G6 



BLUEBUNCH WHEATGRASS 



Agropy'ron spica'tum 



Individual flower groups (spike- 

 lets) stalkless, 3- to 6-flowered, 

 up to nearly 1 in. long, flattened, 

 placed flatwise and solitary at 

 joints of somewhat zigzag flower- 

 head axis (rachis), up to % in. 

 apart 



Outer flower bract (lemma) 

 5-veined toward top, tipped by 

 rough, strongly spreading, often 

 twisted beard (awn) about 1 

 in. long 



Lowest (2) spikelet bracts 

 (glumes) up to % in. long, 3- 

 to 5-veined, papery at edges, 

 sharp-pointed at tip but without 



Flower heads (spikes) slender, 

 erect, up to 8 in. long, solitary 

 on the ends of the 4 to 12 stalks 



Stalks (culms) tufted, erect, 

 slender, sometimes wiry, often 

 bluish in color, smooth except 

 for hairy joints 



Leaves flat or inrolled, 

 pointed, narrow, about % in. 

 wide and up to 8 in. long 



Roots fibrous; rootstocks 

 lacking 



Bluebunch wheatgrass, also known as big bunchgrass, wire bunchgrass, 

 western wheatgrass, and spiked wheatgrass, is a typical perennial bunchgrass, 

 of bluish color, 1 to 4 feet high. The species is widely distributed, ranging 

 from Alaska to northern California., New Mexico, and Montana. It is a 

 distinctly drought-resistant grass and is found chiefly on dry soils in the open 

 or in partial shade, seldom growing on wet soils and rarely in thick timber. 



