GHAMINEAE 



seed cannot be collected by means of machinery. No attempt has 

 been made up to the present to raj se it in the nurseries and it 

 has not been planted in the field* 



Aristida spp. -Most of the Three-Awns may well be considered 

 weeds on the range. Thoy are almost without exception indicators 

 of an overgrazed condition. They are unpalatable and for the most 

 part not exceptional as erosion control plants. One of those, ex- 

 ceedingly common throughout the Southwest, is an annual which is 

 abundant along highways and in waste places. This is A . a d s con s i on is, 

 Six-Weeks Three Awn, an introduction from the old world. In south- 

 ern Arizona, southern New Mexico and extending southward through 

 Mexico into South America, is A^ ternipes or Spider Crass, a grass 

 two to three feet high. In Santa Cruz County in Arizona in many 

 places it forms pure stands. The vcr- loose panicles give rise to 

 the name Spider Grass. Although it forms c complete ground cover 

 in places, the stand is seldom dense. Its palatability is relatively 

 low and its . rosion control value is certainly not equal to such 

 grasses as the Boutelcuas. A somewhat similar three -awn is --. 

 orcuttian a or Boggarstick Grass. It is less common but more widely 

 distributed from Texas to southern California than is A. ternipes. 

 It seldom forms pure stands and or. the whole is less valuable. It 

 may be said in passing that these two three-awns, A. ternipes and 

 A. orcuttiana, ere poorly named. Thoy do not hove three awns. Two 

 of the awns in each cose are rudimentary. For this reason they have 

 been confused with the Stipas and the Muhlenbergias. 



A r istida di varicata or Poverty Three-Awn, is widely distri- 

 buted from Kansas to southern California. On hundreds of square 

 miles of overgrazed uplands it is abundant. Perhaps it should be 

 considered a godsend in the. land that man has mutilated. As it is 

 unpalatable -end promoted by overgrazing, it has an opportunity to 

 occupy land which would otherwise be barren. 



A ristida barbate. , the Havard Three-Awn, extends from western 

 Texas to Arizona and central Mexico. It is much more common with 

 us on the plains of northern and eastern New Mexico than elsewhere. 

 It is a low grass with very open panicles which break off at matur- 

 ity and roll about in masses before the wine. It is valueless as 

 forage but is sufficiently abundant in places to be a fair soil 

 binder. 



Aristida f end.leriana , Foadler Three- Awn, is widely distri- 

 buted through the wWtV~hTth us it is very common in the plains 

 country of eastern New Mexico and northern Arizona, frequently form- 

 ing almost pure stands. Like the others, however, its abundance 

 indicates range abuse. It is perhaps one of the better Ari-stidas 

 and is a fair soil binder. 



