Vascular Plants of the Gila Wilderness

The grasses are a diverse group of monocots with a wide range of uses and habitat. They are found virtually everywhere in New Mexico. There have been more than 480 species identified in the state. Many of the key characteristics of the family require some magnification to see, and this has most likely been an obstacle to more widespread public interest in grass identification. With some practice though, identification becomes easier.

Grass leaf cross sections look different across the different genera, and the compound scope can be used to identify grasses at least to genus if all that one has is a small portion of a leaf.

A Field Guide to the Grasses of New Mexico by Kelly W. Allred is the source text for keys and information about the grasses of this area.
All measurements used in the photos are metric.