Selected North Dakota and Minnesota Range Plants (continued)EB-69, 1998 Common Name: Yellow sweet clover Species: Melilotus officinalus (L.) Pall. Family: Fabaceae - Bean Family
Description: Biennial or annual herb; stems erect, branched, 0.5-2 m tall, smooth, and not hairy to sparsely pubescent above. Leaflets oblanceolate or obovate to lanceolate or oblong, 1.2-5(4) cm long, smooth and not hairy above, closely pressed pubescent below, short toothed tip and along sides; stipules 6-10 mm long. Racemes 4.5-7 cm long, calyx 1.5-2 mm long, slightly bag-shaped or rounded below, teeth triangular to tapering toward tip, 0.5-1 mm long; corolla 4-5 mm long, flowers yellow. Pod obovoid or ovoid, 2.5-5 mm long, cross-veined or irregularly veined. Melilotus alba Medic. or white sweet clover is very similar, has white flowers (racemes) 4-15 cm long, calyx with tube gradually tapering to base rather than slightly bag-shaped. Pod is veined in a network pattern with very short stipitate. Origin: Both sweet clover species are introduced from Eurasia. Growing Season: Sweet clovers are cool season forbs which begin growing in May, only producing vegetative growth the first, but may flower from July through October if conditions are very favorable in early spring. Second year growth will also begin in May with flowering occurring July through October. Habitat: These species are common, found on both mesic and zeric sites. Found along roadsides, fields, waster places, and pastureland. Yellow sweet clover is the more abundant of the two species, with white sweet clover seldom seen in the western two-thirds of the state, becoming more noticeable in the east. Distribution: Occurs throughout the Great Plains region and much of North America. White sweet clover can be found throughout North Dakota, becoming more abundant in the east; yellow sweet clover is the dominant species of the two in North Dakota. This species occurs throughout Minnesota as does white sweet clover. Forage Value: These species provide excellent forage both in quality and quantity for all classes of livestock. Sweet clovers were introduced into our region as a harvestable forage but have invaded many grasslands and rangelands in the Great Plains region. These plants are considered invaders on native prairie. Sweet clovers are very nutritional in the vegetative growth phase, having a crude protein value greater than 20 percent prior to flowering, maintaining above 10 percent until maturity. When this plant matures, it becomes very brittle and has limited feed value. Sweet clovers are often planted as grazed lands, hayland, green chopped, haylage, and silage. Wildlife Value: This species provides concealment cover for upland nesting birds and small and large mammals. Sweet clover provides excellent cover for white-tailed deer, coyote, and red fox. The seeds are of moderate value to upland gamebirds. Plant parts provide forage for small mammals, antelope, mule deer, white-tailed deer, sharp-tailed grouse, and pheasant. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ]
Common Name: Owl clover Species: Orthocarpus luteus Nutt. Family: Scrophulariaceae - Figwort Family
Description: An annual herb, mostly hemiparasitic, smooth to slightly glandular-hairy with a mixture of longer, hairs; stems slender, erect. 0.8-3 dm tall, usually simple. Leaves alternate, sessile, linear, 1.5-3.5 cm long, entire or uppermost leaves 3-lobed. Inflorescence a narrow spike, bracts green, leaflike below and progressively reduced upwards, 3-lobed. Flowers strongly two-lipped; calyx at least partially united, tubular and bell-shaped, 6-8 mm long, 4-lobed; corolla yellow, elongated and narrow, 9-12 mm long, minutely hairy, the upper lip hooded, erect and straight, beaklike, 2.5-4 mm long, its lobes united to the tip and enclosing the anthers, the lower lip equaling the upper lip in length, minutely 3-toothed, external in bud; stamens 4, the anther cells 2, unequally placed; stigmas united and in a dense cluster. Capsule symmetrical, egg-shaped; seeds several, 1.2-1.5 mm long. Origin: Native Growing Season: A warm-season forb starting growth in May, flowering in July and August. Habitat: This species commonly grows on dry meadows and upland prairie, sometimes found in open woodlands. Distribution: Owl clover occurs mainly in the northern and western regions of the Great Plains. It is found from west central Ontario and Manitoba to British Columbia, Canada, south to west Minnesota, north and west South Dakota, east Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico, north Arizona and northeast California. It can be found throughout the native prairies of North Dakota. This plant is found in the prairie region of northwestern Minnesota and scattered in several other counties. Forage Value: Owl clover is low in palatability, ranking as practically worthless forage for cattle and horses, fair for sheep. This species is considered an increaser with grazing pressure. Wildlife Value: This species has little to no feed value to wildlife species. Owl clover does produce an abundance of seeds and is used to some extent by songbirds. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ]
Common Names: Species: Oxytropis lambertii Pursh.
