General: Grass Family (Poaceae). Alkali sacaton is a tough perennial two to three and a half feet tall, growing in large bunches. The culms are erect to spreading and range in height from 50 to 100 centimeters tall. The blades are elongate, flat, soon becoming involute, and usually less that four millimeters wide (Hitchcock 1951).

Distribution: Alkali sacaton ranges from South Dakota to Washington, south to Missouri, Kansas, Texas, and Mexico (Steyermark 1963). For current distribution, please consult the Plant profile page for this species on the PLANTS Web site.

giant sacaton, finetop saltgrass, hairgrass dropseed, zacaton alcalino

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This species can be found in the following regions of the western United States (according to the Bureau of Land Management classification of Physiographic Regions of the western United States):

BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS [8]:

3 Southern Pacific Border

5 Columbia Plateau

6 Upper Basin and Range

7 Lower Basin and Range

8 Northern Rocky Mountains

9 Middle Rocky Mountains

10 Wyoming Basin

11 Southern Rocky Mountains

12 Colorado Plateau

13 Rocky Mountain Piedmont

14 Great Plains

15 Black Hills Uplift

16 Upper Missouri Basin and Broken Lands

AZ	AR	CA	ID	IA
KS	MO	MT	NE	NV
NM	ND	OK	OR	SD
TX	UT	WA	WY

BC

AB

MEXICO

Alkali sacaton occurs in all western states in the U.S. It is distributed from Missouri, Arkansas, and North Dakota to eastern Washington and south to California and Texas. Isolated populations occur to the East. A U.S. distributional map for alkali sacaton appears on the PLANTS database [82]. In Canada alkali sacaton in southern British Columbia and Alberta [53,79,82]. In Mexico it is reported from as far south as Aguascalientes and San Luis Potosi [17].

Sporobolus tharpii Hitchc.:
Mexico (Mesoamerica)
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Sporobolus airoides (Torr.) Torr.:
Canada (North America)
India (Asia)
Mexico (Mesoamerica)
United States (North America)

Note: This information is based on publications available through Tropicos and may not represent the entire distribution. Tropicos does not categorize distributions as native or non-native.

Canada

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

United States

Origin: Native

Regularity: Regularly occurring

Currently: Present

Confidence: Confident

Type of Residency: Year-round

Global Range: Range is fairly lengthy, but linear. Sporobolus tharpii has been documented from 10 coastal Texas counties, from Matagorda south to Cameron at the Mexico border. A specimen from an inland location in Harris County is in need of critical examination to be sure of identity.

Alkali sacaton grows on dry to moist sites with sand or gravelly soil. This species is often found growing on alkaline flats, prairies, and sandy plateaus. It is common along drainage in desert and semi-desert areas.

More info for the term: warm-season

Alkali sacaton is a native, long-lived, warm-season, densely tufted perennial bunchgrass ranging from 20 to 40 inches (50-100 cm) in height. Panicles are nearly half the length of the plant with stiff, slender, widely spreading branches. Spikelets have 1 flower and tend to diverge from the panicles, appearing scattered. Seeds are free from the lemma and fall readily from the spikelet at maturity [10]. The species is a facultative halophyte, having a broad tolerance to salinity [84,85,86].

Alkali sacaton forms vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizae. In a greenhouse study of effects of mycorrhizal inoculation, mean dry mass of inoculated grass plants of this species was significantly greater (p less than 0.001) than dry mass of uninoculated plants after 16 weeks [92].

