Species Detail Grasses

Herbarium specimen - Arizona State University Vascular Plant Herbarium, Usage Rights: Non-Commercial (CC BY-NC)		Yavapai County Native & Naturalized Plants Aristida divaricata - poverty threeawn Plant Form: Grass Family: Poaceae


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Spikelets ASU Vascular Plant Herbarium, Usage Rights: Attribution-Non-Commercial (CC BY-NC)


	Grass Description - Glossary of Grass Terminology Origin: Native Season: Warm Habitat Description: Dry, open slopes or woodlands. Plant Communities:Interior Chaparral, Semidesert Grasslands, Pinyon Juniper Woodland, Montane Conifer Forest Elevation: 4000 - 7000 feet Similar Species: Aristida barbata General Description Desc: Forms clumps of unbranched stems. Leaves are mostly basal and roll along the edges. The seed has a twisted tip and three awns. Identification Notes: Tufted perennial grass with open branched seedheads spreading at the base, branchlets appressed; lateral awn branches more than 1/16 inch long, usually nearly as long as the central one; basal portion of awn spirally twisted; collars densely hairy. 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 - open and spreading Seedhead Droops: N Flowering Period: Jul - Oct Flower Characteristics Number of Flowers per Spikelet: One-flowered Spikelets One-sided: N Awns: 1/4 inch to 1 inch Three Awns: Y Awns Bent: Y Flower and Seedhead Notes: Very open, spreading branches extend at right angles from the central axis. Each spikelet bears three spreading, hairlike awns at its tip; 1/2 to 3/4 inch, not disarticulating (separating) at maturity. Vegetative Charcteristics Blade Hairy: N Blade with White Margins: N Blade Cross section: Flat or involute Blade Notes: Blades 2 to 8 inches long, 1/16 inch wide, flat to loosely involute, smooth. Sheath Hairy: N Tuft of Hairs at top of Sheath or Collar: Y Ligules: Hairy Auricles (Ear-like lobes at collar area: N Forage Value: Fair to 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