Range Plant Identification
and Classification
Plant Identification
Plant identification is the
starting point for range
management decisions
 There are over 1700 plant
species in Nebraska
 Each plant may have more than
1 common name but only 1
scientific name

Life Form
Grasses
 Grass-likes
 Forbs and Succulents
 Shrubs

Grass Characteristics



Parallel veins
Two ranked
leaves
Hollow stems



Vegetative
growth
Nodes
Grain seeds
Grass-like Characteristics




Parallel veins
No nodes
Vegetative
growth
Grain seeds

Sedges
triangular stems

Rushes
round stem
Forb Characteristics


Net-like veins
Showy flowers


Vegetative
growth
Solid stems
Shrub Characteristics

Net-like veins


Woody growth
Growth rings
Life Span

Annual
Live only 1 year

Biennial
Live 2 years

Perennial
Live more than 3 years
Origin

Native
Part of the original vegetation of
North America

Introduced
Have been brought in from outside
of North America
Season of Growth
Grasses and grass-likes only
 Warm season

Main growth in summer
Set seed in late summer or fall

Cool season
Main growth in spring and late fall
Set seed in early summer
Livestock Forage Value

High, medium, or low
Based on palatability
May vary depending on type of
livestock and time of year

Average forage value is given in
handbook
Grass/Grasslike Growth
Forms

Rhizomatous
Have spreading underground
stems

Stoloniferous
Have spreading above ground
stems

Bunch
Have neither rhizomes nor stolons