BACKPACK GUIDE TO
Idaho Range Plants Seventh Edition
Brought to you by the University of Idaho Rangeland Center and the Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission.
Š 2012 University of Idaho Rangeland Center and Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission. The University of Idaho Rangeland Center and the Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission are mutually dedicated to fostering the understanding and sustainable stewardship of Idaho’s vast rangeland landscapes by providing scientifically-based educational resources about rangeland ecology and management. Seminal contributions to this publication were provided by Juley Hankins-Smith and Connor White. Many other friends and alumni of the Rangeland Center are credited for their contributions to this and previous versions, including editorial review by Nancy Shaw and Adela Villers. Front Cover Photo: Jen Peterson Back Cover Photo: Connor White Photographs in this guide are from friends, faculty, students and alumni of the Rangeland Center. These people include: Jen Peterson, Karen and Karl Launchbaugh, Connor White, Seth McFarland, Mel Johnson, Julie Hankins-Smith, Erica Case, Noel Winegart, Julia Workman, Josh Corbett and Lovina Roselle.
Backpack Guide to Idaho Range Plants Seventh Edition
Table of Contents Preface and Introduction ........................................ 4 Vegetation Regions.................................................. 7 Identifying Range Plants and Their Parts .......... 14 Grasses .................................................................... 19 Grass-like Plants .................................................... 73 Forbs ........................................................................ 83 Shrubs and Trees ................................................. 125 Glossary................................................................. 164 Weed Terminology .............................................. 165 References ............................................................. 166 Credits ................................................................... 168 Index to Plant Names .......................................... 170
Preface The first step toward understanding the ecology and management of rangelands is learning to recognize important rangeland plants and discovering how and where they grow. This book was written as a guide to some of the most common and important range plants in Idaho. We hope it will be useful to students, educators, and others curious by the wide array of plants found on Idaho’s diverse rangelands. The plants included in this guide were illustrated with line drawings and described in detail. This 7th edition features color photos of each plant, to assist in identification. Technical botanical terms were avoided when possible, but in some cases these terms were needed for accurate description. A glossary is included to define unfamiliar terms, and diagrams aid in identifying various plant parts, structures, and shapes. This book includes 69 key species that rangeland plant enthusiasts should know, but there are many important species that are not discussed. More information about rangeland plants can be found in the references listed in the back of the guide. All comments and critiques are welcome. Suggestions can be e-mailed to range@uidaho.edu or mailed to the Rangeland Center, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844-1135.
Introduction to Idaho Rangeland The state of Idaho encompasses 53 million acres. Nearly 26 million acres, or 48% of Idaho’s land area, is classified as rangeland. Rangeland includes grasslands, shrublands, woodlands, open forests, mountain meadows, streamside riparian communities, and tundra. The geographic and climatic regimes of Idaho’s rangelands are very diverse, which creates many unique plant communities and associations. Rangelands are important to everyone because they provide natural beauty, diversity of wildlife, recreational opportunities like hunting, hiking, and camping, and economic values, including ranching, mining, and electrical power. Rangelands also serve as important watersheds for production of clean abundant water. The soils, vegetation, and water of rangelands are important to the ecological and economic health of Idaho and everyone living here. Because 69% of the total land area in Idaho is publicly owned, rangelands are primarily managed by federal agencies, including the Bureau of Land Management and US Forest Service, and by the State of Idaho 4
through the Departments of Lands, Idaho Fish and Game, and Idaho Parks and Recreation. About one third of Idaho is owned by private individuals and families who manage their rangeland for economic benefit and personal enjoyment. Included in theses privately owned lands are Native American Tribes, such as the Nez Perce and ShoshoneBannock Tribes, who manage tribal lands that comprise about 464,077 acres or 1% of Idaho’s land.
There are several ecological forces that shape and influence the natural landscapes that characterize Idaho’s rangelands. Individual plants and vegetation communities continually respond to forces such as grazing, fire, and drought. Grazing is an important natural process on all rangeland communities. Rangeland plants native to Idaho rangelands have become adapted to herbivory and have evolved their structure and function in response to grazing. Grazing by wild and domestic herbivores can stimulate native range plants to grow and can maintain vigorous plant communities. However, prolonged overgrazing can be detrimental to the health of rangelands. Good land managers are careful to manage the season and amount of grazing. Fire plays an important role in the health of rangeland landscapes. Fire is nature’s tool that removes the dead biomass that can accumulate in rangeland plant communities. Occasional fire on rangelands is important in forming and maintaining healthy rangelands. Natural fire is important to keep invasive woody plants, like juniper, in check and maintain open landscapes. Most plants on rangelands are adapted to fire and can recover quickly. 5
Low precipitation (< 10 inches per year) throughout most of Idaho creates plant communities, such as grasslands and shrublands, that can survive hot, dry summers. These plants have elaborate root systems that effectively gather soil moisture even in the driest of conditions. Water is another important resource derived from Idahoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rangelands. Although rangelands are often perceived as dry, unyielding landscapes, the precipitation that falls during the winter months recharges groundwater storage and provides return flows to the many miles of streams, lakes, and reservoirs scattered throughout the state. Important uses of water in Idaho include urban use, irrigation, generation of hydroelectric power, and recreational activities. As water consumption and use continues to increase, healthy rangeland ecosystems are becoming increasingly important. Rangeland plants are an important forage resource to the many animals that inhabit Idaho rangelands, including deer, elk, antelope, and domestic livestock. Grasses such as Mountain Brome, Timothy, Sandberg Bluegrass, Idaho Fescue, Bluebunch Wheatgrass, Great Basin Wildrye, Needle-and-Thread, Crested Wheatgrass, and Bottlebrush Squirreltail provide nutritious diets for grazing animals like elk and cattle. Deer and goats eat mostly shrubs like Bitterbrush and Curlleaf Mountainmahogany. Antelope and sheep eat mostly wildflower-type plants, called forbs, in the spring and summer. In the winter, they rely on shrubs such as Shadscale and Big Sagebrush to fill their rumens. Any animal foraging on rangeland must use caution and learn what plants can be eaten because plants like Tailcup Lupine and Greasewood are poisonous and can kill a careless herbivore if it eats too much. Invasive plants, called weeds, are one of the great modern challenges to maintaining healthy rangelands. Weeds are plants that are not native to North America but were introduced, intentionally or accidentally. Woody plants are bad because they can invade and become established in natural plant communities, out competing the desirable plants and reducing biodiversity and habitat quality. Noxious weeds are a subset of invasive plants that are recognized and designated by local, state and federal governments as requiring control or attention. The management of rangeland weeds is most successful when weed populations are detected when they are small and steps can be taken to eliminate the weeds. Once weeds become established over large areas, integrated weed management strategies must be used that combine biocontrol with insects and pathogens, herbicides, prescribed grazing and other control techniques.
