Arizona three-awn, often called curly three-awn and tall three- 

 awn, is a stout, rather coarse, erect, perennial bunchgrass 1 to 2% 

 feet high, and is one of the largest of the three-awns. As the leaves 

 become mature and start drying many of them roll up spirally giv- 

 ing the grass a curly appearance, from which the name "curly three- 

 awn" has originated. 



Arizona three-awn inhabits sandy-gravelly mesas and foothills at 

 elevations up to 9,000 feet but mainly below 6,000 feet. It belongs 

 mostly to the upper woodland and ponderosa pine types and occurs 

 from western Texas to Arizona and south into northern Mexico. It 

 is usually found in scattered bunches mixed with other grasses but 

 sometimes is locally abundant. 



This species is usually rated as good forage in the Southwest while 

 green. It greens up and grows readily when spring moisture comes 

 and, when conditions are favorable, will produce considerable succu- 

 lent forage in early spring before most of the grasses have started 

 growth. The main period of growth comes with the summer rains. 

 When rains start early in these two periods this relatively large 

 three-awn produces a considerable amount of green, palatable forage 

 which remains succulent for several months. If summer rains come 

 late the seeds develop and mature rapidly and little succulent forage 

 is produced. After maturity the seeds may be troublesome to grazing 

 animals. The herbage dries at that time and is practically worthless 

 as forage until winter or spring rains occur. Occasionally the species 

 is sufficiently dense and large to be cut for hay. 



