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Name That Plant!

SW Kansas grass

10 years ago

A friend sent me this picture of a grass seedhead from southwestern Kansas. It most likely came from a shortgrass/mixed grass prairie remnant. Any ideas?

{{gwi:152029}}

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Comments (4)

hortster
10 years ago
Wow. As worn out as that head is, this is a guess. Maybe western wheatgrass, Agropyron smithii? Compare.

hortster
texasflip
Original Author
10 years ago
I know....thanks for the lead though.

The best I've come up with is Urochloa texana, but that seems to be uncommon in Kansas.

Turns out the picture was taken in the Red Hills if that helps at all.
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hortster
10 years ago
That sure does look close. The USDA plants database shows it as present in KS, but location info on specific counties isn't available. You well may have nailed it.

hortster
jekeesl (south-central Arkansas)
10 years ago
Texasflip, Urochloa texana is the only Urochloa species reported in Kansas to date, and that is listed only for Hamilton county (see BONAP map at link below). It seems to me that the leaves on your plant are too long for the Signal Grass species.

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:152028}}

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