Chloris cucullata Bisch., hooded windmillgrass 
DESCRIPTION 
Warm-season, perennial bunch grass. 
Height : 1 to 2 feet. 
Leaf blade: 2 to 6 inches long; folded to a sharp point; 
bluish green. 
Leaf sheath: Mostly basal; shorter than inter nodes; com- 
pressed or flattened. 
Seedhead: 7 to 12 purplish spikes 1 to 2 inches long, clus- 
tered at end of stem ; spikes turn straw yellow to brownish 
gray at maturity ; lemma of each spikelet has short awn. 
GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS 
New growth starts in early spring and stays green until fall. 
May produce several seed crops during growing season, the earli- 
est one about June. Sometimes has short rhizomes. The windmill 
appearance of seedhead makes identification easy when in flower. 
DISTRIBUTION 
Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. 
SITE ADAPTATION 
Adapted to acid to neutral medium- and coarse-textured soils. 
Not adapted to calcareous or clay soils. 
USE AND MANAGEMENT 
Hooded windmillgrass is grazed moderately by all livestock. 
Quality of forage is fairly high. Amount of forage produced is 
relatively low compared with that of taller growing associated 
grasses. It provides fair-quality forage during winter but should 
be supplemented with protein concentrate. 
Because of low productivity, this grass is seldom a key manage- 
ment species. When it is, no more than 50 percent of the current 
year’s growth by weight should be grazed off. 
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