. California grasslands and range forage grasses. Grasses; Forage plants. 10. WHEATGRASSES (AGROPYRON) Wheatgrasses are mostly tall, firm-leaved, perennial bunch grasses with erect leafy culms and slender spikes; spikelets sev- eral-flowered, the glumes persistent, florets falling at maturity. Eleven native wheatgrasses grow in California; only three—bearded wheat- grass, bluebunch wheatgrass, and slender wheatgrass—are of importance on the range. (Fig. 49.) Production of wheat- grasses on California ranges is small in comparison with other far western states. Good stands are restricted to the
. California grasslands and range forage grasses. Grasses; Forage plants. 10. WHEATGRASSES (AGROPYRON) Wheatgrasses are mostly tall, firm-leaved, perennial bunch grasses with erect leafy culms and slender spikes; spikelets sev- eral-flowered, the glumes persistent, florets falling at maturity. Eleven native wheatgrasses grow in California; only three—bearded wheat- grass, bluebunch wheatgrass, and slender wheatgrass—are of importance on the range. (Fig. 49.) Production of wheat- grasses on California ranges is small in comparison with other far western states. Good stands are restricted to the north- eastern part of the state where they occur from 3000 to 10,000 ft. High in the suc- cessional stage of plant cover, wheat- grasses rank as excellent forage. They usually occupy fertile soils of rolling grassland or open timber stands, but are also found on drier slopes and bench- lands in association with sagebrush and bitterbrush. Wheatgrasses furnish nutritious forage throughout the grazing season. At lower elevations they are pastured in spring and fall, and in the mountains mainly during spring and summer. After seed maturity the stalks become too coarse. Fig. 49. Distribution of wheatgrasses (Agropyron spp.) and fibrous for sheep, but cattle readily eat the cured herbage and stalks. Both bearded and bluebunch wheatgrass de- pend on seed for reproduction. Vigorous plants produce large seed crops, and properly managed stands are adequately maintained. Key to Species Spikelets much compressed, crowded on the rachis, short-awned, the awn bent to one side. Spikelets narrow, divergent from the rachis, glumes contorted 4. A. cristatum Spikelets ascending to somewhat spreading; glumes not contorted 5. A. desertorum Spikelets not compressed nor divergent Lemmas owned Awns straight, erect 3. A. subsecundum Awns bent, divergent 1. A. spicatum Lemmas awnless 2. A. trachycaulum 1. BLUEBUNCH WHEATGRASS {Agropy- ron spicatum) is 2-31/4 ft (60-100 cm) tall, often in very large
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1900, booksubjectforageplants, booksubjectgrasses
