Plant Image
Seedheads
V-Bar-V Ranch


Yavapai County Native & Naturalized Plants

Bouteloua dactyloides - buffalograss

Synonyms: Buchloe dactyloides, Bulbilis dactyloides, Sesleria dactyloides
Plant Form: Grass

Family: Poaceae


   
 
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Blades
V-Bar-V Ranch
John Kava
Blades
V-Bar-V Ranch
John Kava
Plant - spring
V-Bar-V Ranch
John Kava
  Grass Description -   Glossary of Grass Terminology


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 berlangeri
General 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
Version 8.0  
http://cales.arizona.edu/yavapaiplants/SpeciesDetailGrass.php  
Last Updated: Dec 13, 2022
Content Questions/Comments: Email Matt Halldorson  
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