Sand dropseed, a tufted perennial, is widely distributed, occurring 

 from Maine to Washington, Arizona, Mexico, Texas, and North 

 Carolina. Although this species is common in all the western range 

 States, except California, it is most important in the Southwest and 

 in certain parts of the Snake, Salmon, and Clearwater river drain- 

 ages in Idaho and Oregon. It most commonly appears at Blower 

 elevations and, as the common name implies, on sandy soils; it also 

 grows on dry coarse soils up to an elevation of 8,000 feet. In its 

 northern range sand dropseed occurs scatteringly with downy chess 

 (Brorrws tectorum), bluebunch wheatgrass (Agropyron spicatum,), 

 and Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis] , and grows sparsely in the 

 sagebrush type on plains and foothills and in canyons throughout the 

 Great Basin. However, on sandy plains, mesas, and foothills in the 

 woodland and ponderosa pine belts, it is common and is frequently 

 associated in the Southwest with oaks, side-oats, and other gramas, 

 muhly grasses, and beardgrasses (Andropogon spp.). 



Sand dropseed produces a fairly large amount of foliage which is 

 palatable to all classes of livestock. Its palatability, depending upon 

 the association in which it occurs, is rated from fair to good on 

 properly grazed range in the Southwest, but in Idaho this perennial 

 is considered very good. In many places this species has been killed 

 out on overgrazed range because of continued close cropping. The 

 herbage cures rather well on the ground and furnishes fair to fairly 

 good winter forage. This plant is a prolific seeder and, when 

 protected or grazed properly, tends to increase on depleted range. 



On the Nezperce National Forest, Idaho, sand dropseed occurs as 

 scattered bunches or in large patches within heavy stands of downy 

 chess and is rapidly replacing that less desirable species according 

 to careful observers. The seeds, which mature in late summer or 

 early fall, are produced in abundance and are remarkably long-lived, 

 as shown by Gross x who found that the seed of sand dropseed had, 

 in some samples, a high germination after having been buried in 

 pots at 42 inches below the ground surface for 20 years. The highest 

 germination out of 6 samples was 74.5 percent and the average of 

 the 6 samples was about 26 percent. This was the highest germina- 

 tion secured from the 22 grasses used in the experiment. The seed 

 coat of sand dropseed is very hard, and scarifying the seed before 

 planting results in better germination. 



Sand dropseed has erect or sometimes spreading, leafy, solid 

 (pithy, like cornstalks) stems, often spreading at the base. The 

 uppermost leaf sheaths partially, often almost entirely, enclose the 

 panicle. The portion of the panicle not enclosed is somewhat 

 spreading and open but is usually rather narrow. The panicle 

 branches are densely flowered, often in pairs and sometimes 

 hairy at the axils. The spikelets are less than one-eighth of an 

 inch long, lead-colored, with unequal glumes one about as long as 

 the lemma and the other about half as long. Often after maturity 

 a large amount of seed will be found in the enveloping leaf sheath. 



1 Goss, W. L. THE VITALITY OP BURIED SEEDS. Jour. A.a;r. Research [U. S.] 29 : 349-362. 



