Plant Guide with Characteristics, Classification, and other detailed information

Plant Guide

Bouteloua breviseta Vasey
gypsum grama
BOBR

Summary
Duration	Perennial
Growth Habit	Graminoid
U.S. Nativity	Native to U.S.
Federal T/E Status
National Wetland Indicator

Morphology/Physiology
Active Growth Period	Summer and Fall
After Harvest Regrowth Rate	Moderate
Bloat	None
C:N Ratio	Medium
Coppice Potential	No
Fall Conspicuous	No
Fire Resistant	No
Flower Color	White
Flower Conspicuous	No
Foliage Color	Green
Foliage Porosity Summer	Porous
Foliage Porosity Winter	Porous
Foliage Texture	Medium
Fruit/Seed Color	Brown
Fruit/Seed Conspicuous	No
Growth Form	Rhizomatous
Growth Rate	Moderate
Height at 20 Years, Maximum (feet)
Height, Mature (feet)	2.5
Known Allelopath	No
Leaf Retention	No
Lifespan	Moderate
Low Growing Grass	No
Nitrogen Fixation
Resprout Ability	No
Shape and Orientation	Erect
Toxicity	None

Growth Requirements
Adapted to Coarse Textured Soils	No
Adapted to Fine Textured Soils	No
Adapted to Medium Textured Soils	Yes
Anaerobic Tolerance	None
CaCO3 Tolerance	Low
Cold Stratification Required	No
Drought Tolerance	High
Fertility Requirement	Low
Fire Tolerance	High
Frost Free Days, Minimum	160
Hedge Tolerance	None
Moisture Use	Low
pH, Minimum	5.5
pH, Maximum	7.9
Planting Density per Acre, Minimum
Planting Density per Acre, Maximum
Precipitation, Minimum	12
Precipitation, Maximum	40
Root Depth, Minimum (inches)	12
Salinity Tolerance	None
Shade Tolerance	Intolerant
Temperature, Minimum (°F)	-3

Reproduction
Bloom Period	Mid Summer
Commercial Availability	No Known Source
Fruit/Seed Abundance	High
Fruit/Seed Period Begin	Summer
Fruit/Seed Period End	Fall
Fruit/Seed Persistence	No
Propagated by Bare Root	No
Propagated by Bulb	No
Propagated by Container	No
Propagated by Corm	No
Propagated by Cuttings	No
Propagated by Seed	Yes
Propagated by Sod	No
Propagated by Sprigs	No
Propagated by Tubers	No
Seed per Pound	400000
Seed Spread Rate	Slow
Seedling Vigor	Medium
Small Grain	No
Vegetative Spread Rate	Slow

Suitability/Use
Berry/Nut/Seed Product	No
Christmas Tree Product	No
Fodder Product	Yes
Fuelwood Product	None
Lumber Product	No
Naval Store Product	No
Nursery Stock Product	No
Palatable Browse Animal	High
Palatable Graze Animal	High
Palatable Human	No
Post Product	No
Protein Potential	Medium
Pulpwood Product	No
Veneer Product	No

Kingdom Plantae -- Plants

Subkingdom Tracheobionta -- Vascular plants

Superdivision Spermatophyta -- Seed plants

Division Magnoliophyta -- Flowering plants

Class Liliopsida -- Monocotyledons

Subclass Commelinidae

Order Cyperales

Family Poaceae -- Grass family

Genus Bouteloua Lag. -- grama P

Species Bouteloua breviseta Vasey -- gypsum grama P

Alternate Names

Gypsum grama

Uses

Cattle, horses, sheep, and goats graze Chino grama. Sometimes limited amounts are harvested for hay. It is an important conservation grass, because it is adapted to sites on which few other species will grow.

Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status, such as, state noxious status and wetland indicator values.

Description

Grass Family (Poaceae). Chino grama is a native, warm‑season, perennial bunch grass. The height is between 8 and 12 inches. The leaf blade is usually flat, narrow, 1 to 3 inches long, and curls during prolonged dry periods and at maturity. The leaf sheath is rounded, smooth, and overlapping about two-thirds as long as the internodes. The ligule is hairy and the stem is solid. The seedhead has 2 spikes resembling a chicken's comb on top of each stalk.

Distribution: For current distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.

Management

This grass dies if overgrazed. It requires a full growing season deferment every 2 to 3 years for maximum production.

Establishment

It reproduces largely from auxillary buds at basal nodes. Some new plants are established from seed. When growth starts in the late spring or early summer, most of old growth greens up, because this grass stores nutrients in stems as well as in roots. It grows in nearly pure stands on gypsum sands and highly calcareous clay loam soils.

Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

Please contact your local NRCS Field Office.

Reference

Leithead, H.L., L.L. Yarlett, & T.N. Shiflett. 1976. 100 native forage grasses in 11 southern states. USDA SCS Agriculture Handbook No. 389, Washington, DC.

Prepared By & Species Coordinator:

Percy Magee, USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Edited: 13may02 ahv; jul03 ahv; 20sep05 jsp; 070116 jsp

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS Web site<https://plants.usda.gov> or the Plant Materials Program Web site <https://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov>

Attribution: U.S. Department of Agriculture