Desc:
Stems erect and clustered, clump appearing tufted. Seedheads are 4 to 8 inches tall and erect, with branches appressed to spreading. Identification Notes: Panicles are erect and dense; spikelets are cylindrical; awns are usually bent, sometimes only spreading, bristle-like and arising below the lemma apex; lemma teeth are about 1/8 inch long. Grass Type: Annual Rhizomes: N Stolons: N Large Dense Clump (> 2 feet): N Bushy (highly branched): N Height with Seedheads: Less than 12 inches Seedhead Structure: Branched - open and spreading Seedhead Droops: N Flowering Period: Mar - Jun Flower Characteristics
Number of Flowers per Spikelet: Multi-flowered Spikelets One-sided: N Awns: 1/4 inch to 1 inch Three Awns: N Awns Bent: Y Flower and Seedhead Notes: Spikelets have 3 to 7 fertile bisexual florets. Awns are bent and strongly to moderately twisted in the basal portion. Seedhead is open and spreading with 2 to 10 branches.
Vegetative Charcteristics
Blade Hairy:
Y
Blade with White Margins:
N
Blade Cross section:
Flat
Blade Notes:
Leaf sheath mostly closed and clasping the stem, covered with stiff prickly hairs. Leaf blade is narrow, flat and sparsely to densely hairy.
Sheath Hairy:
Y
Tuft of Hairs at top of Sheath or Collar:
Y
Ligules:
Membranous Auricles (Ear-like lobes at collar area:
N
Forage Value:
Poor and usually grazed only in its early growth stage.
Arizona Cooperative Extension
Yavapai County
840 Rodeo Dr #C
Prescott, AZ 86305
(928) 445-6590