • Native • Fair for Grazers • Fair for Browsers seed head is an open, lacey- looking panicle; branches split dichotomously Very short awns surrounded by tufts of white hairs K . Launchbaugh

10. Medusahead Rye • Annual • Introduced • Poor for Grazers • Poor for Browsers long and twisted awns Shorter bristles located at the base of spikelet Short stature (< one foot) Lovina Roselle Jennifer Peterson

11. Mountain Bromegrass • Perennial • Native • Good for Grazers • Good for Browsers The seed head is a large panicle with open or drooping branches, 4 to 10 inches long Short awns (<1/3 inch)

12. Orchardgrass • Perennial • Native • Good for Grazers • Good for Browsers The spikelets are clustered together on one side of the panicle branches Stems are flat at the base Jennifer Peterson Karen Launchbaugh

13. Red Threeawn • Perennial • Native • Poor for Grazers • Poor for Browsers 3 long straight awns per spikelet (hence the name ‘threeawn’) A strong bunchgrass Mike Haddock

14. Sandberg Bluegrass • Perennial • Native • Fair for Grazers • Poor for Browsers panicle seedhead with branches pointing upward. NO awns Leaves < 3 inches while seed stalks measure up to 1 foot Robert H. Mohlenbrock @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / USDA NRCS. 1992. Western wetland flora: Field office guide to plant species. West Region, Sacramento, CA.

15. Smooth Bromegrass • Perennial • Introduced • Good for Grazers • Fair for Browsers NO awns on spikelets Leaves have a conspicuous “W” or “M” crimped into them

16. Western Wheatgrass • Perennial • Native • Fair for Grazers • Fair for Browsers Spikelets arranged on opposing sides of mainstem Sod-forming grass spreading by rhizomes Mike Haddock