Perennials, Terrestrial, not aquatic, Stems nodes swollen or brittle, Stems erect or ascending, Stems caespitose, tufted, or clustered, Stems terete, round in cross section, or polygonal, Stem internodes hollow, Stems with inflorescence less than 1 m tall, Stems with inflorescence 1-2 m tall, Stems, culms, or scapes exceeding basal leaves, Leaves mostly cauline, Leaves conspicuously 2-ranked, distichous, Leaves sheathing at base, Leaf sheath mostly open, or loose, Leaf sheath smooth, glabrous, Leaf sheath hairy at summit, throat, or collar, Leaf sheath and blade differentiated, Leaf blades linear, Leaf blades 2-10 mm wide, Leaf blades mostly flat, Leaf blade margins folded, involute, or conduplicate, Leaf blades mostly glabrous, Leaf blades more or less hairy, Ligule present, Ligule a fringe of hairs, Inflorescence terminal, Inflorescence an open panicle, openly paniculate, branches spreading, Inflorescence solitary, with 1 spike, fascicle, glomerule, head, or cluster per stem or culm, Inflorescence branches more than 10 to numerous, Flowers bisexual, Spikelets pedicellate, Spikelets laterally compressed, Spikelet less than 3 mm wide, Spikelets with 1 fertile floret, Spikelets solitary at rachis nodes, Spikelets all alike and fertille, Spikelets bisexual, Spikelets disarticulating above the glumes, glumes persistent, Rachilla or pedicel glabrous, Glumes present, empty bracts, Glumes 2 clearly present, Glumes distinctly unequal, Glumes shorter than adjacent lemma, Glumes 1 nerved, Lemmas thin, chartaceous, hyaline, cartilaginous, or membranous, Lemma similar in texture to glumes, Lemma 1 nerved, Lemma glabrous, L emma apex acute or acuminate, Lemma awnless, Lemma straight, Palea present, well developed, Palea membranous, hyaline, Palea about equal to lemma, Palea 2 nerved or 2 keeled, Stamens 3, Styles 2-fid, deeply 2-branched, Stigmas 2, Fruit - caryopsis, Caryopsis ellipsoid, longitudinally grooved, hilum long-linear.

Type fragment for Sporobolus diffusissimus Buckley
Catalog Number: US 3198038
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany
Verification Degree: Original publication and alleged type specimen examined
Preparation: Pressed specimen
Collector(s): C. Wright
Year Collected: 1849
Locality: Western Texas., Texas, United States, North America

Type fragment for Agrostis airoides Torr.
Catalog Number: US 76255
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany
Verification Degree: Card file verified by examination of alleged type specimen
Preparation: Pressed specimen
Collector(s): E. James
Locality: Branches of Arkansas, near rocky mountains., Colorado, United States, North America

Holotype for Sporobolus tharpii Hitchc.
Catalog Number: US 1299827
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany
Verification Degree: Card file verified by examination of alleged type specimen
Preparation: Pressed specimen
Collector(s): B. C. Tharp
Year Collected: 1927
Locality: Padre Island, Texas, United States, North America

Isotype for Sporobolus tharpii Hitchc.
Catalog Number: US 1299826
Collection: Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History, Department of Botany
Verification Degree: Card file verified by examination of alleged type specimen
Preparation: Pressed specimen
Collector(s): B. C. Tharp
Year Collected: 1927
Locality: Island., Padre Island, Texas, United States, North America

More info for the terms: codominant, cover, shrub, shrubs

Because salty soils capable of supporting alkali sacaton are dispersed throughout thousands of acres in the Great Plains and Great Basin regions of the United States and Canada [72], the plants listed below represent only a fraction of
the species associated with alkali sacaton.

Alkali sacaton is common in the Southern Great Plains, where it occurs with numerous other
grasses including tobosa (Pleuraphis mutica), galleta (P. jamesii), black grama (Bouteloua eriopoda), blue grama (B. gracilis), sideoats grama (B. curtipendula), buffalo grass (Buchloe dactyloides), western wheatgrass (Pascopyrum smithii), and vine-mesquite (Panicum obtusum). Commonly associated shrubs are winterfat (Krascheninnikovia lanata), fourwing saltbush (Atriplex canescens), coldenia (Coldenia
spp.), Bigelow sagebrush (Artemisia bigelovii), and honey mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa var. glandulosa) [72,89].

In the Central and Northern Great Plains, alkali sacaton is reported in habitats characterized by buffalo grass, western wheatgrass, blue grama, sideoats grama, hairy grama (B. hirsuta), little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium), red threeawn (Aristida purpurea), and saltgrass (Distichlis spicata). Associated shrub species include big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata), rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus spp.), black greasewood (Sarcobatus vermiculatus), shadscale (Atriplex confertifolia), and Gardner's saltbush (A. gardneri) [12,48,72].

In the desert shrub and grassland communities that occupy low-lying areas of the Great Basin, alkali sacaton is associated with saltgrass, galleta, Indian ricegrass (Achnatherum hymenoides), bottlebrush squirreltail (Elymus elymoides), and basin wildrye (Leymus cinereus). Though vegetation cover is often low in these sites, important shrub species include fourwing saltbush, winterfat, black greasewood, rabbitbrush, Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma), and numerous sagebrush
species including basin big sagebrush (A. t. var. tridentata), Wyoming big
sagebrush (A. t. var. wyomingensis), black sagebrush (A. nova), and budsage (A. spinescens) [10,71,72,74,81].

