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ricegrass
Scientific Name: ×Achnella
Family: Poaceae
Category: Monocot
Growth:
Duration:
Other Names:
Indian Ricegrass
Oryzopsis hymenoides, also known as Achnatherum hymenoides (formerly known as Stipa hymenoides), and commonly called Indian ricegrass or sand rice grass, is a perennial bunchgrass.
Considerations for Pets
- This plant is a grass, and grasses generally have wiry foliage.
- Indian Ricegrass produces seedheads and seeds.
Considerations for Children
- This plant is a grass, and grasses generally have wiry foliage.
- Indian Ricegrass produces seedheads and seeds.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Oryzopsis hymenoides
- Synonyms: Stipa hymenoides, Achnatherum hymenoides
- Common Names: Indian ricegrass, sand rice grass
- Family: Poaceae (Grass family)
Distribution and Habitat
- Indian ricegrass is a native grass of western North America.
- It's one of the most common grasses of the American Southwest.
- It is widely adapted native grasses of Utah rangelands and is drought tolerant and found on most of Utah’s range sites.
- It also grows throughout Nevada.
Ecological Role
- Uruguayan rice grass has been identified as a priority for weed control.
- Rice Grass (Spartina anglica) is invasive to Tasmania
Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits
- Indian ricegrass is a perennial bunchgrass, typically 1 to 2 feet tall.
- It has sage-green, wiry foliage and ivory-colored seedheads.
- It turns light straw-color when cured.
- It is a cool-season grass but has been described as a warm-season grass.
Interactions with Other Organisms
- The seed of Indian ricegrass is readily eaten by many species of birds.
- It has good forage value for domestic sheep, cattle, and horses. It can be important cattle forage in winter, particularly in salt desert communities.
Traditional Uses
- Its nutritious seeds were a staple food of Native Americans, who used it to make flour and in several dishes.
Quirky Facts
- Nevada designated Indian rice grass as the official state grass in 1977.
- Indian ricegrass was officially recognized as the Utah State Grass in 1990 (Utah Code).
- Some say that it takes a real grass lover to appreciate the western native grasses.
- One source describes it as looking "like a bunch grass that was electrocuted."