Major Rangeland Plants of Idaho:Grasses

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Major Rangeland Plants of Idaho Grasses
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Bluebunch Wheatgrass

• Perennial
• Native
• Good for Grazers
• Good for Browsers

Spike Seedhead
Seeds have awns bend outward as the seed head
dries out
Bunchgrass
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Bottlebrush Squirreltail

• Perennial
• Native
• Fair for Grazers
• Poor for Browsers

several awns
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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
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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
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Crested Wheatgrass

• Perennial
• Introduced
• Good for Grazers
• Fair for Browsers

Overlapping spikelets seed head appears
feather-like or comb-like
bunchgrass
Jennifer Peterson
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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
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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
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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
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Medusahead Rye

• Annual
• Introduced
• Poor for Grazers
• Poor for Browsers

long and twisted awns
Shorter bristles located at the base of spikelet
Short stature (
Lovina Roselle
Jennifer Peterson
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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 (
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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
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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
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Sandberg Bluegrass

• Perennial
• Native
• Fair for Grazers
• Poor for Browsers

panicle seedhead with branches pointing upward.
NO awns
Leaves 1 foot
Robert H. Mohlenbrock _at_ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database
/ USDA NRCS. 1992. Western wetland flora Field
office guide to plant species. West Region,
Sacramento, CA.
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Smooth Bromegrass

• Perennial
• Introduced
• Good for Grazers
• Fair for Browsers

NO awns on spikelets
Leaves have a conspicuous W or M crimped into
them
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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