In the southwestern states and northern Mexico, grasses associated with alkali sacaton may include tobosa, galleta, Indian ricegrass, bottlebrush squirreltail, black grama and blue grama. Co-occurring woody species include shadscale, greasewood, winterfat, fourwing saltbush, big sagebrush, broom snakeweed (Gutierrezia sarothrae), creosotebush (Larrea tridentata), tarbush (Flourensia cernua), and mesquite species. Associated succulents include prickly-pear and cholla (Opuntia
spp.) and yucca (Yucca spp.) [46,72,73,88].

Publications listing alkali sacaton as a community dominant or codominant are listed below.

Arizona [31]

Colorado [7]

Montana [64]

New Mexico [24,25,72]

Texas [72]

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This species is known to occur in association with the following Rangeland Cover Types (as classified by the Society for Range Management, SRM):

More info for the terms: cover, shrub, vine

SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES [72]:

401 Basin big sagebrush

403 Wyoming big sagebrush

405 Black sagebrush

412 Juniper-pinyon woodland

414 Salt desert shrub

501 Saltbush-greasewood

502 Grama-galleta

504 Juniper-pinyon pine woodland

505 Grama-tobosa shrub

508 Creosotebush-tarbush

611 Blue grama-buffalo grass

615 Wheatgrass-saltgrass-grama

701 Alkali sacaton-tobosagrass

702 Black grama-alkali sacaton

705 Blue grama-galleta

706 Blue grama-sideoats grama

712 Galleta-alkali sacaton

725 Vine mesquite-alkali sacaton

727 Mesquite-buffalo grass

728 Mesquite-granjeno-acacia

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This species is known to occur in association with the following cover types (as classified by the Society of American Foresters):

More info for the term: cover

SAF COVER TYPES [77]:

239 Pinyon-juniper

242 Mesquite

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This species is known to occur in association with the following plant community types (as classified by Küchler 1964):

More info for the term: shrub

KUCHLER [46] PLANT ASSOCIATIONS:


K023 Juniper-pinyon woodland

K038 Great Basin sagebrush

K039 Blackbrush

K040 Saltbush-greasewood

K041 Creosote bush

K044 Creosote bush-tarbush

K046 Desert: vegetation largely lacking

K058 Grama-tobosa shrubsteppe

K059 Trans-Pecos shrub savanna

KO61 Mesquite-acacia savanna

K065 Grama-buffalo grass

K068 Wheatgrass-grama-buffalo grass

K085 Mesquite-buffalo grass

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This species is known to occur in the following ecosystem types (as named by the U.S. Forest Service in their Forest and Range Ecosystem [FRES] Type classification):

ECOSYSTEMS [28]:

FRES29 Sagebrush

FRES30 Desert shrub

FRES32 Texas savanna

FRES33 Southwestern shrubsteppe

FRES35 Pinyon-juniper

FRES38 Plains grasslands

FRES39 Prairie

FRES40 Desert grasslands

Alkali sacaton grows in saline and nonsaline soils, sometimes in dense, pure stands. It has a broad pH and salinity tolerance, and is common in moist alkaline flats [10,12,14,20,23,29,65,72,87]. It adapted to soils containing high sodium chloride concentrations and soils containing mixtures of other salts including bicarbonate and sulfate compounds [84,85,86]. Ungar [84,85] (and references therein) reported alkali sacaton on sites with soil salinity ranging from 0.003% to 3%, with optimum levels between 0.3% and 0.5%. This species grows in soil textures ranging from sand to clay, usually with low organic matter [20,82,85]. After establishment, it is tolerant of both drought [85] and inundation by water [75].

Elevations ranges for alkali sacaton are as follows:

Arizona 2,500 to 6,500 ft (760-1,980 m) [36]
Colorado 4,000 to 8,000 ft (1,220-2,440 m) [30]
New Mexico 3,100 to 7,500 ft (950-2,290 m) [59,72]
Utah 2,625 to 7,710 ft (800-2,350 m) [91]

Comments: Sporobolus tharpii occurs on barrier islands, shores of lagoons and bays protected by the barrier islands, and on shores of a few near-coastal ponds. Plants occur at the bases of dunes, in interdune swales and sandflats, and on upper beaches. The substrate is of Holocene age.

