Pacific Bunchgrass Region - Plant Info

Question 1

• Common name: Capitalized first letter
• Genus: Capitalized first letter (e.g., Agropyron*)
• Species: all lower case (e.g., cristatum*)
• Family/Tribe: Capitalized first letter
  NOTE: All family names end in aceae and all grass tribe names end in eae.
• Origin: native, introduced
• Longevity: annual, biennial, perennial
• Root structure: bunch, rhizomes, stolons, taproot, suckers
• Response to Herbivory/Browsing: decreaser, increaser, invader, na
• Forage value for cattle: excellent, good, fair, poor, worthless, poisonous
  *Forage value for “wildlife”: excellent, good, fair, poor, worthless, poisonous

Answer 1

Card format:
* Common name: Capitalized first letter
* Genus: Capitalized first letter (e.g., Agropyron)
* Species: all lower case (e.g., cristatum)
* Family/Tribe: Capitalized first letter
NOTE: All family names end in aceae and all grass tribe names end in eae.
* Origin: native, introduced
* Longevity: annual, biennial, perennial
* Root structure: bunch, rhizomes, stolons, taproot, suckers
* Response to Herbivory/Browsing: decreaser, increaser, invader, na
* Forage value for cattle: excellent, good, fair, poor, worthless, poisonous
*Forage value for “wildlife”: excellent, good, fair, poor, worthless, poisonous

Question 2

Pseudoroegneria spicata – Bluebunch wheatgrass

??? spi-KAY-ta

Answer 2

Family: TRITICEAE
Origin: Native
Longevity: Perennial
Roots/root-like: Bunch (occas. rhizomes)
Response: Decreaser
Forage value: Excellent; 	Good

Question 3

Festuca idahoensis – Idaho fescue

fess-TOO-kah eye-da-ho-EN-sis

Answer 3

POEAE
Native
Perennial
Bunch
Decreaser
Excellent; Excellent

Question 4

Hesperostipa comata – Needleandthread

his-per-o-STY-pa ko-MA-ta

Answer 4

STIPEAE
Native
Perennial
Bunch
Increaser
Fair; Fair

Question 5

Leymus cinereus – Basin (Giant) wildrye

LAY-mus sin-ER-e-us

Answer 5

TRITICEAE
Native
Perennial
Bunch (w/ short, thick rhizomes)
Decreaser
Good; Fair

Question 6

Achnatherum nelsonii – Columbia needlegrass

ak-na-THEER-um ?????

Answer 6

STIPEAE
Native
Perennial
Bunch
Increaser
Fair; Fair

Question 7

Medicago sativa – Alfalfa

med-i-KAW-go sa-TIE-va

Answer 7

FABACEAE
Introduced
Perennial
Taproot
Invader
Good; Good

Question 8

Balsamorhiza sagittata – Arrowleaf balsamroot

ball-sah-more-EYE-za sag-ah-TAA-tah

Answer 8

ASTERACEAE
Native
Perennial
Taproot
Increaser
Fair; Good