G100 



Po'a fendleria'na, syns. 



MUTTONGRASS 



P. brevipanicula' ta, P. longipeduncula'ta, P. 

 scabrius'cula 



Flower head (panicle) 1 to 4 in. long, 

 narrow, oblong, densely flowered, erect 

 or slightly nodding; branches in 2's or 

 3's, ascending, flower-bearing to near 

 the base 



Stalks (culms) densely tufted, erect, 

 1 to 2 ft. tall, rough just below the 

 flower head; many culms not head' 

 producing 



Leaves mostly basal, pale bluisli green; 

 2 to 12 in. long, stiff, often tightly 

 folded, rough beneath; stem leaves 

 usually less than 1 in. long; sheaths 

 usually rough above; bract (ligule) at 

 junction of blade and sheath, usually 

 minute 



Individual flower groups (spikelets) 

 5- to 7-flowered, about % in. long, 

 somewhat flattened, often purplish; 

 "A" male (staminate) and "B" female 

 (pistillate) flowers, usually borne on 

 separate plants 



Outer flower bract (lemma) about ft 

 in. long, green or purplish below, with 

 jagged, transparent-papery tip, stiff- 

 hairy toward tip of midnerve, soft- 

 hairy below on the marginal nerves and 

 midnerve 



Lowest (2) spikelet bracts (glumes) 

 about % in. long, somewhat unequal; 

 first glume rough, 1-nerved, shorter 

 than the 3-nerved second glume 



Roots fibrous, numerous, extensive; 

 stooling well developed but long-run- 

 ning rootstocks lacking 



Muttongrass, also called Fendler bluegrass and mutton bluegrass, 

 is one of the most widely distributed and important of native blue- 

 grasses. In fact, throughout the central Rocky Mountains it ranks 

 among the 20 most important range grasses. The common name 

 muttongrass is very appropriate, as it is one of the most nutritious 



