Buffalo Grass
Common Name - Buffalo Grass
Scientific Name - Buchloe dactyloides
Family - Poaceae
Height - 2-8 inches
Inflorescence Appearance - Inflorescences of staminate plants panicles; branches 2-5, 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, flag-like; inflorescences of pistillate plants bur-like, 1-3, almost hidden among leaves.
Flowering Period - May, June
Blade Description - Flat, 1 to 5 inches long, sparsely hairy.
Ligules - Membranous, fringed with hairs.
Known Uses - Livestock readily graze buffalo grass, except during dry spells when it goes dormant. It can furnish good winter grazing. Buffalo grass protects itself from being overgrazed by producing its leaves very close to the ground.
Location Found - Exposed, well-drained sites on medium to fine textured soils. Will not tolerate shade.
Interesting Fact - Buffalo Grass often grows with Blue Garma
Scientific Name - Buchloe dactyloides
Family - Poaceae
Height - 2-8 inches
Inflorescence Appearance - Inflorescences of staminate plants panicles; branches 2-5, 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, flag-like; inflorescences of pistillate plants bur-like, 1-3, almost hidden among leaves.
Flowering Period - May, June
Blade Description - Flat, 1 to 5 inches long, sparsely hairy.
Ligules - Membranous, fringed with hairs.
Known Uses - Livestock readily graze buffalo grass, except during dry spells when it goes dormant. It can furnish good winter grazing. Buffalo grass protects itself from being overgrazed by producing its leaves very close to the ground.
Location Found - Exposed, well-drained sites on medium to fine textured soils. Will not tolerate shade.
Interesting Fact - Buffalo Grass often grows with Blue Garma
Eastern Gamagrass
Common Name -Eastern Gamagrass
Scientific Name - Tripsacum dactyloides
Family - Poaceae
Height - 4-8 feet
Inflorescence Appearance - Spike-like branches, 1-4, 6 to 10 inches long.
Flowering Period - June, July, August, September
Blade Description - Flat, 12 to 30 inches long, .25 to 1.25 inch wide, glabrous, midrib prominent; margins rough; tips tapered to long points.
Ligules - Rings of short hairs.
Known Uses - It is palatable and very nutritious for livestock. Cattle relish this grass and can eliminate it through overgrazing. Birds and small mammals consume the seeds.
Location Found - Moist prairies, fertile bottom land, and stream banks.
Interesting Fact - Related to corn.
Scientific Name - Tripsacum dactyloides
Family - Poaceae
Height - 4-8 feet
Inflorescence Appearance - Spike-like branches, 1-4, 6 to 10 inches long.
Flowering Period - June, July, August, September
Blade Description - Flat, 12 to 30 inches long, .25 to 1.25 inch wide, glabrous, midrib prominent; margins rough; tips tapered to long points.
Ligules - Rings of short hairs.
Known Uses - It is palatable and very nutritious for livestock. Cattle relish this grass and can eliminate it through overgrazing. Birds and small mammals consume the seeds.
Location Found - Moist prairies, fertile bottom land, and stream banks.
Interesting Fact - Related to corn.
Goosegrass
Common Name - Goosegrass
Scientific Name - Eleusine indica
Family - Poaceae
Height - 4-30 inches
Inflorescence Appearance - Panicles; branches 2-10, spike-like, 1.5 to 4 inches long, crowded at tip of culm, palmately whorled, sometimes 1 or 2 borne below main whorl.
Flowering Period -July, August, September
Blade Description -Flat or folded, 2-8 inches long, less than 1/4 inch wide, mostly glabrous but sometimes with long hairs on upper surface near ligule; tips blunt or rounded.
Ligules -Membranous, irregularly cut or torn.
Known Uses - None
Location Found - Waste areas, lawns, and fields, common in compacted soils that border trails and roads.
Interesting Fact - Common in tropical areas
Scientific Name - Eleusine indica
Family - Poaceae
Height - 4-30 inches
Inflorescence Appearance - Panicles; branches 2-10, spike-like, 1.5 to 4 inches long, crowded at tip of culm, palmately whorled, sometimes 1 or 2 borne below main whorl.
