Scientific Family
Poaceae
Plant type
Grasses
Riparian
Yes
Grass Description
Origin
Introduced
Season
Warm
Moist soils in meadows, forest openings, roadsides, pastures and disturbed sites.
Plant Community
Disturbed Areas
Riparian
Low elevation
4000
High elevation
9500
General Description
Plants loosely to densely tufted; seedhead stems usually erect, lower internodes frequently enlarged or bulbous.
Perennial with flat blades. Seedhead narrow, cylindrical, 5 to 20 times as long as wide, sometimes purple tinged.
Grass type
Perennial bunchgrass
Rhizomes
No
Stolons
No
Clump Diameter 2 ft or more
Yes
Bushy - highly branched
Yes
Height with Seedheads
Greater than 36 inches
Seedhead Structure
Branched - contracted
Seedhead droops
No
First bloom month
June
Last bloom month
October
Flower Characteristics
Flowers per Spikelet
One-flowered
Spikelets One-Sided
No
Awns
Less than 1/4 inch
Three Awns
No
Awns bent
No
Flower and Seedhead Notes
Seedheads 1-1/4 to 6-1/4 inches long, with very short branches; glumes are equal or nearly so, to 1/8 inch long and 3-veined.
Vegetative Characteristics
Blade is hairy
Yes
Blade margins white
No
Blade cross-section
Flat
Blades up to 18 inches long, 5/16 inch wide, margins rough.
Sheath is hairy
No
Tufts of hair top of sheath or collar
No
Ligule
Membranous
Auricles
No
Provides forage for livestock, deer and elk.