Grass Description
Openings in upper sagebrush zones, mountain brush, pinyon-juniper and aspen-fir communities.
General Description
Perennial bunchgrass that grows in dense, leafy tufts. Roots are deep and fibrous and can extend vertically to more than 3 feet deep.
Lemmas have long slender somewhat sparse hairs. Awn mostly more than 1 inch long. Sheaths not hairy at the collar. Lower nodes of panicle without hairs. Blades are long and bright green.
Flower Characteristics
The seedhead is a dense, slender, spike-like panicle or raceme. Awns twice-bent, first 2 segments are hairy.
Vegetative Characteristics
Leaves are flat when green and rolled at the margins when dry, 4 to 10 inches long, sometimes longer and less than 1/4 inch wide.
This is a palatable grass to domestic livestock such as cattle, horses and sheep. It is also consumed by mule deer. However, when the awns mature, it becomes undesirable to most animals.