Propagation by Seed: Alkali sacaton seeds should be sown in the spring in a greenhouse. Cover the seeds with a light layer of the growing media. Germination for this species should take place within two weeks. When seedlings are large enough to handle, plant them directly into their permanent positions in the summer.

Large divisions can be planted directly into their permanent positions. However, smaller divisions should be placed in individual pots in a cold frame, planting them when they are well established in the summer.

More info for the terms: density, prescribed fire, shrubs

In a 1982 summary of fire in the southern desert grasslands and shrublands, Wright and Bailey [94] conclude that if rangelands are in good condition, fire can be used as an effective management tool to reduce some shrubs and small trees during wet weather cycles. Fire probably has the greatest value for managing tobosa, big sacaton, alkali sacaton, and mixed grama ranges [13,94]. According to Wright and Bailey [94], sacaton communities are similar in density, coarseness, and structure to tobosagrass; Payson and others [58] indicate that prescribed fire causes low mortality, improves palatability, and increases biomass of tobosagrass.

More info for the terms: basal area, forbs

The recovery time of alkali sacaton following fire has been reported as 2 to 4 years. In an Arizona study alkali sacaton basal area recovered in 2 postfire years, although only 54% of plant height was recovered in that time. The effect of fires in the 1st postfire growing season was to decrease height and basal area of alkali sacaton while stimulating growth of other grasses and forbs. Summer fires had a more pronounced effect on alkali sacaton than winter fires [11,93,94].

Alkali sacaton is classified as tolerant of, but not resistant to, fire [82,93,94]. Top-killing by fire is probably frequent, and the plants can be killed by severe fire [78].

More info for the term: ground residual colonizer

POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY [76]:
Ground residual colonizer (on-site, initial community)

More info for the terms: density, fire frequency, fire occurrence, frequency, shrub, stand-replacing fire

Records of fire occurrence in sacaton grasslands are rare. Wright and Bailey [93] associated the fire ecology of alkali sacaton with that of tobosa because the species occur together in southern desert floodplains and are similar in density, coarseness, and structure [93]. Humphrey [36] characterized the vegetation in tobosa floodplains as flammable and sometimes dense enough to carry a fire, but suggests that because of the relatively limited area and sparse surrounding vegetation, floodplain tobosa stands probably burned less frequently than adjoining grasslands and shrublands. Factors contributing to increased fire frequency in sacaton grasslands include a lower water table, less frequent flooding, and the expansion of mesquite and acacia [93].

Although not specific to alkali sacaton, Payson and others [56] provide a review of fire in shrublands and grasslands where this species is present. Among these are such widespread vegetation types [27,45] as Great Basin sagebrush, blackbrush, saltbush-greasewood, creosotebush, mesquite-acacia savanna, grama-tobosa shrubsteppe, pinyon-juniper, and Trans-Pecos and Texas savanna. These vegetation types are characterized by mixed or stand-replacing FIRE REGIMES, with varying fire return intervals. 

Fire return intervals for some communities where alkali sacaton occurs are listed below. Please refer to FEIS summaries of the dominant species in these vegetation types for information about their fire ecology.

Community or Ecosystem	Dominant Species	Fire Return Interval Range (years)
sagebrush steppe	Artemisia tridentata/Pseudoroegneria spicata	20-70 [56]
basin big sagebrush	Artemisia tridentata var. tridentata	12-43 [66]
Wyoming big sagebrush	Artemisia tridentata var. wyomingensis	10-70 (40*) [87,94]
saltbush-greasewood	Atriplex confertifolia-Sarcobatus vermiculatus
desert grasslands	Bouteloua eriopoda and/or Pleuraphis mutica	5-100
plains grasslands	Bouteloua spp.
blue grama-needle-and-thread grass-western wheatgrass	Bouteloua gracilis-Hesperostipa comata-Pascopyrum smithii
blue grama-buffalo grass	Bouteloua gracilis-Buchloe dactyloides
grama-galleta steppe	Bouteloua gracilis-Pleuraphis jamesii
blue grama-tobosa prairie	Bouteloua gracilis-Pleuraphis mutica
cheatgrass	Bromus tectorum
creosotebush	Larrea tridentata
Ceniza shrub	Larrea tridentata-Leucophyllum frutescens-Prosopis glandulosa
wheatgrass plains grasslands	Pascopyrum smithii
pinyon-juniper	Pinus-Juniperus spp.	56]

*mean

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More info for the terms: marsh, series, succession

Alkali sacaton is intolerant of shade [82]. It is commonly found as a primary or secondary invader on saline soils. It invades saline flats directly or follows a stage where "succulents" are dominant. In successional series on marsh borders, alkali sacaton represents the vegetation stage just prior to prairie, possibly playing a part in a cycle involving periods of decreased and increased salinity. With decreased salinity its dense root system produces hummocks. As succession proceeds, prairie species invade the hummocks [85]. 

