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The Beotia series consists of very deep, well drained or moderately well drained soils formed in silty glaciolacustrine deposits on lake plains. Saturated hydraulic conductivity is moderately high in the solum and moderately high to moderately low in the underlying material. Slopes range from 0 to 6 percent. Mean annual air temperature is 43 degrees F, and mean annual precipitation is about 19 inches.
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Fine-silty, mixed, superactive, frigid Pachic Hapludolls
The mollic epipedon ranges from 16 to 30 inches in thickness and extends into the Bw horizon. The control section typically is silt loam with between 18 and 27 percent clay. The depth to free calcium carbonate ranges from 16 to about 30 inches.
USE AND VEGETATION: Largely cultivated; corn, soybeans, small grain and alfalfa are the principal crops. Native vegetation is big bluestem, little bluestem, western wheatgrass, green needlegrass, needleandthread, sideoats grama, blue grama, sedges, and forbs.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Northeastern South Dakota, southwestern Minnesota and southeastern North Dakota. The series is of moderate extent.
For a detailed description, visit:
soilseries.sc.egov.usda.gov/OSD_Docs/B/BEOTIA.html
For acreage and geographic distribution, visit:
Needle-and-thread grass (Hesperostipa comata) is Saskatchewan's provincial grass. I photographed this in my backyard
With an awn about 20 cm long and florets approaching 2 cm long, this common robust form of Stipa comata in northern Arizona approaches Stipa spartea, which supposed occurs to the north and east of Arizona. The lemma hairs are uniformly whitish, however, in these robust specimens of Stipa comata.
This illustrative design is adorned with a playful yet elegant needle and thread design, perfect for a tailor, seamstress, quilter, or fabric shop.
Much of what passes as Montana steppe (prairie) actually comprises mostly few grass species that withstand long histories of overstocking, such as Agropyron cristatum (crested wheatgrass), Agropyron dasystachyum (thickspike wheatgrass), and Stipa comata (needle and thread grass).
Stipa comata var. intermedia is common on south facing slopes along the Grand Loop Road about 10 miles east of Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, Park County, Wyoming. Note the straight awns and the inflorescences fully exserted from the leaf sheaths, diagnostic traits of var. intermedia.
Much of what passes as Montana steppe (prairie) actually comprises mostly few grass species that withstand long histories of overstocking, such as Agropyron cristatum (crested wheatgrass), Agropyron dasystachyum (thickspike wheatgrass), and Stipa comata (needle and thread grass). Sphinx Mountain sits in the background and this site lies in the Madison River Valley, Madison County, Montana.
This slope is dominated by Stipa comata with Calamovilfa longifolia, which exemplify the common cool season or widespread warm season grasses (respectively) in southeastern Montana including Carter County. Buchloe dactyloides forms the low foreground cover.
I piccoli lavori di pazienza, servono ad allentare la tensione e a far tornare il sereno nell'animo.
Little works of perseverance are useful for relaxing and cheer up.
Stipa viridula grows in open dry vegetation below montane forests and forms a robust bunch much larger than Stipa nelsonii, a more slender montane species with which it could be confused. This site lies along the trail and in the sagebrush steppe at the north end of Burke Park, Bozeman, Montana.
Much of what passes as Montana steppe (prairie) actually comprises mostly few grass species that withstand long histories of overstocking, such as Agropyron cristatum (crested wheatgrass), Agropyron dasystachyum (thickspike wheatgrass), and Stipa comata (needle and thread grass).
Nearly pure stands of Stipa comata comata occur along the ridge just to the north of Fort Peck Lake in the vicinity of Fourchette bay (this scene is looking northeast into the drainage of Kill Woman Creek). Sphaeralcea coccinea lies in the foreground.
Stipa comata is a more diminutive bunchgrass compared to its close relative, Stipa neomexicana, which grows nearby but down in the canyon.
Stipa comata (larger glumes to the right) and Calamovilfa longifolia (shorter glumes to the left) exemplify the dominant grasses, mostly cool season or widespread warm season grasses (respectively) in southeastern Montana including Carter County.
Variety comata is characterized by florets, usually about 1 cm long, covered by whitish hairs. The floret awn is typically much less than 15 cm long. The inflorescence is usually partially enclosed in the leaf sheath, and these expanded leaf sheaths are conspicuous and distinguishing.
