Plant ID

PWS 330

Sometimes purple, drooping panicle with wiry pedicels, straight awns

Cheatgrass

Tribe: Bromeae

Bromus tectorum

Annual, introduced

Inflorescence bunched together, red-purple color. Short pedicel. Spikelets have long, straight awns

Red brome

Tribe: Bromeae

Bromus rubens

Annual, introduced

Compact, erect inflorescence. Flat spikelets. Many florets, each awned. Small, hairy stems and leaves.

Soft brome

Tribe: Bromeae

Bromus hordeaceus

Annual, introduced

Soft stems = soft brome

Spikelets long, slender, not flat. No awns. W prominent on leaf. Florets compacted. Purpleish.

Smooth brome

Tribe: Bromeae

Bromus inermis

Perennial, introduced

no awns = smooth brome

Narrow panicle. Long, flat spikelets. Straight awns

Mountain brome

Tribe: Bromeae

Bromus carinatus

Perennial, Native

similar to smooth brome (Bromus inermis)

Hairy veins, oval leaf, opposite branching and leaves. Longer petioles. Few flowers, terminal. Fruit is white/cream colored

Snowberry

Caprifoliaceae

Symphoricarpos albus

Perennial, native

Hairy veins, oval leaf, opposite leaves. Leaves sometimes discolor to brown when dried. Flowers are axial. Blue/black berries.

Wolfberry

Caprifoliaceae

Symphoricarpos occidentalis

Perennial, Native

Barrel-like spikelet, wrapped glumes. Glumes have prominent nerves which converge at the tip of the glume.

Vine-mesquite

Paspaleae

Hopia obtusa

Perennial, native

One sided, double-row inflorescence. Spikelets are elliptical shaped and paired. Wrapped glumes. Two inflorescence branches branch in V at the top.

Knotgrass

Paspaleae

Paspalum distichum

Perennial, native

Gray-green, triangular leaves. Female part below (bur with long bristles), male above.

Triangleleaf bursage

Tribe Heliantheae

Ambrosia deltoidea

Perennial, Native

Leaves divided into 3 parts, pale gray-white. White stems, shreds with white lines. Female below, male above.

White bursage

Heliantheae

Ambrosia dumosa

Perennial, Native

Opposite leaves, deeply lobed, short, white hair

Western ragweed

Heliantheae

Ambrosia psilostachya

Perennial, native

Massive, arrow-shaped basal leaves; small leaves near head. very large yellow heads; hairy bracts. Solitary sunflower-like flower.

Arrowleaf balsamroot

Heliantheae

Balsamorhiza sagittata

Perennial, native

Large basal leaves with herringbone venation, waxy. wide bract that are waxy with no hair.

Mule-ears

Heliantheae

Wyethia amplexicaulis

Perennial, native

Very large central disk. Large, rough deltoid leaves, stiff hairs on leaves and stems.

Common sunflower

Heliantheae

Helianthus annuus

Annual, Native

Cone flower, drooping petals. Narrow leaves deeply divided, have stiff white hair. Furrowed stem

Prairie coneflower

Heliantheae

Ratibida columnifera

Perennial, native

Silvery-gray, woolly, deeply serrated leaves. One flower per peduncle, flower petals have 3 lobes.

Desert marigold

Heliantheae

Baileya multiradiata

Perennial, native

Long leaves, long parallel veins. Flowers have 3 lobed petal, flower heads have domed center.

Orange sneezeweed

Heliantheae

Hymenoxys hoopesii

Perennial, Native

small flowers above leaves, no leaves on flowering stem. Distinct node at soil surface. Leaves are thin and wispy. Shark teeth bracts

Bitterweed

Heliantheae

Hymenoxys odorata

Annual, Native

Odd # leaves, compound leaf, Spinulose margin

Family Berberidaceae

Oregon grape

Berberis repens

Perennial, Native

Smooth red bark, thick, leathery leaves with pointed apex.

Family Ericaceae

Pointleaf manzanita

Arctostaphylos pungens

Perennial, native

Leaf has obtuse apex (paddle-shaped leaves), shreddy bark, red fruit

Family Ericaceae

Bearberry or kinnikinnick

Arctostaphylos uva-ursi

Perennial, Native

Lobed leaf, knobby stem, acorns, catkins

Family Fagaceae

Gamble oak

Quercus gambelii

Perennial, native

deeply lobed, boxyish leaves. Stellate hairs

Family Fagaceae

Post oak

Quercus stellata

Perennial, native

Bark has light-colored lenticels

Leaves are double serrated, strong, straight veins, pale interior.

