Species Detail Grasses

Plant - Max Licher @http://swbiodiversity.org, Usage Rights: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA)		Yavapai County Native & Naturalized Plants Alopecurus aequalis - shortawn foxtail Other Common Names: orange foxtail Plant Form: Grass Family: Poaceae


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Seedhead Max Licher @http://swbiodiversity.org, Usage Rights: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA)


	Grass Description - Glossary of Grass Terminology Origin: Native Season: Cool Habitat Description: Grows in wet meadows, forest openings, shores, springs, and along streams, as well as in ditches, along roadsides, and in other disturbed sites from sea level to sub alpine elevations. Plant Communities:Riparian, Disturbed Areas Elevation: Below 8000 feet Similar Species: Phleum pratense General Description Desc: This perennial grass is 3/4 to 1-1/2 feet tall, consisting of a flowering stem with several alternate leaves. Each stem terminates in a slender cylindrical seedhead that is 1 to 3 inches long. Identification Notes: Flat blades. Awns straight, not exceeding the glumes. Alopecurus aequalis can be distinguished from other Alopecurus spp. by its short awns, which extend no more than about 1 mm from the tips of its 1-flowered spikelets. 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: Branched - contracted Seedhead Droops: N Flowering Period: Apr - May Flower Characteristics Number of Flowers per Spikelet: One-flowered Spikelets One-sided: N Awns: Less than 1/4 inch Three Awns: N Awns Bent: N Flower and Seedhead Notes: The single-flowered spikelets are densely compressed along the entire length of each seedhead; they are overlapping, ascending and soft. Spikelets are all alike and fertile. Flowers in bloom have white to yellow to bright orange anthers. Vegetative Charcteristics Blade Hairy: N Blade with White Margins: N Blade Cross section: Flat Blade Notes: The leaf blades are flat, slender and 1-1/2 to 5 inches long. They are ascending to widely spreading. The upper and lower blade surfaces are medium green to grayish-green and smooth. Leaf sheaths loosely clasp the upright stems. Sheath Hairy: N Tuft of Hairs at top of Sheath or Collar: N Ligules: Membranous Auricles (Ear-like lobes at collar area: N Forage Value: The foliage is browsed when young, but becomes less palatable as it matures. Nutritive value is poor.


	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