Family: Fabaceae - Bean Family
Description: Perennial tufted or clumped herb with stout taproot and a branching base; ax-shaped hairs on stems and leaves, those plants with one branch usually shorter; hairs soft and wooly, sparse to dense. Leaves odd-pinnate with leaflets, usually strongly occurring in both forms; principal leaves 10-17 cm long; leaflets 7-19, linear, sometimes sickle-shaped, 0.5-4 cm long, 1-4 mm wide, sharply pointed. Scapes usually erect, 5-30 cm long; racemes 10-to 20-flowered, flowers spreading to erect. Calyx cylindric, tube 6-7 mm long, teeth 1.5-3 mm long, tube silky throughout, sometimes with blackish hairs intermixed; petals usually reddish-purple, sometimes with various shades of rose, blue, or purple; banner 15-25 mm long, blade 8-12 mm wide; wings 12-20 mm long, 4.5-8 mm wide near base; keel 13-19 mm long, straight to arched. Fruit without stalk or short stalk, 8-15 mm long, body oval-shaped, with straight or divergent beak 3-7 mm long, body silky throughout; seeds brown, 2 mm long and smooth. Origin: Native Growing Season: A warm season forb beginning growth in late April, flowering in June and July, maturing in August. Habitat: This plant has adapted to a wide variety of soil types. It is found primarily on drier prairies and plains and badlands; dispersed to a lesser degree on river bluffs, open wooded areas, and roadsides. Distribution: Lambert crazyweed occurs throughout much of the midwestern regions of the United States. It reaches from southern Alberta and Manitoba south to Arizona, New Mexico, and northern Texas, with Utah and Iowa its west and east borders. It can be found throughout North Dakota and primarily in the prairie region of Minnesota. Forage Value: This species is generally considered unpalatable to most classes of livestock. It is more readily grazed when desirable plants are lacking. This plant is capable of causing "loco disease" in cattle, sheep, goats, and most notably in horses when grazed in large amounts. The entire plant is poisonous, and once grazed to any extent, animals, especially horses, may crave it, resulting in larger, possibly poisonous, levels consumed. Death is slow with symptoms beginning with the animal becoming crazy and easily spooked and vision becoming faulty. Symptoms to follow include depression, trembling, and paralysis with final stages characterized by inability to eat or drink and loss of coordination. Wildlife Value: This species is used by grazing and browsing wildlife to a limited extent. The foliage is utilized by antelope and mountain sheep. The seeds and fruits are utilized by some small rodents and upland gamebirds to a limited extent. There has been no documentation on the possibility of Lambert crazyweed being poisonous to wildlife species. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ]
Common Name: Silverleaf scurfpea, Silverleaf psoralea Species: Psoralea argophylla Pursh.
