Side-oats grama

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Side-oats grama blade

Side-oats grama ligule

Side-oats grama sheath and ligule

Side-oats grama

Side-oats grama anthers and stigmas

Side-oats grama anthers

Side-oats grama

Side-oats grama

Side-oats grama

Side-oats grama spikelets

Side-oats grama flowering

Side-oats grama

Morphology

Culm

Erect, solid, glabrous, purplish at nodes, arising in clumps or few together.

Blades

Numerous, flat, 2-12 inches long, less than 1/5 inch wide, glabrous below, rough above; margins with hairs arising from tiny blister-like bumps, particularly near ligules.

Sheath

Usually shorter than internodes, finely ridged, glabrous below or soft-hairy near summit.

Ligule

Fringed or notched membranes, short.

Inflorescence

Panicles, 3-16 inches long; branches 12-60, 1/2 to 3/4 inch long, angled to 1 side of slightly zigzag rachis, flag-like.

Spikelets

3-8 per branch; florets 2 per spikelet, 1 perfect, 1 imperfect; glumes unequal; lemmas with 3 short, unequal awns.

Ecology

Habitat

Rocky hillsides and dry, open grassland, in fine-textured limestone or chalk soils.

Distribution

Throughout Kansas.

Practical Information

Forage Value

Side-oats grama is a high-quality and nutritious forage readily consumed by livestock. It makes good hay and tolerates drought well.

Additional Notes