Buffalo bunchgrass is an erect, tufted, perennial bunchgrass from 



1 to 4 feet high. The name buffalo bunchgrass refers to the fact 

 that buffalo were fond of this grass, and also to its bunch habit of 

 growth. It is also called big buffalo bunchgrass and rough fescue; 

 the latter name alludes to the rough (scabrous) leaves and stalks, 

 as does also the Latin specific name scabrella. In Montana it is 

 sometimes known as great bunchgrass because it grows in large 

 tussocks averaging 12 to 14 inches, sometimes becoming as much as 



2 feet in diameter. 



This is a widely distributed species, ranging across Canada from 

 Newfoundland and Quebec to Yukon and British Columbia, and, 

 in the United States, from Washington and Oregon to North 

 Dakota and northern Michigan. With perhaps three exceptions, 

 Colorado material hitherto referred to this species seems to be 

 Thurber fescue (Festuca thwrberi) . It is one of the principal grasses 

 in Montana and northern Idaho, and is also important in eastern 

 Oregon and Washington. It is rarely reported from California. 

 Prairies, open, sunny, hill and mountain slopes up to 10,000 feet 

 elevation, rocky cliffs, and dry, open woods are its most frequent 

 habitats, especially on dry, deep, sandy loam soils. Often it is so 

 abundant locally as to form one of the chief features of the land- 

 scape ; in extensive mountain park areas it may grow to the exclusion 

 of other grasses. 



Buffalo bunchgrass produces a large amount of forage of high 

 palatability and is especially relished by horses and cattle; it is 

 somewhat too hard a grass for sheep. On summer range it is highly 

 valued for horses and cattle, and on winter ranges is considered 

 one of the best grasses, as it cures well on the stalk and retains its 

 nutritive properties all winter. On the lower ranges the small 

 amount of snow held against the strong winds in the center of the 

 grass bunches serves both to moisten and soften the herbage, and, 

 in a measure, is a substitute for water for the livestock. This grass 

 on the higher ranges, continuously covered by winter snow, greens up 

 faster in the spring and appears to be better relished by livestock 

 than when growing on the lower winter ranges. 



The large tussock habit of growth makes buffalo bunchgrass 

 difficult to mow with a machine, but, because it makes such excellent 

 hay for horses, it is often cut in large quantities. Being a bunch- 

 grass and devoid of underground stems (rootstocks) it never forms 

 a turf and is unable to withstand trampling as well as some of the 

 sod-forming grasses. The high palatability of both the leaves and 

 stalks in many instances has resulted in cropping to the ground 

 line. Such excessive volume utilization has decreased the abundance 

 of this valuable species so that now it is not so prevalent as it once 

 was, but has been replaced by other grasses, some of which, as, for ex- 

 ample, Idaho fescue and some of the bluegrasses, are also highly 

 palatable; often, however, the replacement is by inferior species. 



Buffalo bunchgrass presents a very characteristic appearance with 

 its large tufts of prominently ridged (striate) leaves and its 

 noticeably bluish cast. Flowers are produced during June and 

 July and seed is disseminated during August and September. 

 Keproduction is solely by seed. 



