FOKEST AND RANGE RESOURCES OF UTAH 21 



Nevada bluegrass {P. nevadensis) , and nodding bluegrass (P. 

 reflexa) are among the species most commonly found at almost any 

 elevation. Two species, Sandberg's bluegrass (P. sandbergii) and 

 Fendler's bluegrass {P. fendleriana) are among the most common 

 plants on the foothill ranges where they make an early growth, and 

 often form an important part of the forage crop. 



THE PORCUPINE GRASSES 



The porcupine grasses (Stipa) of which there are several species 

 on the ranges, are very important forage plants. These are bunch 

 grasses and may be recognized by a hardened lemma ending in a 

 long, bent, twisted, sometimes feathery awn. 



BROWSE 



Browse forage is extremely important on Utah ranges. At practi- 

 cally all elevations and in all sorts of habitats, one or more of the 

 many browse species are prominent among the forage plants present. 



THE MAHOGANIES 



Birch-leaf or common mountain-mahogany {Cercocarpus mon- 

 tanus) is one of the most palatable of the browses, and indeed is 

 among the most palatable plants of any kind, being relished by all 

 kinds of stock. It grows in more or less abundance in the moun- 

 tains up to an altitude of about 8,000 feet in most parts of Utah 

 south of Salt Lake City. 



BITTER BRUSH 



Bitter brush (Purshia tridentata) ranks about the same as birch- 

 leaf mountain-mahogany in forage value, but it has a wider dis- 

 tribution. 



SERVICE BERRY 



There are several species of service berry {Amelanchier) in Utah, 

 the western service berry (A. alnifolia) being the most common and 

 probably the most valuable of the group. Service-berry bushes ordi- 

 narily do not grow in dense stands, yet they grow abundantly enough 

 to be very valuable from a forage standpoint. All kinds of stock 

 seem to relish service berry. 



SNOWBERRY 



Snowberry (Symphoricairpos) is less palatable than the browse 

 species mentioned thus far, but nevertheless is an important forage 

 species because it is so widely distributed and because it usually 

 grows very abundantly. Its soil-binding qualities and its abundant 

 growth make it an important plant as a protection for watersheds. 



YELLOW BRUSH 



The yellow brushes (Chrysothdnnnus) are important forage species 

 because they are moderately palatable and grow to some extent over 

 most of the State, in some places furnishing a great deal of forage. 