Family: Fabaceae - Bean Family
Description: Perennial herb with taproots and erect branching from tough base of root and stem; forming colonies by shoots from spreading roots. Stems erect or ascending, 4-5 dm tall, widely spreading branch, sometimes flexuous, silky hairs or smooth below. Leaves alternate, those of main stem 4- or 5-leaflets, branched leaves usually 3-leaflets; leaflets egg-shaped, oblong, apically pointed, and sometimes truncate, usually with dense silvery, soft hairs on lower side, rarely smooth and green, less hairy and yellowish-green on upper side; petioles 1-5 cm long, usually with silky, soft hairs; stipules 0.5-2 cm long. Peduncles axillary, 2-8 cm long; spikes of 2-5 well-separated whorls with 3-6 flowers on each; bracts oval-shaped, pointed, and semipersistent. Calyx tube bell-shaped, 2-lipped, 2-3 mm long at anthesis, 4 upper teeth 2.5-3 mm long, one tooth lower and 7-8 mm long, elongated in fruit; corolla purple fading bluish, sometimes yellow or brown; banner egg-shaped, 5-7 mm long, spur 1-2 mm long, blade 3-5 mm wide; wings 4-6 mm long; keel 4-5 mm long. Pod 7-9 mm long, oval-shaped, with a short straight beak, body enclosed by calyx, densely hairy, pericarp rigid; seed 4-4.5 mm long, olive to dark brown colored, smooth. Origin: Native Growing Season: This warm season forb begins growth in May, flowers in June and July, and matures through September. Habitat: Silverleaf scurfpea commonly grows on prairies, rocky or steep hillsides and slopes, sandy areas, and stream valleys. Distribution: This plant occurs from southern Alberta and Manitoba south to Missouri, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. It is found from Colorado to Wisconsin. Grows throughout the Great Plains region, rarer in southwest Kansas and mostly absent in the Texas panhandle. It can be found throughout North Dakota and in the prairie region of Minnesota. Forage Value: This species is seldom grazed by any classes of livestock, considered unpalatable with poor nutritional value. It is considered an increaser with grazing pressure. Wildlife Value: This species is considered of little to poor value to wildlife. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ]
Common Name: Species: Psoralea esculenta Pursh. Synonym: Pediomelum esculentum (Pursh) Rydb. Family: Fabaceae - Bean Family
Description: A perennial herb with a deep taproot that is swollen in middle and tapering at end, thick, 4-10 cm below ground, the thickened portion 3-8 cm wide and 4-15 cm long. Stems 1-3, simple or rarely branched, clustered, palmated 5-leaflets; leaflets oval- shaped, apical sharply pointed, rounded to rarely ending abruptly, upper surface smooth, lower surface loosely appressed and hairy; petioles 5-10 cm long, minutely to having long hairs; stipules oval-shaped, 1-1.5 cm long, sometimes sickle-shaped. Peduncles axillary; spikes dense, 2-2.5 cm wide; bracts oval-shaped, tapering gradually to a point, 1-1.5 cm long. Corolla blue at anthesis, fading yellowish; calyx tube at anthesis swollen, hairy, 5-6.5 mm long, upper middle 2 of 4 teeth partially united, 5-7.5 mm long; banner blade oblong, 9-13 mm long, claw 4-6 mm long; wing blade 9-11 mm long, claw 5-7 mm long. Pod with egg-shaped body 5-7 mm long and enclosed in calyx, smooth and with few glands, tapering into a beak 1-2 cm long, sparsely hairy, pericarp thick; seed 4-5 mm long, oblong and often purple-spotted or dark brown, smooth. Origin: Native Growing Season: A warm season forb that starts growing in May, flowering in June and maturing in July and August. Habitat: This species grows on a variety of soils, but is most common to dry prairies and foothills. It can be found growing on bluffs, upland and midland prairie, and sometimes along roadsides. Distribution: Indian breadroot occurs throughout the Great Plains region, but is rarer in the southwest portion. It can be found throughout North Dakota and in the prairie region of Minnesota. Forage Value: This species rates as poor forage value for cattle and horses, fair to good for sheep during early growth. Although seldom grazed, this species is considered a decreaser with grazing pressure. Wildlife Value: The above ground portion of this species provides little to no feed value for grazing or browsing wildlife species. The underground taproot has been dugup and utilized by small rodents. Other: The root of this plant has contributed greatly as a staple food source for Native Americans. The plains Indians used the starchy, tuberous rootstalk as a boiled or mashed food, easily stored for winter food because of the hard, fibrous outer layer. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ]
Common Name: Species: Thermopsis rhombifolia Nutt. ex Richards Synonym: Thermopsis arenosa A. Nels. Family: Fabaceae - Bean Family
