. California grasslands and range forage grasses. Grasses; Forage plants. with awns 10 to 16 mm long. A native of Australia. Australian chess occupies dry sites and is fairly common in the Mojave desert and the foothills of the San Joaquin Val- ley. (Fig. 15.) Because of its scattered growth and the fact that leafage and seed heads are conspicuously hairy, its pala- tability ranks as intermediate. When young the entire available growth is taken with that of associated species, such as soft chess, foxtail fescue, and filaree. 11. RIPGUT (Bromus rigidus) is mostly iy2-2 ft (40-60 cm) tall; folia
. California grasslands and range forage grasses. Grasses; Forage plants. with awns 10 to 16 mm long. A native of Australia. Australian chess occupies dry sites and is fairly common in the Mojave desert and the foothills of the San Joaquin Val- ley. (Fig. 15.) Because of its scattered growth and the fact that leafage and seed heads are conspicuously hairy, its pala- tability ranks as intermediate. When young the entire available growth is taken with that of associated species, such as soft chess, foxtail fescue, and filaree. 11. RIPGUT (Bromus rigidus) is mostly iy2-2 ft (40-60 cm) tall; foliage loosely pilose; panicle of relatively few large long-awned spikelets. A native of the Mediterranean region. (Fig. 21.) Distribution and habitat: This species occurs generally throughout the annual type at elevations from sea level up to the ponderosa pine type. Ripgut seldom forms pure stands but frequently consti- tutes a fair proportion of the type. Forage value and reproduction: In the early growth stages and until the plants head out in April and May, ripgut ranks high as a forage producer. A crude pro- tein content of nearly 15 per cent just before flowering (13) may help to ex- plain why the herbage is relished by cattle in the fore part of the grazing season. At maturity the awns are particularly objectionable to all classes of stock. Ac- cordingly, ripgut has also been called needle brome and devilgrass. However, the name "ripgut" probably better em- phasizes the penetrating power of the hard sharp florets characteristic of this species at maturity. Careful management of ranges infested with this grass is re- quired to favor the seeding and establish- ment of the more desirable forage grasses. 12. RED BROMEGRASS {Bromus rubens) is mostly 10-20 in (20-40 cm) tall, leafy at base with erect, very dense, ovoid red- dish or purplish panicles of long-awned spikelets, the awns 18-22 mm long, rigid, scabrous. (Fig. 22.). Fig. 21. Ripgut (Bromus rigidus). Distributi
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1900, booksubjectforageplants, booksubjectgrasses
