Range Plants

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.

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.

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

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

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

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-

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

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