Native Grasses of South Dakota

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Switchgrass

Switchgrass

Panicum virgatum

Family: Poaceae

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Wiry Panicgrass

Wiry Panicgrass

Panicum flexile

Family: Poaceae

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Witchgrass

Witchgrass

Panicum capillare

Family: Poaceae

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Fall Panicgrass

Fall Panicgrass

Panicum dichotomiflorum

Family: Poaceae

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Big Bluestem

Big Bluestem

Andropogon gerardii

Family: Poaceae

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Sand Bluestem

Sand Bluestem

Andropogon hallii

Family: Poaceae

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Green Bulrush

Green Bulrush

Scirpus atrovirens

Family: Cyperaceae

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Blackgirdle Bulrush

Blackgirdle Bulrush

Scirpus atrocinctus

Family: Cyperaceae

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Woolgrass

Woolgrass

Scirpus cyperinus

Family: Cyperaceae

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Rufous Bulrush

Rufous Bulrush

Scirpus pendulus

Family: Cyperaceae

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Panicled Bulrush

Panicled Bulrush

Scirpus microcarpus

Family: Cyperaceae

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Cloaked Bulrush

Cloaked Bulrush

Scirpus pallidus

Family: Cyperaceae

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little bluestem

little bluestem

Schizachyrium scoparium

Family: Poaceae

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Poverty Rush

Poverty Rush

Juncus tenuis

Family: Juncaceae

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Jointleaf Rush

Jointleaf Rush

Juncus articulatus

Family: Juncaceae

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Canadian Rush

Canadian Rush

Juncus canadensis

Family: Juncaceae

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Indiangrass

Indiangrass

Sorghastrum nutans

Family: Poaceae

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Inland Rush

Inland Rush

Juncus interior

Family: Juncaceae

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Mertens' Rush

Mertens' Rush

Juncus mertensianus

Family: Juncaceae

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Vasey's Rush

Vasey's Rush

Juncus vaseyi

Family: Juncaceae

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Knotted Rush

Knotted Rush

Juncus nodosus

Family: Juncaceae

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Longstyle Rush

Longstyle Rush

Juncus longistylis

Family: Juncaceae

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Tracy's Rush

Tracy's Rush

Juncus saximontanus

Family: Juncaceae

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Grassleaf Rush

Grassleaf Rush

Juncus marginatus

Family: Juncaceae

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Rocky Mountain Rush

Rocky Mountain Rush

Juncus saximontanus

Family: Juncaceae

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Colorado Rush

Colorado Rush

Juncus confusus

Family: Juncaceae

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Dudley's Rush

Dudley's Rush

Juncus dudleyi

Family: Juncaceae

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Arctic Rush

Arctic Rush

Juncus arcticus

Family: Juncaceae

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Swordleaf Rush

Swordleaf Rush

Juncus ensifolius

Family: Juncaceae

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Slimpod Rush

Slimpod Rush

Juncus diffusissimus

Family: Juncaceae

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Toad Rush

Toad Rush

Juncus bufonius

Family: Juncaceae

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Northern Green Rush

Northern Green Rush

Juncus alpinoarticulatus

Family: Juncaceae

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Torrey's Rush

Torrey's Rush

Juncus torreyi

Family: Juncaceae

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Blue Grama

Blue Grama

Bouteloua gracilis

Family: Poaceae

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Hairy Sedge

Hairy Sedge

Carex lacustris

Family: Cyperaceae

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Eastern Bottlebrush Grass

Eastern Bottlebrush Grass

Elymus hystrix

Family: Poaceae

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Idaho Fescue

Idaho Fescue

Festuca idahoensis

Family: Poaceae

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Sideoats Grama

Sideoats Grama

Bouteloua curtipendula

Family: Poaceae

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Canada Wildrye

Canada Wildrye

Elymus canadensis

Family: Poaceae

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Saltgrass

Saltgrass

Distichlis spicata

Family: Poaceae

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Hardstem Bulrush

Hardstem Bulrush

Schoenoplectus acutus

Family: Cyperaceae

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Columbia Needlegrass

Columbia Needlegrass

Eriocoma nelsonii

Family: Poaceae

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Southeastern Wildrye

Southeastern Wildrye

Elymus virginicus

Family: Poaceae

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Mexican Muhly

Mexican Muhly

Muhlenbergia mexicana

Family: Poaceae

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Upland Bentgrass

Upland Bentgrass

Agrostis perennans

Family: Poaceae

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Crested Sedge

Crested Sedge

Carex cristatella

Family: Cyperaceae

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Rough Bentgrass

Rough Bentgrass

Agrostis scabra

Family: Poaceae

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Polar Alkaligrass

Polar Alkaligrass

Puccinellia nuttalliana

Family: Poaceae

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Shortawn Foxtail

Shortawn Foxtail

Alopecurus aequalis

Family: Poaceae

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Shortbristle Needle And Thread

Shortbristle Needle And Thread

Hesperostipa curtiseta

Family: Poaceae

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Tufted Hairgrass

Tufted Hairgrass

Deschampsia cespitosa

Family: Poaceae

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Common Reed

Common Reed

Phragmites australis

Family: Poaceae

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Fowl Mannagrass

Fowl Mannagrass

Glyceria striata

Family: Poaceae

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Squirreltail

Squirreltail

Elymus elymoides

Family: Poaceae

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Woodland Bluegrass

Woodland Bluegrass

Poa sylvestris

Family: Poaceae

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American Beakgrain

American Beakgrain

Diarrhena americana

Family: Poaceae

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Pennsylvania Sedge

Pennsylvania Sedge

Carex pensylvanica

Family: Cyperaceae

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Basin Wildrye

Basin Wildrye

Leymus cinereus

Family: Poaceae

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Purple Reedgrass

Purple Reedgrass

Calamagrostis purpurascens

Family: Poaceae

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Prairie Dropseed

Prairie Dropseed

Sporobolus heterolepis

Family: Poaceae

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Native grasses and grass-like plants of South Dakota, USA — for meadows, erosion control, and lawn alternatives. Many host skipper butterflies and shelter ground-nesting wildlife. Refine by light or soil above.