. California grasslands and range forage grasses. Grasses; Forage plants. use for reseeding on some adapted sites. However, the permanence, heavy produc- tion of high quality forage, and ability of established stands to withstand heavy grazing counterbalance this disadvantage. 2. CANADA BLUEGRASS (Poa com- pressa) forms a looser sod than Ken- tucky bluegrass; culms flat, wiry, foliage less abundant; panicles narrower and denser. Introduced into North America from Europe. Distribution and habitat: Canada blue- grass commonly occurs in California at elevations of 6000 to 10,000 ft. Although unab
. California grasslands and range forage grasses. Grasses; Forage plants. use for reseeding on some adapted sites. However, the permanence, heavy produc- tion of high quality forage, and ability of established stands to withstand heavy grazing counterbalance this disadvantage. 2. CANADA BLUEGRASS (Poa com- pressa) forms a looser sod than Ken- tucky bluegrass; culms flat, wiry, foliage less abundant; panicles narrower and denser. Introduced into North America from Europe. Distribution and habitat: Canada blue- grass commonly occurs in California at elevations of 6000 to 10,000 ft. Although unable to compete with other grasses on good soils, it is frequently abundant on clay soils of low fertility, occurring in pure dense stands on eroded areas where subsoil has been exposed. Chemical analy- sis and feeding tests indicate that Can- ada bluegrass, though nutritious, is of somewhat less food value than Kentucky bluegrass because it contains more crude fiber (10). Forage value and reproduction: Young foliage of Canada bluegrass is relished by all classes of livestock, and is grazed to some extent by deer and elk. When kept closely grazed the seed stalks, which become fibrous and harsh when mature, remain palatable throughout the grazing season. Heavy grazing also promotes re- production from rhizomes. Seed habits of Canada bluegrass are good. In fact, it is more promising for reseeding the poorer and drier sites than Kentucky bluegrass, even succeeding on gravelly and thin soils over rock or clay (43). 3. MUTTONGRASS (Poa fendleriana) is pale green with an abundance of short, rather stiff, slightly rough foliage at base, and narrow dense pale panicles. (Fig. 32.) _ Distribution and habitat: Muttongrass, an important native bluegrass, also called Fendler bluegrass and mutton blue- grass, occurs in the Sierra Nevada in central California and in the San Ber-. Fig. 32. Muttongrass (Poa fendleriana). nardino Mountains in the south (2). It grows chiefly at higher elevations in
Size: 1221px × 2046px
Photo credit: © Book Worm / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1900, booksubjectforageplants, booksubjectgrasses