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Vegetation Regions Idaho has a vast diversity of plant communities from mountain tundra to canyon grasslands and from diverse wet meadows to barren sand dunes. These diverse habitats can be categorized in five major vegetation regions.
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Sagebrush Grasslands Region When people think of "The West", they often envision miles and miles of sagebrush. This classic western rangeland type, which is a mix of sagebrush and bunchgrass, dominates about 18.5 million acres in Southern Idaho. These rangelands stretch across the plains, plateaus, and valleys south of the Salmon River. Lower elevations support stands of shorter and smaller shrubs compared to taller "savanna-like" stands at higher elevations. Precipitation generally ranges from 10 to 18 inches per year. Big sagebrush is the main kind of sagebrush in Idaho, but a keen observer may notice that there are about a dozen different species of sagebrush. Sage grouse, pronghorn antelope, and black-tailed jackrabbits call sagebrush grasslands home. The shrub-grass mix provides good spring and fall grazing for livestock and wildlife. Common plants include: Big sagebrush Western yarrow Rabbitbrush Bluebunch wheatgrass Arrowleaf balsamroot Crested wheatgrass Sandberg bluegrass Tapertip hawksbeard Downy brome
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Juniper Woodlands Region In Southern Idaho, two kinds of small evergreen trees, Western Juniper and Utah Juniper, create a kind of "pygmy forest" (covering about 1.6 million acres). Juniper woodlands usually occur on the rougher terrain and can be dense or open depending on soils and topography. These woodlands usually occur in scattered patches rather than solid stands (adding up to about 1.6 million acres). Annual precipitation ranges from 12 to 30 inches per year. Out on the range, we generally try to fight wildfires. This fire fighting benefits the juniper trees because they are usually killed by fire. The lack of natural wildfires allows juniper to expand into adjacent sagebrush-grasslands. The juniper woodlands are important "watersheds" that yield water for agriculture and other human uses. The woodlands are also important winter range for wildlife, especially deer and songbirds. Plus, the juniper trees are often harvested for fence posts and other wood products. Common plants include:
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Western juniper Bluebunch wheatgrass Big sagebrush Sandberg bluegrass Arrowleaf balsamroot Bottlebrush squirreltail Wild Onion
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Salt-Desert Shrub Region "Desert" usually brings to mind hot, dry places with lots of blowing sand. In Southern Idaho, equally dry deserts are created by salty soils and cold temperatures. Shrubs that are able to live in these salty soils dominate this "cold desert" (covering 1.5 million acres). As the name suggests, soil salinity is a key feature of this rangeland area. These shrublands get very little precipitation each year, usually 10 inches or less. Shrubs are generally better suited for these harsh conditions than grasses or forbs because of their deep root systems. Because these shrubs have high nutritive value in winter, salt deserts are excellent winter range for pronghorn antelope and are considered some of the world's best range for winter sheep grazing. Common plants include: Shadscale saltbush Bottlebrush squirreltail Fourwing saltbush Indian ricegrass Greasewood Winterfat Russian thistle Low sagebrush
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Pacific Bunchgrass Region When settlers arrived in Northern Idaho in the 1880's, they found mostly forest except for a few rolling prairies of bunchgrass (about 1.2 million acres). These exploring farmers found the deep rich soils and moist climate of the Palouse and Camas prairies favorable for growing wheat and other crops. Precipitation ranges from 12-30 inches per year. Today, most of the prairies are farmland, and very little of the native bunchgrass remains. The existing canyon and foothill grasslands continue to provide high quality spring forage for sheep and cattle and good winter habitat for deer and quail. Common plants include: Snowberry Bluebunch wheatgrass Woods rose Idaho fescue Arrowleaf balsamroot Sandberg bluegrass Biscuitroot
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Coniferous Forest and Meadow Region Most of Northern and Central Idaho is dominated by evergreen coniferous forest (totaling about 22 million acres) receiving 40 or more inches of snow and rain each year. Most of this area is dense forest interspersed with natural openings called meadows. In between the trees is vegetation characteristic of rangeland (grasses, forbs, and shrubs) that is valuable habitat for all kinds of grazing animals. Shrubby vegetation near the forest edge is especially important for deer and elk, and the meadows are important summer range for both wildlife and livestock. In the summer and fall, the region is a hotspot for backpackers, mountain bikers, hunters, fishers, and other outdoor enthusiasts. Common plants include: Ponderosa pine Mountain brome Chokecherry Elk sedge Woods rose Pinegrass Wild geranium Tufted hairgrass
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Jen Peterson
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How to Identify Range Plants
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Identification of Grasses and Their Parts Learning to identify grass species is difficult for most people when starting out. The plant parts are small, green, and generally not showy, which makes them much less glamorous than the shrubs, wildflowers, or trees. When learning to recognize subtle differences among grasses, diagrams and illustrations can be extremely helpful. It is much easier to draw those little plant parts than it is to describe them. Following are some diagrams of various grass structures that are used to identify and describe grasses.
