Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Prairie-Indian Grass


Indian Grass

Order: Cyperales

Family: Poaceae

Genus: Sorghastrum

Species: S. nutans

General Characteristics: Indian grass is a tall, bunching sod-former, 3-8 ft. in height, with broad blue-green blades and a large, plume-like, soft, golden-brown seed head. This showy perennial’s fall color is deep orange to purple.This is a beautiful grass with a somewhat metallic golden sheen to its flowering parts. It is an important associate in the tallgrass prairies and is relished by livestock. It appears to be favored by occasional flooding and repeated burning and sometimes forms nearly pure stands in the lowlands. Warm-season grass with rich gold-and-purple sprays of flowers and seeds in the fall.

Special Adaptations: Sorghastrum nutans is a larval host and/or nectar source for the Pepper and Salt Skipper (Amblyscirtes hegon)

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