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Picture of growth habit.

Scientific Name

Achnatherum hymenoides (Roem. & Schult.) Barkworth (Synonyms: Oryzopsis hymenoides; Stipa hymenoides)

Common Name(s)

Indian ricegrass

Tribe / Family Name

Stipeae

Flowering Period

May to August

Symbol

ACHY

Description

Indian ricegrass is a native cool-season perennial bunchgrass that reproduces from seeds and tillers. Culms range from 25–70 cm in height. Its inflorescence is an ascending to diffuse, spreading, dichotomous panicle 9–20 cm long and up to 14 cm wide. Spikelets are solitary at the ends of capillary pedicels, 1-flowered, and awned (the lemma awns 3–6 mm long, scabrous, straight to wavy, and readily deciduous). Ligules are up to 7.5 mm long, membranous, acute, and entire to lacerate.

General Info

Indian ricegrass can be found in sandy or gravelly soils, sagebrush grasslands, juniper woodlands, deserts, foothills, plains, and montane sites.

Similar Species

Indian ricegrass is a unique grass and not usually confused with other grasses.

Picture of growth habit.

Picture of growth habit.

Inflorescence is an ascending to diffuse, spreading, dichotomous panicle.

Inflorescence is an ascending to diffuse, spreading, dichotomous panicle.

Close-up picture of spikelet.

Close-up picture of spikelet.

Close-up picture of membranous ligule.

Close-up picture of membranous ligule.

Illustration of Indian ricegrass. USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. <i>An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols.</i> Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 1: 174.

Illustration of Indian ricegrass. USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. <i>An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada and the British Possessions. 3 vols.</i> Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 1: 174.