Description: A perennial rhizomatous herb; stems erect or ascending one to several from base, 1.5-4 dm tall, smooth or with appressed hairs, often branched above. Leaves are alternate, palmated with three leaflets; leaflets broadly oval in shape, apically pointed or rounded and ending in a short, flexible point, 1.5-3 cm long, 1-2 cm wide, sparsely to densely hairy. Flowers in subterminal axillary racemes to 1 dm long, flowers 10-30, dense; pedicels 4-10 mm long, each subtended by bracts 5-10 mm long. Calyx tube bell-shaped, two-lipped, 4-5 mm long, having stiff, appressed minute hairs, upper lobe with 2 united teeth, 3-4 mm long, teeth of lower lobe 2-3 mm long; petals yellow, banner often with median purplish dots; banner egg-shaped, 17-20 mm long, claw 2-3 mm long; wings oblong, having auricles, 15-18 mm long; keel oblong, having auricles, 14-16 mm long; stamens 10, distinct. Pods with leathery texture, recurved, sparsely to densely hairy, becoming smooth, constricted between seeds; seeds 4.5-5.5 mm long, yellowish to dark-brown, smooth, shiny. Origin: Native Growing Season: This warm season forb begins growth in May and flowers from June through July. Habitat: Golden pea can be found growing on prairie hillsides, rocky open woodlands, badlands, and roadsides. It is more common on drier uplands and clay soils of buttes or banks. Distribution: This species occurs throughout the western half of the Great Plains region. It is found from North Dakota to Alberta, south to Nebraska and Colorado. It can be found in the western third of North Dakota but is more predominant in the southwestern and westcentral regions of the state. Forage Value: This species provides little to no grazing value for cattle or horses, but sheep may graze it in the spring to a small extent. This species is considered an increaser with grazing pressure, but does not become a pesky plant on native rangeland. Wildlife Value: There is no literature available on the importance of this species to wildlife. The low palatability of this plant would indicate little or no use by grazing and browsing wildlife. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ]
Common Name: Pink wild onion Species: Allium stellatum Ker. Family: Liliaceae - Lily Family
Description: Slender perennial plants 2-6 dm tall, from a membranaceous coated bulb. Leaves several, shorter than scape, 1-4 mm wide, channeled, mostly withering at anthesis. Inflorescence an umbel, drooping but becoming erect; spathe becoming 2 bracts or remaining united, each bract 7-nerved, becoming reflexed; pedicels 2-3 X perianth length. Flowers deep pink, star-shaped, withering in fruit, perianth segments 5-8 mm long, elliptic-lanceolate, apex acute. Stamens exserted; ovary distinctly 6-crested, crest flattened, entire or with toothed processes. Origin: Native Growing Season: A warm season herb which begins growth in May and flowers July through September. Habitat: This species is frequently associated with fertile soils, generally associated with prairies, meadows, and foothills. Distribution: Occurs throughout the Great Plains from south central Canada, south to Texas and Illinois, west to the Rocky Mountains. Can be found throughout the prairies of eastern North Dakota, becoming less frequent west of the Missouri River. Forage Value: This species is usually succulent and highly palatable to cattle and sheep. Provides a valuable forage for all livestock except horses, which rarely utilize it. Wildlife Value: This species is of limited wildlife value. Small mammals such as prairie dogs are known to forage on onion bulbs. Other: Pink wild onion can be confused with poisonous deathcamas. Crushed bulbs smell like garlic or onion, contrasted to deathcamas bulbs which are nearly odorless. Flower clusters also vary in appearance. Pink wild onion is quite edible for human consumption, but identification is crucial to distinguish from deathcamas. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ]
Common Name: White wild onion Species: Allium textile A. Nels.& Macbr. Family: Liliaceae - Lily Family
Distribution: Perennial plant 1-3 dm tall, from a fibrous-coated bulb. Leaves usually 2, equal to or exceeding scape, 1-3 mm wide, channeled. Inflorescence an erect umbel, becoming flexuous and rigid in fruit; spathe dividing into 2 (3) bracts, each bract 1-nerved. Flowers white, rarely pink, bell-shaped; perianth segments 5-7 mm long becoming callous-keeled and permanently investing capsule, lanceolate, inner series obtuse to acuminate. Stamens shorter than perianth; ovary + 6-crested, knobs separated or united. Quite similar to pink wild onion but shorter and not as slender, and generally always containing a white flower. Origin: Native Growing Season: A cool season herb which begins growth in April and flowers May through early July. One of the earliest herbs to green-up in spring. Habitat: This species will grow on less fertile soils than pink wild onion and can be found on prairies and plains, in thickets, and open, dry