(Alt: Agropyron spicatum )
grasslike
Distribution: Foothills, Greenbelt, Mid Elevation, West Valley, Oregon Trail, Conifer Zone
UW Burke Herbarium Link: Pseudoroegneria spicata
USDA Plants Link: Pseudoroegneria spicata (PSSPI)
Wildflower walks along the Boise Front
UW Burke Herbarium Link: Pseudoroegneria spicata
USDA Plants Link: Pseudoroegneria spicata (PSSPI)
The status of bluebunch wheatgrass is complicated, in that both native and non-native forms are common in the Boise Front. The native, locally adapted genotype (= genetically unique form) forms rather messy clumps with straight, slender inflorescences, most often on north-facing slopes in reasonably intact shrub-steppe. In contrast, the non-native genotype(s), which are widely used for post-fire rehabilitation, are generally larger and more erect, and can also form more solid stands in a diversity of habitats. Bluebunch wheatgrass is one of the most widely used native grasses propagated for various purposes, with multiple cultivars developed from particularly vigorous sources.