| Grassland Evaluation Contest Study Guide | Fifth Edition: October 2005 |
| Plant Identification | |
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Missouri has over thirteen million acres of grasslands, which are agriculturally, economically and environmentally important to all its residents. These lands are used for either grazing or haying (or both) and the production of these acres will be dictated by how the plants respond under these conditions. Furthermore, every acre has some potential for improved wildlife habitat. The quality of wildlife habitat depends on two factors: 1) composition of the grassland and 2) how the grassland is managed. Nearly every phase of grassland management is intimately associated with a knowledge of the plants, their requirements, life history, and forage value. Wildlife species as well as domestic livestock are generally a product of the plants they eat. Proper grazing capacity of grasslands, periods and degrees of use, and class of livestock to which a particular pasture is best suited are determined largely by the character and composition of the vegetation and the life habits and values of the plants themselves. Persons unfamiliar with plants or vegetative cover are usually unable to interpret signs of overgrazing in a pasture situation. In addition, since plants are the basic units of wildlife habitat (food and cover), it becomes increasingly important for a landowner to be able to identify the plants in order to overcome any limiting factors. Livestock allowed to graze uncontrolled, will select those plants, which are most succulent and nutritious. This constant pressure may not allow time for regrowth and may result in certain plants being eliminated. Other plants, which are seldom grazed, may tend to increase in number or invade a pasture reducing its forage production (see Glossary: increasers, decreasers and invaders). In order for a landowner to make proper management decisions in response to these principles, he must first be able to identify the plants involved. The following list of grasses, forbs, legumes and woody plants are only a few of the plants that might be encountered in a grassland situation. In order for a landowner to either control or encourage a certain plant, it is important that he know its life cycle, i.e., whether it is an annual, biennial or perennial (see Glossary). The list includes only common names, however the student is encouraged to collect the individual plants and to further identify them as to their proper scientific name. Scientific names remain the same throughout the world, whereas the common names may vary even in a local area. Many books are available which can be used to key these plants to a scientific name (see Suggested References).
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