Oniongrass, often called purple melic, is a rather tall perennial, 

 with the base of the stalks frequently enlarged or swollen into a 

 bulblike growth. The common name oniongrass, as well as the 

 specific name bulbosa, refer to this basal enlargement. This grass is 

 widely distributed, from British Columbia and Alberta southward to 

 Colorado, and westward to California. Kecently, it has also been 

 definitely reported from western Texas; very possibly it occurs in 

 northern Arizona and New Mexico, although no specimens have yet 

 been collected in those States. Although growing most luxuriantly 

 in the ponderosa pine and spruce-fir zones, this species flourishes 

 from sea level to an elevation of 10,000 feet. 



This grass usually grows sparingly in mixed grass, weed or brush 

 types, being but rarely abundant and probably never occurring as the 

 predominating species. It is commonly associated with big sage- 

 brush, needlegrasses, bromegrasses, lupines, and aspen. Oniongrass 

 inhabits open sagebrush types, open timber stands, and meadows, 

 most of which are exposed to full or moderate sunlight. It thrives 

 best on moist, rich, sandy or clay loams of meadows and also in 

 dense aspen and moderately dense coniferous timber. This plant 

 also does well on the better drained slopes and open sagebrush areas. 

 Fairly drought-resistant, it often exists on dry, shallow soils during 

 rather protracted periods of dry weather. 



Oniongrass is very palatable to all classes of livestock as well 

 as to elk and deer. The herbage is relished during the spring and 

 summer, but in the fall the leafage becomes harsh and is not as 

 closely cropped. This grass rates as good to excellent forage for 

 cattle and horses and good for sheep and elk, being also grazed 

 lightly by deer. Horses are especially fond of the seed heads and 

 flower stalks. Although oniongrass is widely distributed and ranks 

 with the bluegrasses and wheat-grasses in palatabilitj^ its scattered 

 growth limits its importance as a forage species. 



This grass produces a relatively small crop of poor seed. Seeds 

 tested by Sampson 1 in 1908 germinated only 4 percent; those tested 

 the previous year failed completely. Apparently, oniongrass is but 

 poorly adapted for the revegetation of depleted ranges. The seed 

 usually matures during the latter part of August, but this varies 

 considerably with seasons and altitudinal range. Oniongrass grows 

 in small, loose clumps consisting of a few slender stems. A single 

 clump may produce several "bulbs" which appear in clusters similar 

 to small onions. The foliage, however, is rather scant. The narrow 

 panicles are from 4 to 6 inches long ; the spikelets are few, purplish 

 tinged and often somewhat showy, this being emphasized in the spe- 

 cific name betta (a Latin word meaning "pretty ) of the synonym. 

 The spikelets and panicle branches are erect; the lemmas, awnless. 

 The roots are fibrous and well developed. 



1 Sampson, A. W. IMPORTANT RANGE PLANTS: THEIR LIFE HISTORY AND FORAGE VALUE 

 TT. S. Dept. Agr. Bull. 545, G'.i pp., illus. 3917. 