Structure of Grasses
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Flower Types of Forbs and Shrubs Identifying forbs and shrubs is much easier when their various parts can be described accurately. Here are some of the basic flower descriptions used to identify and describe range plants.
Types of Inflorescences
Spike
Raceme
Panicle
Head
Umbel
Composite Heads
Ray and Disk Flowers
Ray Flowers
Disk Flowers 15
Basics of Forb and Shrub Leaves Identifying forbs and shrubs is much easier when their various parts can be described accurately. Here are some of the basic leaf descriptions used to identify and describe range plants.
Arrangement
Basal
Alternate
Opposite
Whorled
Types
Simple 16
Compound - palmate
Compoundpinnate
Leaf Shapes One of the most important identifying characteristics is the shape of a plantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s leaf. Here are some of the basic leaf shapes used to identify and describe range plants.
Elliptic
Linear
Palmate
Ovate
Lanceolate Oblanceolate
Wedge-shaped
Arrow-shaped
Obovate 17
Leaf Margins and Veination Careful attention to the margins and veination of leaves is also important when distinguishing plants. Here are some of the basic margins and veination types used to identify and describe range plants.
Margins
Entire
Serrated
Lobed-pinnate
Toothed Scalloped
Lobed-palmate
Veination
Pinnate 18
Netted
Parallel
Palmate
Grasses Bluebunch Wheatgrass ............................................ 20 Bottlebrush Squirreltail ............................................ 22 Bulbous Bluegrass .................................................... 24 Columbia Needlegrass............................................. 26 Crested Wheatgrass.................................................. 28 Down Brome or Cheatgrass .................................... 30 Foxtail Barley............................................................. 32 Great Basin Wildrye ................................................. 34 Idaho Fescue .............................................................. 36 Indian Ricegrass ........................................................ 38 Intermediate Wheatgrass ........................................ 40 Kentucky Bluegrass .................................................. 42 Meadow Foxtail ........................................................ 44 Mountain Brome ....................................................... 46 Needle and Thread ................................................... 48 Orchardgrass ............................................................. 50 Pinegrass .................................................................... 52 Prairie Junegrass ....................................................... 54 Purple Threeawn ...................................................... 56 Reed Canarygrass ..................................................... 58 Sand Dropseed .......................................................... 60 Sandberg Bluegrass .................................................. 62 Smooth Brome ........................................................... 64 Timothy ...................................................................... 66 Tufted Hairgrass ....................................................... 68 Western Wheatgrass................................................. 70
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Bluebunch Wheatgrass Pseudoroegneria spicata
Bluebunch wheatgrass is a cool-season, perennial bunchgrass. It is native to western North America, and particularly common in the Pacific Northwest.
LIFE CYCLE Bluebunch wheatgrass begins its growth in midspring, puts up seed heads in late spring to early summer, and matures by mid-summer.
FLOWERING PARTS The seed head of bluebunch wheatgrass is a spike, from 2¼ to 6 inches long. Each floret has an awn, ½ to ¾ inches long, that bends outward as the seed head dries out. The stems grow to be 1 to 3 feet tall.
VEGETATIVE PARTS The plant is usually a bluish-greenish-grayish color during the growing season. The leaves are ¾ to 10 inches long and less than ¼ inch wide. The leaf blades are a bit rough to the touch and either flat or loosely curled inward.
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT This grass grows in many parts of western North America. It is a prominent and important native grass throughout most of Idaho, including the sagebrush grasslands, Pacific bunchgrass region, juniper woodlands, and open forests and foothills. Both drought-and cold-tolerant, it grows on all types of soils, though it does not do well on alkaline soils.
INTERESTING FACTS This grass provides good forage for livestock and grazing wildlife yearround, although it is most palatable in the early growing season. It cures well and makes nutritious winter forage. Bluebunch wheatgrass seeds also feed birds in the winter.
LOOK-ALIKES Bluebunch wheatgrass looks similar to other bunch-type wheatgrasses or wildryes. Look for a generally blue-gray-green color and the ½ to ¾ inch long awns that are bent outward. Also, wheatgrasses only have one spikelet per node on the seed stalk; wildryes have two or more spikelets attached at the same spot or node. 20
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Bottlebrush Squirreltail Elymus elymoides
Bottlebrush squirreltail is a cool-season, perennial bunchgrass, native to the dry regions of western North America.
LIFE CYCLE Bottlebrush squirreltail begins growing in early spring, puts up seed heads in late spring, and becomes dormant by mid summer. If there is enough moisture in the fall, this grass may produce a few new leaves before winter.
FLOWERING PARTS The seed head of this grass is a spike that resembles a bottlebrush. When dry, the seed head easily breaks apart. The spikelets are usually attached in groups of two per node and have several awns up to 4 inches long.
VEGETATIVE PARTS The leaf blades are usually flat, but sometimes the edges are rolled. They measure 2 to 8 inches long, have conspicuous veins, and may be slightly hairy. Auricles are small and may be purplish in color. The stems and seed stalks stand stiff and erect. They are 1 to 2 feet at maturity.
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT Bottlebrush squirreltail grows in many of the western states, mainly in dry regions, such as the sagebrush grasslands, juniper woodlands, and salt desert shrublands of Idaho. It grows on all kinds of soils, most commonly on dry or gravely areas, including alkaline or saline soils. It is often found on disturbed lands.
INTERESTING FACTS The long awns of this grass have tiny barbs that make the seeds stick to socks, fur, etc. This characteristic can disperse seeds over the landscape. The sharp tips of the spikelet can work into animals’ mouths and other soft tissues, causing pain and injury to animals that try to graze mature bottlebrush squirreltail seed heads.