Family Betulaceae

Thinleaf alder

Alnus incana

Perennial, native

Spikelets comb-like

Glumes small and narrow, taper to short awn

Triticeae

Crested Wheatgrass

Agropyron cristatum

Perennial, Introduced

Long spike, 3-6 spikelets per node (bushy). Glumes and lemmas have sharp tip

Super long leaves, sometimes they’re folded on the mounts

Triticeae

Great Basin wildrye

Leymus cinereus

Perennial, Native

short, light awns

3 spikelets per node

glumes are wide, constrict at base

Triticeae

Little Barley

Hordeum pusillum

Annual, Native

Awns are soft, same length and go in sameish direction

glumes are on short pedicel

Triticeae

Foxtail barley

Hordeum jubatum

Perennial, Native

Glumes taper to point, papery margin, almost as long as spikelet

Spikelets overlap ½
Spikelet's compact

Triticeae

Slender wheatgrass

Elymus trachycaulus

Perennial, native

Smooth glumes, ½ length of spikelet

Spikelets fan out a little, overlap ½ to ¾

strongly raised veins on leaves

Triticeae

Western wheatgrass

Pascopyrum smithii

Perennial, native

glume tip is notched

no awns

Spikelets don’t usually overlap

Clasping auricles

Triticeae

Intermediate wheatgrass

Thinopyrum intermedium

Perennial, introduced

Divergent awns

don’t overlap

Semi-clasping auricles

Triticeae

Bluebunch wheatgrass

Pseudoroegneria spicata

Perennial, native

Long, flexible awn

2 spikelets per node

needle glume

Triticeae

Canada wildrye

Elymus canadensis

Perennial, native

Awns are bushy, stand at right-angle

rachis visible, spikelets sessile

Triticeae

Bottlebrush squirreltail

Elymus elymoides

Perennial, native

awns are chaotic

glumes are random and don’t come off in any one direction

Triticeae

Medusahead rye

Taeniatherum caput-medusae

Annual, introduced

Tri-lobed leaf and trifoliate leaf, Yellow flower, red/orange berries

Anacardiaceae

Skunkbrush sumac

Rhus aromatica

Perennial, Native

Fan leaf, 3 major serrations, Tube flowers,

Grossulariaceae

Wax current

Ribes cereum

Perennial, Native

Narrow racemes

Turkey foot

Genticulate awns

Andropogoneae

Big bluestem

Andropogon gerardi

Perennial, native

Raceme inflorescence

Genticulate awn

Purple-bronze seeds followed by fluffy, delicate silver-white seed head.

Andropogoneae

Little bluestem

Schizachyrium scoparium

Perennial, Native

Inflorescence: contracted panicle

Silver-white hair/flower puffs

Genticulate awn

Leaf has white margins

Hare tail

Andropogoneae

Silver bluestem

Bothriochloa laguroides

Perennial, Native

Inflorescence: panicle (each spikelet has a pedicel)

Tawny bronze color

Andropogoneae

Indiangrass

Sorghastrum nutans

Perennial, native

Unilateral, spicate inflorescence. Looks braided.

Long, dark, hairy awns with bends & twists

Andropogoneae

Tanglehead

Heteropogon contortus

Perennial, native

Male and female spikelets

Female on bottom, look like pea pods

Rachis is super wavy up top

Andropogoneae

Eastern gamagrass

Tripsacum dactyloides

Perennial, native

Knotty, swollen base

Hairy, white inflorescence, spikelets taper with visible midveins

Paniceae

Arizona cottontop

Digitaria californica

Perennial, native

Hard, knotty base

bur spikelets, compacted, purple

Paniceae

Buffelgrass

Pennisetum ciliare

Perennial, introduced

1st glume wraps around 2nd, glumes are pointy with dark tip. Blades are flat and basal

Paniceae

Hall’s panic

Panicum hallii

Perennial, native

Glumes clasp, pointy, numerous spikelets, large panicle

Much bigger than Hall’s panicum

Paniceae

Switchgrass

Panicum virgatum

Perennial, Native

Scurfy, long, linear leaves

Fruits have 4 wings

Chenopodiaceae

Fourwing saltbrush

Atriplex canescens

Perennial, Native

Scurfy, pint-pong paddle leaf

spine-tipped branch

1 wing fruit

Chenopodiaceae

Shadscale

Atriplex confertifolia

Perennial, natve

Red & white striped bark. Spiny twig

Small, spatulate leaves

Pink flowers

Chenopodiaceae

Spiny hopsage

Grayia spinosa

Perennial, native

White bark, 90 degree branching

upright succulent leaf

Pink tutu flowers

Chenopodiaceae

Black greasewood

Sarcobatus vermiculatus

Perennial, native

Pitchfork branching from base. Succulent leaf with curved spine

(Red bark)