A study of succession following lowered water tables caused by groundwater pumping in the Owens Valley of California found alkali meadow (dominated by alkali sacaton and saltgrass) was followed by either Nevada saltbush-meadow or rubber rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus nauseosus)-meadow [51].

Alkali sacaton reproduces from seeds and tillers. Seed production is abundant, and seeds remain viable for many years [10]. Seedcoats need not be scarified, but seeds must undergo an afterripening period of several months for good germination. Water movement in floodplains disperses seeds, some of which are deposited in saturated sediments where they later germinate [3].

The effects of moisture stress on germination were studied in the Rio Puerco Watershed near Albuquerque, New Mexico. The study showed that alkali sacaton is more severely affected by moisture stress than galleta and blue grama. This supports observations that alkali sacaton is restricted to frequently flooded sites, while galleta and blue grama can establish on drier sites [44]. Germination percentages decrease with increasing salt increments. Soils rich in magnesium and low in calcium inhibit germination [38,85].

Alkali sacaton seed germinates best between temperatures of 80 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit (27 and 32 oC) [2,3,43]. Minimum germination temperature was measured at 54 degrees Fahrenheit (12 oC)[40].

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More info for the term: hemicryptophyte

RAUNKIAER [60] LIFE FORM:
Hemicryptophyte

More info for the term: graminoid

Graminoid

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More info for the term: warm-season

Alkali sacaton is a warm-season grass. It blooms from July to August in the Northwest [35], from June to October in the Great Plains [29], and from April to May in the Southwest [55].  Seeds are produced from late summer to October. They usually germinate in July after a 9-month afterripening period [3]. 

Barcode of Life Data Systems (BOLDS) Stats
Public Records: 2
Specimens with Barcodes: 2
Species With Barcodes: 1

Rounded Global Status Rank: G5 - Secure

Canada

Rounded National Status Rank: N2 - Imperiled

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N5 - Secure

United States

Rounded National Status Rank: N3 - Vulnerable

Rounded Global Status Rank: G3 - Vulnerable

Reasons: Limited range. No abundance data. Threats working on long-term. Few current populations, but potential exists for many. Large portion of range falls within public protected lands.

Please consult the Plants Web site and your State Department of Natural Resources for this plant’s current status, such as, state noxious status and wetland indicator values.

Global Short Term Trend: Decline of 10-30%

Comments: Declining due to coastal development.

Comments: No overt threats have been identified, but general development of seashores for housing, grazing, industry, and agriculture continue to reduce habitat, except on refuges.

More info for the terms: competition, reclamation

Alkali sacaton is notable for its tolerance to alkaline soil, drought, flooding, moderate grazing, and mining disturbance. It is an important forage species in many areas, particularly the
Southwest. Stands of this grass stabilize eroding soil [2,4,10,17,18,66]. Numerous ecotypes, accessions, and cultivars of alkali sacaton have been evaluated [17,20,22,32,59]. Discussion about the reclamation potential of this species can be found in
"Value for Rehabilitation of Disturbed Sites" above.

Historical research in central California and the arid Southwest indicates that alkali sacaton grasslands were once much more abundant than they are today. Pure stands of alkali
sacaton grew on playas, floodplains, hills, and terraces. Today the species is found growing only on playas and low alluvial floodplains where water and excessive concentrations of
soluble salts, exchangeable sodium, or both, accumulate. The decline is attributed to overgrazing, competition from other salt-adapted plant species, and human population pressure [6,17,18,20].

Needs: Establish the presence of extant EOs on public lands within its range.

Commonly available through commercial seed vendors. Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil Conservation Service) office for more information. Look in the phone book under ”United States Government.” The Natural Resources Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading “Department of Agriculture.”

Once Sporobolus airoides plants are well established little maintenance is required. It is best that the stands of this species is grazed in the spring and summer when growth is active.