LOOK-ALIKES Bottlebrush squirreltail is very similar in appearance to foxtail barley. The bristles and awns of squirreltail are stiff and barbed, whereas the awns of foxtail are slender, smooth, and flexible. Squirreltail’s seed heads disintegrate at maturity, and foxtail barley’s seed heads do not. Also, foxtail barley does not have auricles. 22
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Grass-likes are neither grasses, or forbs. They have circular or triangular stems, and are usually found near water.
Grass-like Plants
Baltic Rush ................................................................. 74 Elk Sedge .................................................................... 76 Hardstem Bulrush .................................................... 78 Nebraska Sedge......................................................... 80
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Baltic Rush Juncus arcticus
Baltic rush, also called wire rush or wiregrass, is a coolseason, perennial, grass-like plant of the rush (Juncaceae) family. It is a common species that is native to North America, Europe, and Asia.
LIFE CYCLE Baltic rush begins growth in early spring, matures and flowers during summer, and produces seeds into late summer. It reproduces from seeds and spreads by underground scaly rhizomes that often extend several feet.
FLOWERING PARTS The flowers and seeds are arranged in a brown or purplish panicle growing sideways from the seed stalk near the tip. The seeds grow in sharp-tipped capsules that split open when ripe.
VEGETATIVE PARTS This rush appears leafless, because the leaves are reduced to small sheaths around the base of the stems. The stems are round with no joints (like all rushes), dark green in color, and can grow up to 30 inches tall. These stems are also very stiff, stout, wiry and smooth.
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT Baltic rush grows on riparian areas in Idaho. Although normally found in forested regions, it also occurs in wetland habitats of the drier regions of Idaho. It is a major component of wetland habitats that are wet and subirrigated but can withstand considerable drying in summer. It prefers wetland soils and sediments deposited by moving water.
INTERESTING FACTS Baltic rush was named by a German botanist in the 18 th century to signify its common occurrence along the shores of the Baltic Sea. Native Americans used it for weaving baskets, and because of its abundance, it was often used by children learning to weave. It is grazed by animals but its wiry stems are of low quality, making it less desirable.
LOOK-ALIKES Baltic rush is one of the most abundant of rushes in Idaho. Look for a general wiry appearance and the dark green stems that continue past the flower heads. Distinguish it by examining the size and arrangement of seeds. 74
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Elk Sedge Carex geyeri
Elk sedge is a cool-season, perennial, grass-like plant in the sedge (Cyperaceae) family that is native to North America.
LIFE CYCLE Elk sedge begins growth in very early spring, often before the snow melts. Plants mature and flower in late spring, and the leaves green up again in late fall. It reproduces by seeds and spreads by underground rhizomes.
FLOWERING PARTS This sedge, like many sedges, has male and female flowers located in separate spikes on the same stem. The male flowers are in a brown scaly spike just above the plump female flowers that are surrounded by a brown paper glume connected directly to the stem. The flower stalks are triangular in cross section and stand between 8 and 20 inches tall. The seeds are triangular in cross section and about Âź inch long.
VEGETATIVE PARTS Elk Sedge grow in thick and dense mats. Its leaves are up to â&#x2026;&#x203A; inch wide, and they are almost as tall as the seed stalks (up to 20 inches). The leaves are tough and wiry and difficult to pull up from the base. The rhizomes are scaly and thick.
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT Elk sedge is found in the mountainous forested regions of Idaho. It grows under open forests, in dry meadows, and on slopes and ridges. It grows well on many types of soil.
INTERESTING FACTS Wildlife and livestock graze it in the early spring, because it is green earlier than most other forages. It is also grazed in the late fall, because it remains green longer than other sedges and grasses. As the name implies, elk like it in winter and early spring.
LOOK-ALIKES Elk sedge is similar in appearance to pinegrass, and they both occur in the same types of habitats. Look for the reddish or purplish bases of the pinegrass and/or the brown seed heads at the tips of the elk sedge to distinguish them. 76
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Hardstem Bulrush Schoenoplectus acutus
Hardstem bulrush is a cool-season, perennial, grass-like plant of the sedge (Cyperaceae) family and is native to North America.
LIFE CYCLE Hardstem bulrush begins growth in early spring, maturing and setting seed throughout summer. It reproduces through seeds and spreading rhizomes.
FLOWERING PARTS The seed head is a panicle that originates just below the tip of the main stem of the plant. It can have as many as 60 spikelets clumped together at the end of individual branches. Each spikelet contains 20 to 50 flowers.
VEGETATIVE PARTS Hardstem bulrush plants tend to form dense stands. The stiff stems are dark green and 3 to 12 feet tall. The leaves wrap around the stem and have a tapered tip standing above the seed head. Its roots are extensive, black, and wiry.
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT Hardstem bulrush is a water-loving plant and is usually found around standing water. It occurs in lakes, ponds, swamps, ditches, and other riparian areas. It prefers boggy, marshy, organic soils and can be found throughout Idaho at lower elevations and interior North America on soggy or flooded wetland sites.
INTERESTING FACTS Hardstem bulrush was used as a food source by Native Americans. They would grind up or boil the starchy roots and eat the tender new shoots raw or cooked. Sometimes the pollen was used in breads. It has very fibrous leaves and stems, preventing grazing. The stringy roots and stems are important for stabilizing stream banks during high flows.
