The eastern glaciated plains extend from near 

 Havre to the Montana-North Dakota border, with a 

 southern boundary that roughly follows the Mis- 

 souri River. The dark grayish brown soils of these 

 wide valleys, foothills, and benchlands have fescues, 

 wheatgrasses, neeedle-and-thread, and bromes*. 

 Shrubs growing here are serviceberry, western 

 chokecherry, buffaloberry, and rose. 



Smooth Brome 



Sandberg Bluegrass 



In a wide area extending on either side of the Mis- 

 souri River, known as the Missouri Breaks, the vege- 

 tation suits the rugged terrain. Scrub pine, juniper, 

 and some Ponderosa pine cling to the heavy clay 

 soils of the steep, dry cliffs and gorges. Bluebunch 

 wheatgrass, blue grama, Sandberg bluegrass*, and 

 plains muhly grow here, along with rabbitbrush, 

 sagebrush, yucca, and pricklypear. 



Plains Muhly 



The western sedimentary plains curve in a wide 

 reverse "S" from the Missouri River to Montana's 

 southern border. Vegetation in these benchlands and 

 wide valleys is composed of fescues, bluebunch and 

 western wheatgrasses, blue grama, plains muhly*, 

 and shrubs of the foothills type. Sagebrush domi- 

 nates in some parts of this region. Saltbush, prickly- 

 pear, phlox, and wildbuckwheat occur in smaller 

 amounts. 



j Buffalograss 



'O 



Montana's eastern sedimentary plains are marked 

 by scattered stands of Ponderosa pine on the dry up- 

 per elevations. Grasses here are the wheatgrasses, 

 fescues, sideoats grama, Indian ricegrass, and Sand- 

 berg bluegrass. In sandy places, big and little blue- 

 stem are the principal grasses. Forbs are plantain, 

 wild onion, and biscuitroot; shrubs are snowberry. 

 pricklypear, and skunkbush sumac. The only re- 

 maining pure stand of buffalograss* grows in the 

 southeastern corner of the state. It was once one of 

 the most abundant grasses on the western plains. 