More info for the terms: cover, reclamation, shrub

Alkali sacaton is 1 of the most commonly used species for seeding and stabilizing disturbed lands in the semiarid Southwest [3,5,26,57,61]. Due to its salt tolerance, it was recommended for native grass seeding on subirrigated saline sites in mixtures with western wheatgrass and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) [79]. It is planted in riparian zones in major plant communities in the Intermountain region [54]. It was found superior to western wheatgrass for seeding in the drier climates of the southern and northern desert shrub types [3,47,52]. Alkali sacaton has been used in reclamation seedings on sagebrush-grasslands, pinyon-juniper communities, and shadscale saltbrush, blackbrush, and saltgrass ranges [47,76].

Alkali sacaton has shown promise as a remediation species on oil well reserve pits [53] and saline waste from coal-fired electrical generating stations [66]. Retana and others [62] determined that alkali sacaton has the potential to remove selenium from contaminated soil by accumulating it in shoot biomass. In a greenhouse study, Fuller and others [27] found that soil amendment with sewage sludge improved growth of alkali sacaton in bauxite residues.

Alkali sacaton can provide abundant leafy ground cover. Establishment of seedlings is difficult without frequent irrigation. Once established, plants need little maintenance. They tolerate drought and perform well in the 12 to 18 inch (200-460 mm) mean annual precipitation zone or, with occasional irrigation, in areas of less precipitation [22,32,49,59,80,90]. Cox and others [17] asserted that a "waving sea" of alkali sacaton could not be maintained where mean annual precipitation is only 6 to 16 inches (150-400 mm).

Aldon [2] developed the following guidelines for establishing alkali sacaton from seed on harsh sites:

• Plant when soil moisture is at least 14% or higher

• Plant when probabilities for weekly precipitation are greatest and soil temperatures will be near 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 oC)

• Use large seeds at least 1 year old

• Saturate the planting site just prior to planting

• Cover seed with about 1/2 inch (13 mm) of mulch to keep conditions moist and dark

• If rainwater does not deposit at least 6 mm of rain within the first 5 days, rewater to bring the soil to saturation

A seed-storage study in Utah reported 99% germination in alkali sacaton seeds that were stored in an open, unheated, uncooled warehouse for 7 years.

More info for the term: cover

The degree to which alkali sacaton provides cover for wildlife species has been rated as follows [21]:

UT WY Pronghorn Poor Fair Elk Poor Poor Mule deer Poor Poor White-tailed deer Poor ---- Small mammals Good Good Small nongame birds Fair Good Upland game birds Fair Fair Waterfowl Fair Poor

More info for the term: shrub

Alkali sacaton is a valuable forage species in arid and semiarid regions. Plants are tolerant to moderate grazing and can produce abundant herbage utilized by livestock and wildlife [10,18,21,56,61,87].

The western saltdesert shrub and grassland communities where alkali sacaton is common support an abundance of mule deer, pronghorn, carnivores, small mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles [10,63].

Species in the genus Sporobolus, probably including alkali sacaton, were used by Native Americans in California for basketry and weaving [6].

In a New Mexico study, protein content in alkali sacaton ranged from 4.2% in January to 8.7% in October. Calcium content ranged from 0.26% to 0.56%. Phosphorus content ranged from 0.04% to
0.17% [56]. Koostra and others [45] detected levels of in-vitro digestible dry matter in alkali sacaton ranging from 25% to 37%.

The palatability of alkali sacaton has been rated as follows [21]:


CO MT UT WY
Cattle Good Good Good Good
Domestic sheep Good Good Fair Good
Horses Good Good Fair Good
Pronghorn ---- Poor Fair Poor
Elk ---- Poor Fair Fair
Mule deer ---- Poor Fair Poor
White-tailed deer ---- ---- Poor ----
Small mammals ---- ---- Good Fair
Small nongame birds ---- ---- Fair Fair
Upland game birds ---- ---- Fair Fair
Waterfowl ---- ---- Fair Poor

Ethnobotanic: The Hopi Indians use the seeds in times of famine (Whiting 1939). They were ground into flour, eaten dry or made into a mush.

Wildlife: Alkali sacaton’s abundant herbage is eaten by cattle, sheep, and horses (Hitchock 1951). This species is used as a good forage or grazing grass in lowland and in alkali regions (Gates 1937).

Comments: Sporobolus tharpii is closely related to S. airoides and S. wrightii, both species of central and west Texas. The different range, habitats, and morphology are sufficient to maintain S. tharpii as a distinct species (Sorrie, B., 1999 Element Ranking Form).