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Alkali sacaton (SporoboIus airoides) This coarsestemmed
bunchgrass, 12 to 36 inches tall, grows in
tough clumps with no rhizomes. The long, slender
blades have hairs at the throat. The loosely flowered
panicle is pyramid shaped. Spikelets are one-flowered
on short pedicels. It grows in meadows and valleys,
especially in alkaline soil. This grass, desirable to seed
in salted-out sites, is relished by jackrabbits. It is adapted
for vegetational areas 2, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 and is a
perennial, warm, native grass that provides poor grazing
for wildlife; fair grazing for livestock.
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Bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum) This 8- to 16-inch tall
bunchgrass with erect stems often has thick, scaly
rhizomes. Leaves generally are hairless. Inflorescence
usually has two spike-like branches, 1½ to 4½ inches
long, paired at the tip of the stem, one slightly below
the other. This grass grows in vegetational areas 1 and
2 in sites with adequate moisture and is a perennial,
warm, introduced forage and hay grass that provides
fair grazing for livestock but poor grazing for wildlife.
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Barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crusgalli var. crusgalli)
This 12- to 48-inch grass has stout stems that grow from
a somewhat decumbent base. Leaf sheaths are smooth
with long, flat blades. The 2- to 5-inch long panicle
usually is erect, but can be nodding. The racemes usually
spread with maturity. Spikelets may have long awns
with each floret covered with short spines. Seeds furnish
some food for ground birds. This invading plant
seldom is grazed by any animal and grows mostly in
moist, poorly drained regions of areas 1 through 10, An
annual, warm, introduced grass, Barnyardgrass
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Beaked panicum (Panicum anceps) This 18- to 48-inch
tall bunchgrass has stems growing from numerous scaly
rhizomes. Sheaths are slightly hairy, with long leaves
that are hairy on the upper part near the base. The
panicle is long and spreading, with spikelets slightly
l Extension project group supervisor in range science and range
specialist and range brush and weed control specialist, The Texas
A&M University System.
curved and resembling a beak. This very palatable grass
decreases with heavy grazing and grows mostly on
sandy soils in areas 1, 2, 3 and 4. This perennial, warm
native provides fair grazing for wildlife: good grazing for livestock
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Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon) This 4- to 12-inch
tall, dark bluish-green sodgrass has rhizomes and stolons
that take root at nodes. Internodes are flattened
and the ligule is a conspicuous ring of white hairs. The
inflorescence has three to six purple spikes, resembling
a bird’s foot. This common lawn and pasture grass of
the South is adapted in areas 1 through 10 and is a
perennial, warm, introduced grass that provides
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Big bluestem (Andropogon gerardii) A 36- to 60-inch
tall bunchgrass that grows from short rootstock, big
bluestem produces tall, slim culms, The lower sheaths
and leaves usually are fuzzy and very hairy. Seedheads
usually come out in three branches like a turkey foot.
The ligule extends across the leaf collar. This grass,
preferred by cattle, decreases with overgrazing, matures
seed in fall and grows mostly in bottomland in areas 1
through 10, This perennial, warm native provides poor
- grazing for wildlife; good grazing for livestock.
- Big cenchrus (Cenchrus myosuroides) This 36-
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Big cenchrus (Cenchrus myosuroides) This 36- to
60-inch tall bunchgrass has smooth stout stems growing
from a decumbent base. The inflorescence is 2½ to 6
inches long with each spikelet as a one-flowered bur
with the bristle united at the base. The outer bristles
are shorter, the inner as long as the spikelet. It grows
on a variety of soils from sands to clays and decreases
with heavy grazing. This is a good grass for seeding old
fields and denuded rangelands where cattle are to be
grazed, The spiny spikelets will cling to wool and
mohair. This perennial, warm, native grass is adapted
in areas 2 and 6 and provides fair grazing for wildlife;
- good grazing for livestock.
- Black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda
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Black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda) This 12- to 24-inch
tall grass has weak, crooked, slender, woolly stems
which often take root at the swollen fuzzy joints. The
internodes usually are green during winter. The seedhead
contains three to eight narrow spikes. Black grama
is a good source of vitamin A during winter. This grass
decreases with heavy grazing, grows on gravelly uplands
in areas 7, 8, 9 and 10 and is a perennial, warm
- native that provides good grazing for wildlife and livestock.
- Blue grama (Bouteloua
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