coniferious woods. White wild onion can also be found on stony hills. Distribution: Occurs in central Canada south to the northern and west central Great Plains; Minnesota west to Montana and Washington, south to western Nebraska and Kansas. This species can be found throughout North Dakota and in the prairie region along the western edge of Minnesota. Forage Value: This species grows quickly after the snow melts and provides green, succulent herbage early in the spring. It is readily eaten by cattle and sheep. Some stockmen make the mistake of turning their livestock onto the range early in order to utilize onions. This can not be justified because the main crops of forage have not developed sufficiently to withstand the early grazing pressure which creates a loss in potential herbage production. Considered a decreaser with grazing pressure. Wildlife Value: This species is of limited wildlife value. The bulbs are eaten by prairie dogs and ground squirrels. Other: White wild onion can be confused with poisonous
deathcamas. Wild onion smells [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ]
Common Name: Species: Geum triflorum Pursh Synonyms: Sieversia ciliata (Pursh) D. Don, and S. triflora (Pursh) R. Br. Family: Rosaceae - Rose Family
Description: Perennial forb with thick rhizomes and often forming clumps 2-4 or more dm wide; flowering stems 2-4 dm tall, usually purplish at least in upper one-half, soft and hairy with scattered longer lavender colored hairs, with a pair of opposite and much reduced leaves with narrow, pointed lobes at about midlength. Basal leaves with blades 5-15 cm long, unequally pinnate to pinnatifid or lyrate; leaflets or lobes 7-19, to 5 cm long, becoming larger toward apex, irregularly cut into narrow, pointed lobes or lobed, terminal leaflet not much larger than upper laterals. Inflorescence mostly cymose; peduncles to 1 dm long. Flowers (1)3-4(9), usually nodding, hypanthium nearly hemispheric, 4-5 mm long; sepals 5, purplish, triangular to ovate-lanceolate, 8-12 mm long. Bractlets between sepals, they are linear to narrowly elliptic, simple to two-cleft or three-cleft, may be a little shorter to conspicuously longer than sepals. Petals 5, yellowish to pinkish or purplish, elliptic or elliptic-obovate, longer, sometimes shorter than sepal bractlets; stamens numerous. Achenes pear-shaped, 2.8-3.3 mm long; lower portion of style 2.5-5 cm long, purplish, covered with fine, elongated hairs, the terminal segment smooth and hairless, 3-6 mm long, sometimes a little bent sharply at the point of juncture with lower segment, persistent or slowly deciduous. Origin: Native Growing Season: A cool season forb with begins growing in April and starts blooming in late April - early May, continuing well into June. Habitat: This species is frequent to abundant on most upland prairie sites. Common on shallow and gravelly sites as well as silty and overflow sites, and sometimes found in open woodlands. Very attractive and showy wildflower. Distribution: Occurs in Minnesota, Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming. Found from Newfoundland to British Columbia, south to New York, Northern Illinois, Iowa, South Dakota, Wyoming, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, and California. This species is common throughout North Dakota and occurs throughout Minnesota being more common in the prairie region. Forage Value: This species is generally rated as having poor forage value for all classes of livestock. Typically considered an increaser with overgrazing, but not a good indicator due to its relative abundance on both good and poor range. May be more abundant on deteriorated rangeland. Wildlife Value: No information was found concerning the wildlife value of this species. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ]
Common Name: Shrubby cinquefoil Species: Potentilla fruticosa L. Synonym: Dasiphora fruticosa (L.) Rydb. Family: Rosaceae - Rose Family
Description: Perennial shrub characterized by a bushy branched plant spreading to becoming erect, 2-7(10) dm tall, young branches silky looking covered with soft, distinct hairs but soon becoming smooth and lacking hairs and with reddish-brown shredding bark. Leaves alternate, odd-pinnate, 3-, 5-, 7-leaflets; leaflets crowded, (5)10-20 mm long, linear to elliptic-oblong or narrowly obovate, entire, often rolled backward toward the lower side, appressed or somewhat spreading silky pubescence and grayish beneath, less pubescent above; petioles to 12 mm long, pubescent. Stipules thin and dry, brownish in color, 6-12 mm long, sheathing about one-half length, with ovate to lanceolate tips, persistent. Flowers single in leaf axils, or 2-5(9) clustered in small terminal cymes. Hypanthium saucer-shaped, 3.5-5 mm wide; sepals 4-6 mm long, ovate-triangular, somewhat tapered to a terminal point, spreading; bractlets narrow-lanceolate, shorter