G88 



INDIAN RICEGRASS 



Oryzop'sis hymenoi'des, syns. O. cuspida'ta, Erioco'ma cuspida'ta, E. 



hymenoi'des 



Flower head (panicle) very 

 loose, G to 12 in. long; branches 

 in pairs, widely and stiffly 

 spreading; ultimate branchlets 

 hnirlike, slightly zigzag or \v avy, 

 bending in opposite directions 



Stalks (culms) 1 to 2 ft. tall, 

 erect, rigid, tufted 



Leaves slender, G to 15 in. 

 long, flat or inrolled, stiff, 

 smooth or somewhat harsh to 

 the touch, very numerous 



Individual flower groups (spike- 

 lets) 1-flowered, solitary at 

 slightly enlarged ends of forked 

 branchlets 



Lowest (2) spikelet bracts 

 (glumes) persistent, equal }'\ 

 to % in. long, broad, rounded on 

 back, with long, taper-pointed, 

 somewhat spreading tips, thin 

 and papery, 3- or 5-nerved, 

 minutely downy 



Roots fibrous, numerous, deep, 

 extensive 



Outer flower bract (lemma) 

 about % as long as glumes, firm, 

 hardened, broadly oval, 

 bearded (awned) at tip, almost 

 black at maturity, densely 

 hairy; hairs erect, white, silky, 

 exceeding lemmas; awn simple, 

 straight, up to % in. long, break- 

 ing off at maturity ; inner flower 

 bract (palea) enclosed by edges 

 of lemma 



Indian ricegrass is one of the most important forage grasses on the western 

 desert and semidesert ranges. This hardy, densely tufted perennial is also 

 commonly known as Indian mountain-rice, and is locally called Indian millet, 

 sandgrass, sandrice, and silkygrass. It belongs to the redtop tribe (Agrosti- 

 deae) and is the only one of about 13 species of Oryzopsis in the United States 

 to occur in sufficient abundance and wide distribution on the western ranges 

 to be of outstanding importance. 



