Bouteloua curtipendula

Bouteloua curtipendula
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
(unranked):	Commelinids
Order:	Poales
Family:	Poaceae
Genus:	Bouteloua
Species:	B. curtipendula
Binomial name
Bouteloua curtipendula (Michx.) Torr.

Bouteloua curtipendula, commonly known as sideoats grama, is a perennial, short prairie grass that is native throughout the temperate and tropical Western Hemisphere, from Canada south to Argentina.

Description

Sideoats grama flower.

The Bouteloua curtipendula foliage is blue-green in color and the flowers are purple. The small oat-like seeds develop on the side of the stalk.

Sideoats grama is a warm-season grass, growing 30–100 cm (12-40 inches) tall, and grows well on mountainous plateaus, rocky slopes, and sandy plains. The grass is also drought- and cold-tolerant and is hardy in zones 4-9.

It is currently listed as a threatened species in the U.S. state of Michigan.

Uses

It is considered a good foraging grass for livestock. Bouteloua curtipendula is cultivated as an ornamental plant for native plant and drought tolerant gardens, and is also good for erosion control.

Sideoats grama is the state grass of Texas.

External links

Data related to Bouteloua curtipendula at Wikispecies

• The Texas State Senate Citizen Handbook