to longer than sepals; petals yellow, spreading, nearly circular to ovate-oblong, (6)8-10 mm long; stamens 20, 25, 30, anthers 1 mm long; carpels numerous, styles clavate, midlaterally attached; ovary hirsute. Achenes ovoid, light brown, 1.5-1.8 mm long, densely whitish, stiff, long hairs. Origin: Native Growing Season: A warm season shrub which begins growing in May; flowers mature on old stems in June, and again on new growth in July and August. Habitat: This species is infrequent to common on dry rocky hillsides and buttes, sometimes found associated in moist areas such as wet meadow zones. Distribution: A widely distributed plant found all over the world, occurring throughout the Great Plains, either native or introduced as an ornamental. Occurs in northwestern Minnesota, Montana, western South Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico. Found throughout the northern regions of North America, from eastern Canada south to New Jersey, northern Illinois, South Dakota, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona. This species can be found throughout the western part of North Dakota and locally in the northern half of the state. The species is planted as an ornamental throughout the state. It occurs in the northeastern two-thirds of Minnesota and is probably planted as an ornamental throughough Minnesota. Forage Value: This species provides little to no forage value for cattle and horses, but provides fair to good browse for sheep and goats. Considered to have a relatively low palatability but will be grazed by cattle when pastures are deteriorated in condition and amount of desirable forage species lacking. When shrubby cinquefoil takes on a hedged look in cattle pastures, this indicates some grazing has occurred. This condition is an indicator that pasture condition may be deteriorated, overgrazing has occurred and usually an abundance of undesirable species occur. Wildlife Value: This plant is usually not utilized extensively by game animals because leaves have a bitter taste. It is considered palatable to elk and mule deer, especially during the winter months and on summer meadows. Less use occurs with white-tailed deer. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ]
Common Names: Prairie wild rose, Wild rose Species: Rosa arkansana Porter
Family: Rosaceae - Rose Family
Description: A woody plant, slightly shrubby, or less commonly subherbaceous shrubs from stout horizontal roots; stem 1-5 dm tall and dying back partly or completely each year, or becoming truly shrubby to 1 m tall, usually densely to sparsely beset with slender, unequal prickles, the below stipular ones, when present, not clearly differentiated form those of internodes. Leaves alternate, opposite compound leaflets; rachis smooth or with minute hairs, sometimes with glands; leaflets 9-11, oval to elliptic, 1-4 cm long, 1-2.5 cm wide, serrate in upper 2/3, teeth rarely glandular tipped, smooth or more commonly with long, soft hairs beneath; sharply pointed or triangular at base, rounded, obtuse or sharply pointed at apex; petioles smooth or hairy, rarely with glands; stipules pubescent to smooth, sometimes glands toothed. Flowers generally 3 or more, corymbose, terminating herbaceous stems of the season or short lateral branches form older stems. Hypanthium and pedicel glabrous; sepals 5, 1.5-2 cm long, 3-5 mm wide at base, stipitate-glandular on back, sometimes sparsely so, persistent and erect or spreading in fruit; petals 5, pink to white, rarely deep rose, 1.5-2.5 cm long; stamens numerous. Achenes usually 15-30, 3.5-5 mm long, plump, stiffly long hairy along one side. Origin: Native Growing Season: This cool season plant begins growth in April and flowers in early June until August. Habitat: Prairie wild rose has adapted to a wide variety of soil types. It can be found growing on prairies and bluffs, in ravines and thickets, and along stream banks and roadsides. Distribution: This species occurs throughout the northcentral, central, and northeastern regions of the United States. It is found as far south as northern Texas. It can be found throughout North Dakota and Minnesota. Forage Value: This plant provides fair to good forage for sheep and cattle. Foliage and young twigs are readily eaten. Prairie wild rose often decreases with grazing pressure. Wildlife Value: This plant produces red fleshy fruits known as rose hips which contain achenes. These hips remain on the rose plants into the winter months and are eaten by deer, antelope, elk, sheep, sharp-tailed grouse, prairie chicken, pheasants, and various songbirds. Small mammals, particularly rabbits, skunks, squirrels, and various rodents, eat fruits, stems and foliage of this plant. Often wild prairie rose is eaten to the soil surface by livestock and wildlife. [ Back to Index ] [ Home ] [ Glossary ] EB-69, 1998
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