LOOK-ALIKES Hardstem bulrush resembles many other rushes found in wetlands, including Baltic rush. Hardstem bulrush is much larger in stature than Baltic rush, and the flower seed heads of hardstem bulrush originate very near the tip of the stem compared to Baltic rush, where the stem extends for several inches past the seed head. 78
Forbs Arrowleaf Balsamroot .............................................. 84 Biscuitroot or Lomatium ......................................... 86 Cudweed or Louisiana Sagewort ........................... 88 Curlycup Gumweed................................................. 90 False Hellebore .......................................................... 92 Fireweed..................................................................... 94 Halogeton................................................................... 96 Indian Paintbrush ..................................................... 98 Low Larkspur .......................................................... 100 Mules Ear ................................................................. 102 Nodding Onion ....................................................... 104 Penstemon................................................................ 106 Prairie Camas .......................................................... 108 Russian Thistle or Tumbleweed ........................... 110 Tailcup Lupine ........................................................ 112 Tall Larkspur ........................................................... 114 Tapertip Hawksbeard ............................................ 116 Western Salsify........................................................ 118 Western Yarrow ...................................................... 120 Wild Geranium ....................................................... 122
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Arrowleaf Balsamroot Balsamorhiza sagittata
Arrowleaf balsamroot is a perennial, native forb in the aster (Asteraceae) family.
LIFE CYCLE Arrowleaf balsamroot begins growth in early spring and flowers from May to August.
FLOWERING PARTS Flowers are sunflower-like, large, showy, and yellow. Seeds look like small, skinny sunflower seeds. Flower stalks are leafless and grow 1 to 2 feet tall.
VEGETATIVE PARTS The leaves form a large basal bunch with the flower stalks rising above it. Leaves are large, shaped like arrowheads, and grow on leaf branches developing from the base of the plant. They are green on the top and silvery beneath. Balsamroot has a large taproot.
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT Arrowleaf balsamroot is found in the Palouse region and the sagebrush grasslands of Idaho on foothills, canyons, ridges, and plains. It is moderately drought-tolerant, but it tends to occur in the cooler higher elevations of sagebrush grasslands. It prefers well-drained or course, rocky soils.
INTERESTING FACTS In the intermountain grasslands and the sagebrush steppe, the blooming of balsamroot is a sure sign of spring. Sheep and big game love to eat the leaves of Arrowleaf balsamroot, and birds and rodents make good use of the seeds. Native Americans used this plant in a variety of ways. They dug up the roots early in spring and boiled and ate them. The flower buds were broken off and eaten while still tightly closed and are reported to taste nutty like sunflower seeds. The mature seeds were also collected and dried, then either roasted and eaten whole or pounded into flour that was eaten plain with serviceberries or cooked into cakes. Young leaf shoots were eaten in drought years.
LOOK-ALIKES Arrowleaf balsamroot resembles mules ears, which also has large leaves and showy yellow flowers. Look for the fine hairy surfaces and arrow-shaped leaves to distinguish arrowleaf balsamroot. 84
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Biscuitroot Lomatium species
Biscuitroots, also called desert parsley, are a group of native, perennial forbs in the parsley (Apiaceae) family. Several species are found in the western states.
LIFE CYCLE Biscuitroots are some of the first plants to begin growth in early spring. They bloom in May or early June and dry up by early summer.
FLOWERING PARTS The tiny flowers are numerous and grow in umbels (round clusters on several stems that radiate from the main seed stalk, like an umbrella). All the clusters together have either a round or flat-topped appearance. They vary in color from white to yellow to dark brown. Seed stems are leafless and smooth.
VEGETATIVE PARTS The plants range from a few inches to more than 2 feet tall. The leaves are basal, deeply divided, and nearly fern-like. They have a strong parsley flavor. Their long taproots or fleshy tubers can produce new plants, if a part is broken off from the main section.
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT Biscuitroot is found in the intermountain and sagebrush grasslands, juniper woodlands, and some drier forest habitats. They are common on hillsides, ridges, scablands, and other open places that have shallow, rocky, or well-drained soils.
INTERESTING FACTS Native Americans collected the roots and ate them as vegetables or dried and ground them into flour to make bread (hence the name). The leaves of some species were also eaten as greens. Antelope, deer, elk, and sheep also eat biscuitroot leaves in the spring.
LOOK-ALIKES Biscuitroot species look similar to each other and can be distinguished by differences in leaf shapes and details of the flower heads; however, the distinctions are difficult to make. Biscuitroot also resembles buckwheat, but buckwheat species have leaves that are round or oblong without any divisions. 86
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Look for woody stems to determine shrubs. The main difference between a shrub and a tree is the trunk. If there is one main trunk, then it is considered a tree. If there are several smaller, woody stems, it is considered a shrub.
Shrubs and Trees
Big Sagebrush .......................................................... 126 Bitterbrush ............................................................... 128 Chokecherry ............................................................ 130 Curl-leaf Mountain Mahogany............................. 132 Fourwing Saltbush ................................................. 134 Gray or Spineless Horsebrush .............................. 136 Gray Rabbitbrush ................................................... 138 Greasewood ............................................................. 140 Green Rabbitbrush ................................................. 142 Low Sagebrush........................................................ 144 Ponderosa Pine........................................................ 146 Quaking Aspen ....................................................... 148 Serviceberry ............................................................. 150 Shadscale .................................................................. 152 Snowberry................................................................ 154 Western Juniper ...................................................... 156 Coyote Willow ........................................................ 158 Winterfat .................................................................. 160 Woods Rose ............................................................. 162
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Big Sagebrush Artemisia tridentata
Big sagebrush is a native, evergreen shrub in the aster (Asteraceae) family. It is a dominant species throughout the Great Basin and in the sagebrush grasslands of Idaho. Big sagebrush normally grows to about 4 feet tall, but it can reach 10 feet in height.
LIFE CYCLE Big sagebrush flowers between August and September and produces seeds in late fall.
FLOWERING PARTS Flowers are inconspicuous, growing on narrow panicles that extend above the rounded top of the shrub.
VEGETATIVE PARTS The leaves are long (< 1 inch) and narrow, with three lobes at the tip. They are triangle-shaped, widening from the base to tip, grayish green, and covered with fine hairs that lay flat. New twigs are covered with silky hairs; older twigs are hairless and green to brown. The woody bases are covered with gray-brown bark that shreds into long, flat strips.
