Origin: Native   Season: Warm Habitat Description: Dry sandy limestone soils. Often used as a substitute for turf grasses. Wide spread in the plains, rare in Arizona but found in Coconino and Yavapai counties. Plant Communities:Desert Scrub, Interior Chaparral, Semidesert Grasslands, Pinyon Juniper Woodland Elevation: Below 5500 feet
Similar Species: Hilaria berlangeriGeneral Description
Desc:
Strongly stoloniferous grass, sometimes sod-forming, 4 to 6 inches high. Male and female flowers usually borne on separate plants. Male seedheads have 2 or 3 comb-like branches. Female seedheads much shorter than male. Identification Notes: Perennial, slender and erect stems, may form mats, usually male and female plants. Female seedheads shorter than male, spikelets bur-like. Male spikelets 1/8 inch long in two rows on one side of the seedhead axis, 1 to 3 branches per seedhead. Grass Type: Perennial mat or sod-forming Rhizomes: N Stolons: Y Large Dense Clump (> 2 feet): N Bushy (highly branched): N Height with Seedheads: Less than 12 inches Seedhead Structure: Unbranched Seedhead Droops: N Flowering Period: Jun - Oct Flower Characteristics
Number of Flowers per Spikelet: Multi-flowered Spikelets One-sided: Y Awns: Less than 1/4 inch Three Awns: Y Awns Bent: N Flower and Seedhead Notes: Male seedheads are erect with 2 or 3 side branches bearing 2-flowered spikelets in two rows. Female spikelets are 1-flowered burs on short stems, partially hidden among the leaves. Florets are unawned or very short awned.
Vegetative Charcteristics
Blade Hairy:
Y
Blade with White Margins:
N
Blade Cross section:
Flat
Blade Notes:
Leaves are flat with inrolled tips, <6 inches long and 1/8 inch wide, grayish-green or bluish-green in color, smooth without hairs or sparsely soft-hairy.
Sheath Hairy:
Y
Tuft of Hairs at top of Sheath or Collar:
Y
Ligules:
Membranous and hairy Auricles (Ear-like lobes at collar area:
N
Forage Value:
Buffalograss is utilized by all classes of livestock and wildlife. It is considered good quality forage and nutritional qualities do not decline significantly during curing.
Arizona Cooperative Extension
Yavapai County
840 Rodeo Dr #C
Prescott, AZ 86305
(928) 445-6590