sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) observed in Nineveh Township, IN, USA
iNaturalist: paul_norwood
Native Plants
Sideoats grama is one of the toughest native grasses you can plant for a low-water lawn alternative or prairie patch — its oat-like seeds dangle from one side of each stem like tiny ornaments, and it feeds both birds and pollinators through the fall.
Someone in rural Indiana came across sideoats grama, a beautiful native grass with seeds that hang off one side of the stem like little flags. It's a grass native to prairies across North America and is actually the official state grass of Texas. Sightings like this help track where native plants are still holding on in the landscape.
Key Findings
Sideoats grama (Bouteloua curtipendula) was observed in Nineveh Township, Johnson County, Indiana
The observation was submitted to iNaturalist, contributing a georeferenced data point to citizen-science biodiversity records
The species is a native warm-season prairie grass with distinctive seed arrangement along one side of the stem, making it recognizable to naturalists
chevron_right Technical Summary
A sideoats grama grass was spotted in Nineveh Township, Indiana — a native prairie grass notable enough to be Texas's state grass, turning up in a casual naturalist observation.
Abstract Preview
One of the coolest grasses I've seen in awhile!
open_in_new Read full abstractAbstract copyright held by the original publisher.
Species Mentioned
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Bouteloua curtipendula, commonly known as sideoats grama, is a perennial, short prairie grass that is native throughout the temperate and tropical Western Hemisphere, from Canada south to Argentina.