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT Sagebrush is a keystone species of the sagebrush grasslands of southern Idaho. Idaho has three varieties of big sagebrush (mountain, basin, and Wyoming) each having a distinctly different appearance and preferring different sites. Sagebrush encroaches on the edge of the coniferous forest region and is found in the juniper woodland region.
INTERESTING FACTS The leaves have a strong sage odor when crushed. Native Americans chewed the leaves to cure indigestion and drank a tea made from the leaves as a laxative. The bark was stripped off, soaked, and pounded until the fibers formed strings. The strings were used to make sandals, overshoes, and skirts. The wood was also used as firewood and thatch.
LOOK-ALIKES Big sagebrush resembles other sagebrush species, common in the west. It can also be confused with rabbitbrush by an inexperienced observer. Look for the tri-tipped leaves on big sagebrush; rabbitbrush has long linear leaves with no lobes or tips. Another shrub with tri-tipped leaves is bitterbrush, but its leaves are dark green with no sage smell. 126
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Bitterbrush Purshia tridentata
Bitterbrush, or antelope bitterbrush, is a native shrub of the rose (Rosaceae) family.
LIFE CYCLE It flowers from April to August, depending on elevation, and it reproduces by seeds.
FLOWERING PARTS The flowers are bright yellow and numerous along the outer branches of the shrub. They have five petals and measure less than an inch across.
VEGETATIVE PARTS The leaves of bitterbrush are about one inch long, narrow at the base, and wide at the tip. The tip is three-lobed. Bitterbrush leaves are bright-to dark-green, with a white fuzzy underside. The leaves have a bitter taste, which gave this plant its name. Bitterbrush can reach up to 12 feet tall, but it is more commonly between 3 and 9 feet tall.
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT Bitterbrush occupies the coolest, wettest parts of the sagebrush grasslands and the warmest, driest areas in coniferous forests. It is common on foothills, open woods, plains, and mountain slopes. It prefers welldrained, rocky, or sandy soils.
INTERESTING FACTS Bitterbrush, despite its bitter taste, is important browse for grazing wildlife and livestock, primarily as a fall or winter forage. The seeds are relatively large and sought by rodents. The seeds were also cooked by Native Americans to produce a violet dye. The soft, shreddy bark from very old shrubs was even worked and softened to make baby diapers.
LOOK ALIKES Bitterbrush loosely resembles sagebrush, which both have three lobed leaf tips; however, bitterbrush is much greener in color than sagebrush, and has showy bright yellow flowers in spring. Unlike sagebrush, the leaves are bitter tasting and not aromatic.
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Glossary Alkali (soils): Soils that have a pH of 8.5 or higher and contain at least 15% exchangeable sodium ions. This threshold level is the point where most plant growth is inhibited. Auricles: Ear-like appendages that extend laterally at the collar of a grass leaf. Awn: A bristle or nerve that extends from the either the base or the tip of a grass flower part. Bunchgrass: A grass that grows in tufts, or bunches. Its roots extend downward and outward from the base of the bunch, but do not sprout laterally like sodgrasses. Collar: In grasses, the junction between the leaf blade and the leaf sheath, which curves around the flowering stalk. Cool Season: Describes plants that are adapted to climates with winter precipitation and summer drought; they generally grow early in the spring when moisture is present and go dormant when it gets hot and dry. Floret: The â&#x20AC;&#x153;seed packetâ&#x20AC;? of grasses, and some flowers of the sunflower family. Includes the seed and various hull parts. Forb: Plants other than grasses or grass-like species which die back to the ground every growing season. Grass: Herbaceous monocots that are members of the grass family. Grass-like: Herbaceous plants that look similar to grasses; members of the sedge or rush family. Herbaceous: A plant without woody parts that dies back to the base every year. Inflorescence: The flowers or flowering parts of a plant. Ligule: In grasses, a membrane or ring of hairs around the inside of the collar. Node: A joint where leaves, flowers, or branches are attached to a stem. Palatable (palatability): A plant that is desirable as food to a grazing animal. Panicle: A type of flower head with a main axis and several branches that branch again before reaching the actual flowers. Pubescent: Covered with dense, short, soft hairs. Raceme: A type of flower head with a main axis and short branches that end at the flowers. 164
Rhizomes: An underground stem that has scales for leaves and joints where new stems grow above ground. Shrub: A woody, low growing plant or bush with several trunks. Sodgrass: A grass that makes a dense mat of interwoven roots. Spike: A type of flower head with the flowers attached directly to the main axis. Spikelet: In grasses, it is a flowering unit with a bottom stem that contains one or more florets. Steppe: Grassland or shrub-grassland. Often refers to grasslands on the Asian or African continents. Tree: A woody plant with a large main trunk; generally refers to species that grow more than 20 feet tall.