Chenopodiaceae

Halogeton

Halogeton glomeratus

Annual, introduced

Red & white striped stem

Straight spine-tipped leaf

Chenopodiaceae

Prickly Russian thistle

Salsola tragus

Annual, introduced

Everything has thick wooly hair.

Revolute leaf (curves inward)

Chenopodiaceae

Winterfat

Krascheninnikovia lanata

Perennial, Native

star fruit on axil (armpit of leaf)

wooly hair

Succulent/thick leaf

Woody base

Chenopodiaceae

Green molly

Kochia americana

Perennial, native

star fruit on leaf axil.

Flatter, linear leaves with 3-5 prominent veins.

long, sparse hairs

striated bark

herbaceous base

Chenopodiaceae

Kochia

Kochia scoparia

Annual, introduced

Long, scaly rhizome. Leaves branch 45 degrees from rhizome with alternating leaves.

Lead-straw colored florets

Eragrosteae

Inland saltgrass

Distichlis spicata

Perennial, Native

Huge spreading panicle with small spikelets

Big roots with bleached die back

Eragrosteae

Alkali sacaton

Sporobolus airoides

Perennial, Native

Long leaves, long inflorescence

rhizomes stout and scaly

1 floret per spikelet

No awn

Some hair in spikelets

Thicker spikelets than tall dropseed

Eragrosteae

Prairie sandreed

Calamovilfa longifolia

Perennial, Native

Open, “sand blasted” panicle.

V glumes with banana florets

Sometimes there’s fuzz in spikelet

Eragrosteae

Blowout grass

Redfieldia flexuosa

Perennial, Native

Muhly spikelet with tight panicle

Long, wavy awns

Leaves start at base

Frog foot on 2nd glume

Eragrosteae

Mountain muhly

Muhlenbergia montana

Perennial, Native

Open panicle

Short internodes make zig-zag shape

Straight awns

dark spikelets, long awns

Eragrosteae

Bush muhly

Muhlenbergia porteri

Perennial, Native

Open panicle

basal leaves are thin, curl into cow-lick

fine awns, black lemma, short glumes

Eragrosteae

Ring muhly

Muhlenbergia torreyi

Perennial, native

Green inflorescence with vein on glume

Short, contracted panicle

Spikelets all along pedicel with multiple florets

Very hairy collar

Eragrosteae

Weeping lovegrass

Eragrostis curvula

Perennial, Introduced

Open panicle

Terminal spikelets on pedicel

Purple/red colored spikelets, lots of florets

Some hair on collar

Eragrosteae

Sand lovegrass

Eragrostis trichodes

Perennial, Native

Stacked V-Florets, Lemmas blunt with a notch, No awns

Alternate panicle branches

Eragrosteae

Green sprangletop

Leptochloa dubia

Perennial, native

Contracted panicle, enclosed at base by sheath

light, translucent glumes

1 floret/spikelet

Largeish spikelets

Eragrosteae

Tall dropseed

Sporobolus compositus

Perennial, Native

Open panicle with alternating branches

Inflorescence often in sheath

Hairy collar

Tiny spikelets

Eragrosteae

Sand dropseed

Sporobolus cryptandrus

Perennial, Native

Blue-green glumes, translucent & rounded

curled basal leaves

no awns

Sometimes fuzz in floret

Eragrosteae

Pine dropseed

Blepharoneuron tricholepis

Perennial, Native

Dioecious (male and female plants. Usually both on mount)

Male: no awns

Female: very long awns

Low growing, sharp, slender, twisted leaves with white collar

Stoloniferous

Eragrosteae

Burrowgrass

Scleropogon brevifolius

Perennial, Native

White/ yellow Corymbiform flower

Finely dissected, pubescent leaves (fern-like)

