Plains Bristlegrass (Setaria leucopila)
Warm Season native perennial bunchgrass. Provides fair grazing for wildlife, good grazing for livestock. Grows 1-4′ tall, pale green, culms flattened, often knee-like, branching at the base and lower joints. The blades are 3-10 mm wide often folded and rough on the back. The panicle is slim, bristly and narrowed at the top. The bristles, usually one, are attached below each spikelet.
Adaptation: Adapted to most soil types of the American Southwest, Mexico, and south Texas. Very drought tolerant. Grows in open, dry ground, and under the protection of brush in overgrazed areas.
Uses: Good grazing, and good seed production for dove and quail. A good plant, to include in a mixture to seed overgrazed ranges, particularly after mechanical brush control.