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References Forest Service, USDA. 1937. Range Plant Handbook. Dover Publishing Company, New York, NY. Forest Service, USDA. 1960. Notes on Western Range Forbs. USDA Agriculture Handbook No. 161. Hafenrichter, A. L., Schwendiman, J. L., Harris, H. L., MacLauchlan, R. S., and H. W. Miller. 1979. Grasses and Legumes for Soil Conservation in the Pacific Northwest and Great Basin States. USDA Soil Conservation Service Agriculture Handbook No. 339. Hayes, D. W. and G. A. Garrison. 1960. Key to Important Woody Plants of Eastern Oregon and Washington. USDA Forest Service Handbook No. 148. Hitchcock, A. S. and A. Chase. 1950. Manual of the Grasses of the United States, Second Ed. USDA Miscellaneous Publication No. 200. Hitchcock, C. L. and A. Cronquist. 1973, Flora of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press, Seattle, WA. Jackman, E. R. 1961. Range Plant Circulars. Oregon State College Federal Cooperative Extension Service, Corvallis, OR. Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA. 1988. Western Wetland Flora- Field Office Guide to Plant Species. USDA- NRCS West Regional Office, Sacramento, CA. Patterson, P. A., K. E. Neiman, and J. R. Tonn. 1985. Field Guide to Forest Plants of Northern Idaho. USDA Forest Service General Technical Report INT-180. Randall, W. R., R. F. Keniston, D. N. Bever, and E. C. Jensen. 1994. Manual of Oregon Trees and Shrubs. Oregon State University Book Stores, Inc., Corvallis, OR. Reed, F. and B. F. Stetler. 1962. Uses of Native Plants by Nevada Indians. Nevada State Department of Education Resource Pamphlet. Sedivec, K. K. and W. T. Barker. 1997. Selected North Dakota and Minnesota Range Plants. North Dakota State University Extension Service Bulletin. EB 69. Stechman, J. V. 1986. Common Western Range Plants, Third Ed. California Polytechnic State University Foundation, San Luis Obispo, CA. Steubbendieck, J., S. L. Hatch, and C. H. Butterfield. 1981. North American Range Plants. University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, NE.
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Taylor, J. E. and J. R. Lacey. 1994. Range Plants of Montana. Montana State University Extension Service Bulletin. EB 122. Taylor, R. J. 1992. Sagebrush Country- A Wildflower Sanctuary. Mountain Press Publishing Company, Missoula, MT. Tisdale, E. W., and M. Hironaka. 1981. The Sagebrush-Grass Region: A Review of the Ecological Literature. University of Idaho Forest, Wildlife, and Range Experiment Station Bulletin No. 33, Moscow, ID. Turner, N. J. 1978. Food Plants of British Columbia Indians, Part II â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Interior Peoples. British Columbia Provincial Museum Handbook No. 36. Whitney, S. R. 1983. A Field Guide to the Cascades and Olympics. The Mountaineers, Seattle, WA. Whitson, T. D, L. C. Burrill, Western Society of Weed Science. et al. 1996. Weeds of the West. Western Society of Weed Science, Newark, CA. Winward, A. H. 1980. Taxonomy and Ecology of Sagebrush in Oregon. Oregon State University Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin No. 642, Corvallis, OR.
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Credits The Idaho Rangeland Vegetation Regions Map on page 7 is by Bev Jaquish, from the Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission’s “Idaho Rangelands” poster. It is used by permission. The range vegetation photographs on pages 8-12 are courtesy of the University of Idaho Rangeland Center. The illustration on page 13, “How to Identify Range Plants,” is by Liz Smith. It is used by permission. The illustration on page 14, “Structure of Grasses,” is from Common Western Range Plants by Stechman, 1986. The illustrations on pages 15-18 are by Juley Hankins, adapted from the book, A Field Guide to the Cascades and Olympics. The plant illustrations throughout the Backpack Guide are used from the following sources that are available for public use or used by permission.
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Several drawings from the Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission’s “Idaho Rangelands” poster. They are used by permission.
USDA Forest Service Range Plant Handbook.
Manual of the Grasses of the United States, by Hitchcock and Chase.
Field Guide to Forest Plants of Northern Idaho by Patterson et. al..
Key to Important Woody Plants of Eastern Oregon and Washington by Hayes and Garrison.
Oregon State University Cooperative Extension, Range Plant Circulars by Jackman.
USDA-NRCS, Midwestern Wetland Flora: Field Office Guide to Plant Species.
USDA-NRCS, Western Wetland Flora.
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database plants.usda.gov
USDA Forest Service, Notes on Western Range Forbs.
Grasses and Legumes for Soil Conservation in the Pacific Northwest and Great Basin States by Halfen and Richter et. al.
Several scanned plant mounts from the University of Idaho Herbarium.
Selected North Dakota Range Plants, by Sedivec and Barker.
Terminology of Weeds What does it all mean? We chose not to include noxious weeds in this edition of the Backpack Guide due to the availability of other professional publications dedicated to identification, description, and control practices for these plants. University of Idaho Extension publishes a pocket guide titled Idahoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Noxious Weeds. This reference guide, now in its 5th edition, includes color photographs of all 64 weeds on Idahoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s official noxious weed list. The guide is available through the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) Publications. View it online or order a copy at www.cals.uidaho.edu/edcomm/catalog.asp. Here are some common terms used when talking about weeds. Native: or indigenous, species are ones that occurs in a particular place without the help of humans, which is not always easy to determine. Species native to North America are generally recognized as those occurring on the continent prior to European settlement. Exotic: The plant has been introduced by humans to a location(s) outside its native or natural range. Naturalized: Exotic plants that have escaped, are able to reproduce in the wild, and have become established. These plants are much a part of our current landscapes and ecosystems, but are nonetheless exotic, since they were moved here by people Introduced: Brought from somewhere else by humans, either accidentally or intentionally. Invasive: is a species that spreads and establishes over large areas, and persists. Noxious: Noxious is a legal definition. Cities, counties, and states are required to control these weeds by law.