The floret of Stipa comata (right) is much larger than that of Stipa nelsonii (left) but both show the characteristic Stipeae construction in having a large hardened lemma wrap around and enfold the palea, flower, and fruit.
Variety comata is characterized by lacerate ligules (with deep cuts). However, they are commonly entire, as in this population.
Stipa comata distinctly less hairy awns compared to its close relative, Stipa neomexicana, which grows in the adjacent Grand Canyon.
Left to right, Stipa comata var. comata (needle and thread), Agropyron spicatum (bluebunch wheatgrass), Andropogon scoparius (little bluestem), Agropyron dasystachyum (thickspike wheatgrass), Koeleria macrantha (prairie junegrass), and Calamovilfa longifolia (prairie sandreed). These grasses co-dominate the open arid grasslands in the open understory of the Chalk Buttes, rangeland in good condition in terms of high native plant diversity and low exotic plant cover.
One function of twisting awns is to aid the plant in self-caching its fruits/seeds. the sharp callus at the end of each floret is covered with hairs that are directed in reverse to the callus point (they serve as barbs).
The long awns shimering in the sunlight render this species conspicuous, which here is growing road side at the top of Sypes Canyon Road.
Stipa comata var. intermedia is common on south facing slopes along the Grand Loop Road about 10 miles east of Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, Park County, Wyoming. Note the straight awns and the inflorescences fully exserted from the leaf sheaths, diagnostic traits of var. intermedia.
Variety comata is characterized by florets, usually about 1 cm long, covered by whitish hairs. The floret awn is typically much less than 15 cm long. The inflorescence is usually partially enclosed in the leaf sheath, and these expanded leaf sheaths are conspicuous and distinguishing.
Stipa comata var. comata, needle and thread grass, co-dominates the grasslands around Medicine Rocks State Park, along with other native grasses such as Andropogon scoparius (little bluestem) and Koeleria macrantha (prairie Junegrass), but also the exotic Poa pratensis (Kentucky bluegrass). Stipa comata var. comata, with its inflated leaf sheath that encloses the basal portion of the inflorescence, predominates throughout Montana in open arid settings, including in sagebrush steppe and open understory of Ponderosa pine. The inflorescence partially enclosed in the leaf sheath may facilitate the intertwining of the lemma awns such that fruit-containing florets disperse as a bunch and self-cache by the twisting of the awns with changing atmospheric humidity.
The floret of Stipa comata (right) is much larger than that of Stipa nelsonii (left) but both show the characteristic Stipeae construction in having a large hardened lemma wrap around and enfold the palea, flower, and fruit.
A common bunchgrass in open foothill settings of the Sandia Mountains. Individuals tend to be robust and with perhaps more conspicuously hairy inflorescences than those found in populations to the north (seeming combining phenotypes from Stipa neomexicana and S. spartea). These mature florets are 15-20 mm long exclusive of the about 10-12 cm long awn.
Stipa comata distinctly less hairy awns compared to its close relative, Stipa neomexicana, which grows in the adjacent Grand Canyon.
Hesperostipa comata (Trin. & Rupr.) Barkworth subsp. comata (syn. Stipa comata subsp. comata).
May 26, 2012, Wasatch foothills, Olympus Hills Park, approx 4,860 ft. elev.
Postscript: the area where these plants were growing were consumed by a fire that occurred on July 20, 2012 and that was started by adolescents playing with fireworks. As of Sept. 25, 2012 there was no trace of this species.
A common bunchgrass in open foothill settings of the Sandia Mountains. Individuals tend to be robust and with perhaps more conspicuously hairy inflorescences than those found in populations to the north (seeming combining phenotypes from Stipa neomexicana and S. spartea).
This is some Crewel work hat my wife use to do when she was younger. She spent many hours with a needle in her hand. Another craft that most people will not take time to accomplish in this busy world.
Erysimum asperum, with it widely diverging fruits and striped stems, sits in the center foreground.
Stipa comata var. comata, needle and thread grass, is abundant around and on top of the Chalk Buttes southwest of Ekalaka, Carter County, Montana. It co-dominates open arid grasslands along with thickspike wheatgrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, little bluestem, prairie sand reed, and prairie Junegrass. The grass communities in the open understory of the Chalk Buttes are in good condition in terms of high native plant diversity and low exotic plant diversity.