Flowering Period -July, August, September
Blade Description -Flat or folded, 2-8 inches long, less than 1/4 inch wide, mostly glabrous but sometimes with long hairs on upper surface near ligule; tips blunt or rounded.
Ligules -Membranous, irregularly cut or torn.
Known Uses - None
Location Found - Waste areas, lawns, and fields, common in compacted soils that border trails and roads.
Interesting Fact - Common in tropical areas
Hairy Grama
Common Name - Hairy Grama
Scientific Name - Bouteloua hirsuta
Family - Poaceae
Height -6 to 28 inches
Inflorescence Appearance -Panicles; branches 1 to 4, .5 1.5 inches long, occasionally curved; rachis extending conspicuously beyond spikelets in obvious point.
Flowering Period -June, July, August
Blade Description - Numerous, flat, slender, 1 to 7 inches long, less than 1/10 inch wide, erect or ascending, rough or glabrous; lower margins with hairs arising from tiny bumps.
Ligules - Short fringes of hairs.
Known Uses - Hairy grama is nutritious for livestock and has high palatability late in the growing season.
Location Found - Prairies or pastures, on dry, shallow, sandy or rocky sites.
Interesting Fact - Hairy grama grows in tufts but does not occur in large stands.
Scientific Name - Bouteloua hirsuta
Family - Poaceae
Height -6 to 28 inches
Inflorescence Appearance -Panicles; branches 1 to 4, .5 1.5 inches long, occasionally curved; rachis extending conspicuously beyond spikelets in obvious point.
Flowering Period -June, July, August
Blade Description - Numerous, flat, slender, 1 to 7 inches long, less than 1/10 inch wide, erect or ascending, rough or glabrous; lower margins with hairs arising from tiny bumps.
Ligules - Short fringes of hairs.
Known Uses - Hairy grama is nutritious for livestock and has high palatability late in the growing season.
Location Found - Prairies or pastures, on dry, shallow, sandy or rocky sites.
Interesting Fact - Hairy grama grows in tufts but does not occur in large stands.
Switchgrass
Common Name - Switchgrass
Scientific Name - Panicum virgatum
Family - Poaceae
Height - 2-7 feet
Inflorescence Appearance - Panicles, open, much-branched, ovate to pyramidal, 6 to 20 inches long, usually 1/3 to 1/2 as wide as long; branches long, ascending or spreading, bearing spikelets near ends.
Flowering Period - August, September
Blade Description - Flat, narrow, 4 to 24 inches long, to 3/5 inch wide, nearly glabrous, leaf base with triangular patch of hair on upper surface.
Ligules - Dense fringes of hairs.
Known Uses - Switchgrass is very nutritious and is readily consumed by livestock. Palatability declines rapidly as plant matures. Switchgrass makes good hay when cut young.
Location Found - Moist, open lowland prairies, sand prairies, and open woods, on broad range of soils.
Interesting Fact - Strongly rhizomatous. The roots are quite vigorous, sometimes growing 10-11 feet long.
Scientific Name - Panicum virgatum
Family - Poaceae
Height - 2-7 feet
Inflorescence Appearance - Panicles, open, much-branched, ovate to pyramidal, 6 to 20 inches long, usually 1/3 to 1/2 as wide as long; branches long, ascending or spreading, bearing spikelets near ends.
Flowering Period - August, September
Blade Description - Flat, narrow, 4 to 24 inches long, to 3/5 inch wide, nearly glabrous, leaf base with triangular patch of hair on upper surface.
Ligules - Dense fringes of hairs.
Known Uses - Switchgrass is very nutritious and is readily consumed by livestock. Palatability declines rapidly as plant matures. Switchgrass makes good hay when cut young.
Location Found - Moist, open lowland prairies, sand prairies, and open woods, on broad range of soils.
Interesting Fact - Strongly rhizomatous. The roots are quite vigorous, sometimes growing 10-11 feet long.