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Index of Plant Names Achillea millefolium, 120 Achnatherum hymenoides, 38 Achnatherum nelsonii, 26 Agropyron cristatum, 28 Allium cernuum, 104 Alopecurus pratensis, 44 Amelanchier alnifolia, 150 Aristida purpurea, 56 Arrowleaf Balsamroot, 84 Artemisia arbuscula, 144 Artemisia ludoviciana, 98 Artemisia tridentata, 126 Atriplex canescens, 134 Atriplex confertifolia, 152 Balsamorhiza sagittata, 84 Baltic Rush, 74 Big Sagebrush, 126 Biscuitroot, 86 Bitterbrush, 128 Bluebunch Wheatgrass, 20 Bottlebrush Squirreltail, 22 Bromus inermis, 64 Bromus marginatus, 46 Bromus tectorum, 30 Bulbous Bluegrass, 24 Calamagrostis rubescens, 52 Camassia quamash, 108 Carex geyeri, 76 Carex nebraskensis, 80 Castilleja species, 98 Ceratoides lanata, 160 Cercocarpus ledifolius, 132 Chamerion angustifolium, 94 Cheatgrass, 30 Chokecherry, 130 Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus, 142 Columbia Needlegrass, 26 170
Crepis acuminata, 116 Crested Wheatgrass, 28 Curl-leaf Mountain Mahogany, 132
Curlycup Gumweed, 90 Dactylis glomerata, 50 Delphinium bicolor, 100 Delphinium occidentale, 114 Deschampsia cespitosa, 68 Downy Brome, 30 Elk Sedge, 76 Elymus elymoides, 22 Ericameria nauseosa, 138 False Hellebore, 92 Festuca idahoensis, 38 Fireweed, 94 Fourwing Saltbush, 134 Foxtail Barley, 32 Geranium viscosissimum, 122 Gray Horsebrush, 136 Gray Rabbitbrush, 138 Greasewood, 140 Great Basin Wildrye, 34 Green Rabbitbrush, 142 Grindelia squarrosa, 90 Halogeton glomeratus, 96 Halogeton, 96 Hardstem Bulrush, 78 Hesperostipa comata, 48 Hordeum jubatum, 32 Idaho Fescue, 38 Indian Paintbrush, 98 Indian Ricegrass, 38 Intermediate Wheatgrass, 40 Juncus arcticus, 74 Juniperus occidentalis, 156 Kentucky Bluegrass, 42 Koeleria macrantha, 54
Leymus cinereus, 34 Lomatium species, 86 Louisiana Sagewort, 98 Low Larkspur, 100 Low Sagebrush, 144 Lupinus caudatus, 112 Meadow Foxtail, 44 Mountain Brome, 46 Mules Ear, 102 Nebraska Sedge, 80 Needle-and-Thread, 48 Nodding Onion, 104 Orchardgrass, 50 Pascopyrum smithii, 70 Penstemon species, 106 Penstemon, 106 Phalaris arundinacea, 58 Phleum pratense, 66 Pinegrass, 52 Pinus ponderosa, 146 Poa bulbosa, 24 Poa pratensis, 42 Poa secunda, 62 Ponderosa Pine, 146 Populus tremuloides, 148 Prairie Camas, 108 Prairie Junegrass, 54 Prunus virginiana, 130 Pseudoroegneria spicata, 20 Purple Threeawn, 56 Purshia tridentata, 128 Quaking Aspen, 148 Reed Canarygrass, 58 Rosa woodsii, 162 Russian Thistle, 110 Salix species, 158 Salsola iberica, 110 Sand Dropseed, 60 Sandberg Bluegrass, 62
Sarcobatus vermiculatus, 140 Schoenoplectus acutus, 78 Serviceberry, 150 Shadscale, 152 Smooth Brome, 64 Snowberry, 154 Spineless Horsebrush, 136 Sporobolus cryptandrus, 60 Symphoricarpos albus, 154 Tailcup Lupine, 112 Tall Larkspur, 114 Tapertip Hawksbeard, 116 Tetradymia canescens, 136 Thinopyrum intermedium, 40 Timothy, 66 Tragopogon dubius, 118 Tufted Hairgrass, 68 Tumbleweed, 110 Veratrum californicum, 92 Western Juniper, 156 Western Salsify, 118 Western Wheatgrass, 70 Western Yarrow, 120 Wild Geranium, 122 Willow, 158 Winterfat, 160 Woods Rose, 162 Wyethia amplexicaulis, 102
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About the University of Idaho Rangeland Center Mission: To create insight and foster understanding for the stewardship and management of rangelands
After nearly a century of rangeland education, outreach and research at the University of Idaho, a new powerful rangeland-focused collaboration was formed among researchers, educators and outreach specialists from seven departments, three colleges, and U-Idaho Extension. We are a group of 23 faculty members with expertise in grazing, rangeland ecology, entomology, soil science, economics, rural sociology, fish and wildlife resources, invasive plants, forage production, animal science, wildland fire, restoration, and spatial technologies. The Center is not a place or a building. Rather, it is a new model that empowers colleagues across campus to build on existing partnerships and creates opportunities for new collaborations to advance the study and management of rangelands in Idaho and the region. The simple goal of the Rangeland Center is to create “science and solutions for the range.” We will provide a variety of services and products to those interested in rangeland conservation and management.
Workshops Informative Web Pages Research Papers Decisions Support Tools
Consistent with our land-grant mission, we strive to implement an interdisciplinary research, education and outreach program that provides objective and relevant rangeland information for individuals, organizations and communities. For more information, visit our web page: www.uidaho.edu/range/. 172
About the Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission This book was brought to you in part by the Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission. The Idaho Rangeland Resource Commission (IRRC) is a state agency whose primary mission is to sustain and enhance Idahoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rangelands and ranching heritage through public education. The more we know about the history, ecology and management of these abundant landscapes, the better we will care for them. The IRRC provides educational materials for K-12 teachers and students, management resources for ranchers and helpful tips for recreationists. The IRRC hosts and sponsors two websites to disseminate information and materials to the intended audiences. The main IRRC website is www.idrange.org. It includes current programs, schedule of events, downloadable educational resources, and links to other valuable websites and resources. The second IRRC website is called Life on the Range at www.lifeontherange.org. This website is an educational project that showcases stories about the ever-changing landscape of ranching, multiple use management, entrepreneurial spirit, family and stewardship on Idahoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rangelands. For more information about Idaho rangelands, contact the IRRC at either of the websites (above) or contact the office by phone at 1-877- ID RANGE (1-877-437-2643).
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