Scientific Name
Pseudoroegneria spicata (Pursh) Á. Löve (Synonyms: Agropyron spicatum; Elymus spicatus)
Common Name(s)
Bluebunch wheatgrass
Tribe / Family Name
Triticeae
Flowering Period
June to August
Symbol
PSSP6
Description
Bluebunch wheatgrass is a native cool-season perennial bunchgrass that may have short rhizomes; reproduction occurs from seeds, tillers, and rarely from rhizomes; herbage is green or glaucous. Culms range from 30–100 cm in height. Its inflorescence is a slender, terminal spike 8–15 cm long and not shattering at maturity. Spikelets are usually 8–22 mm long, loose to open, usually appressed along the main rachis (occasionally slightly divergent), 1 per rachis node, 4- to 9-flowered, and unawned or with strongly divergent awns up to 25 mm long. Auricles are well-developed (up to 1 mm long), acute, clasping, and reddish to purplish. Ligules are short (up to 0.4 mm long), membranous, obtuse or truncate, erose-ciliate or lacerate, and glabrous.
General Info
This long-lived and drought-tolerant grass can be found in sagebrush steppe, open woodlands, mountain slopes, benches, canyons, valley bottoms, foothills, plains, and montane to subalpine sites.
Similar Species
Bluebunch wheatgrass may look similar to other tufted wheatgrass and wildrye species with a spike inflorescence. Look for the bluish-green appearance and the long, divergent awns. Remember, wheatgrasses have only one spikelet per rachis node, and wildryes have two or more spikelets per rachis node. It also similar to Snake River wheatgrass (Elymus wawawaiensis).
Picture of growth habit.
Close-up picture of spike inflorescence.
Close-up picture of spikelet.
Close-up picture of membranous ligule and auricles.
Illustration of bluebunch wheatgrass. USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Hitchcock, A.S. (rev. A. Chase). 1950. <i>Manual of the grasses of the United States</i>. USDA Miscellaneous Publication No. 200. Washington, DC.