Anthemideae

Western yarrow

Achillea millefolium

Perennial, native

Leaves are multiple shapes and sizes

Sage-green color, hairy

Simple stems with inflorescence above

Anthemideae

Cudweed sagewort

Artemisia ludoviciana

Perennial, native

Linear leaves with “silver’ color, hairy

Long flag leaves below flower head

Flowers and leaves mixes

Anthemideae

Silver sagebrush

Artemisia cana

Perennial, Native

Finley dissected, skinny leaves. Sometimes 3 long serrations

Anthemideae

Sand sagebrush

Artemisia filifolia

Perennial, native

Leaves divided, filiform, fascicled, hairy

Flowers above plant growth

Anthemideae

Fringed sagebrush

Artemisia frigida

Perennial, native

Flowers above leave

Low shrub, shreddy bark, dark branches

3 lobed leaves with shoulders. Black glands on leaf

Anthemideae

Black sagebrush

Artemisia nova

Perennial, native

Leaves and flowers mix

gray, shreddy branches

3 lobed leaves with no shoulder

Anthemideae

Big sagebrush

Artemisia tridentata

Perennial, native

3 awns!

unequal glumes, basal leaves

Purple/red color

Aristideae

Purple threeawn

Aristida purpurea

Perennial, Native

BIG grass, rough leaf margin, nodding inflorescence

Arundineae

Common reed

Phragmites australis

Perennial, Introduced

Loose, spreading panicle, spreads at wide angles

Large black seeds, hairy

Die back, basal leaves

Stipeae

Indian ricegrass

Achnatherum hymenoides

Perennial, native

Inflorescence close to rachis, white dot @ spikelet base, genticulate awns

Stipeae

Columbia needlegrass

Achnatherum nelsonii

Perennial, native

Long awn, wavy

Glumes end in long point

1 floret/spikelet

Stipeae

Needleandthread

Hesperostipa comata

Perennial, native

Bracts have purple stripe

Basal leaves, less incised

Single terminal flowerhead

Cichorieae

False dandelion

Agoseris glauca

Perennial, native

Many flowers/stem

Basal leaves taper to a tip

Deeper serrations

Cichorieae

Tapertip hawksbeard

Crepis acuminata

Perennial, native

Very deep leaf serrations, almost to rachis

Broad tip leaves

2 rows of bracts: 1 upright, 1 curled down

Taproot

Cichorieae

Dandelion

Taraxacum officinale

Perennial, Introduced

Spines on leaf veins & edges

leaves get smaller closer to top

Cichorieae

Prickly lettuce

Lactuca serriola

Annual, introduced

Opposite leave, sometimes clasping @ base

Blue tube flowers

Plantaginaceae

Blue penstemon

Penstemon glaber

Perennial, native

Linear leaves (can look like grass)

Pencil-thin spike

Translucent white flowers

Very wooly everywhere

Plantaginaceae

Wooly plantain

Plantago patagonica

Annual, native

Corymb inflorescence

Harry leaves and stems

Leaves pale underside

Polygonaceae

Corymb buckwheat

Eriogonum corymbosum

Perennial, native

Inflated stem

Dichotomous branching

Oval basal leaves

Polygonaceae

Desert trumpet

Eriogonum inflatum

Annual, native

Acuminate apex

sometimes serrated margin

Bicolor leaves

Salicaceae

Quaking aspen

Populus tremuloides

Perennial, native

Short & fat leaves

Bicolor leaves

catkins

Salicaceae

Bebb’s willow

Salix bebbiana

Perennial, native

Linear leaves, sessile/short petiole

Hairy leaves on both sides

catkins

Salicaceae

Coyote willow

Salix exigua

Perennial, native

Imbricate (narrow & overlapping)

Look like juniper, delicate

Pink flowers

Tamaricaceae

Saltcedar

Tamarix ramosissima

Perennial, introduced

Pendulum spikelets, smaller

30-50 spikelets

Small awns

Rhizomes

Cynodonteae

Sideoats grama

Bouteloua curtipendula

Perennial, Native

Pendent spikelets, more erect

Spikelets are fatter & wider

5-10 spikelets

Longer awns

No rhizomes

Cynodonteae

Slender grama

Bouteloua repens

Perennial, native

Dioecious

Curly basal leaves

Stolons

Unilateral florets

Cynodonteae

Buffalograss

Bouteloua dactyloides

Perennial, Native

Black gland on glumes

flag leaf

extended rachis

Cynodonteae

Hairy grama

Bouteloua hirsuta

Perennial, native

Eyelash curl

Rachis doesn’t extend

NO glands

Sparse hair on inflorescence

Cynodonteae

Blue grama

Bouteloua gracilis

Perennial, native