River bottom grass species:
1. Tobosa grass (Pleuraphis mutica) - The most common grass in the river bed and covers the majority of the river bed.
2. Vine mesquite grass (Panicum obtusum)
3. Giant Sacaton (Sporobolus wrightii)
4. Windmill grass (Chloris vivgata)
5. Cane bluestem (Bothrichloa barbinodis)
Upland grass species:
6. Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula)
7. Black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda)
8. Bush muhly (Muhlenbergia porteri)
9. Bistle grass (Setaria sp.)
10. Dropseed (Sporobolus contractus)
11. Galleta grass (Pleuraphis jamesii)
12. 6 weeks threeawn (Aristida adscensionis)
13. 6 weeks grama (Bouteloua barbata)
No Lehman's lovegrass, an introduced and invasive species, was observed on the property.
There were also large swaths of pigweed (Amaranthus sp.) on the east side of the river bottom which may demarcate previously tilled areas, but grasses were found growing between the weeds.
Winterfat, a native shrub and a favorite of grazers, was present on the benches above the river bottom and is a good indicator that fencing the river bottom is already having an effect. Finally, it should be noted that this census represents only the warm weather species and identification of the cool weather grass species will have to wait until spring.
Winterfat, a native shrub and a favorite of grazers, was present on the benches above the river bottom and is a good indicator that fencing the river bottom is already having an effect. Finally, it should be noted that this census represents only the warm weather species and identification of the cool weather grass species will have to wait until spring.
Very interesting, 13 different grasses of warm weather ones. So are there cold weather grasses?
ReplyDeleteYes, apparently there are cool weather species also. I will have to wait until after the winter rains in the spring to see these species. I learned there are both annual and perennial grass species on the landscape here which is interesting, I had always thought grasses were all perennial but I was wrong.
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