Tussock grasses or bunch grasses are a group of grass species in the family
Poaceae. They usually grow as singular plants in clumps, tufts, hummocks, or bunches, rather than forming a
sod or
lawn, in
meadows,
grasslands, and prairies. As
perennial plants, most species live more than one season. Tussock grasses are often found as
forage in
pastures and
ornamental grasses in gardens.[1][2][3]
Many species have long roots that may reach 2 meters (6.6 ft) or more into the soil, which can aid slope stabilization,
erosion control, and
soil porosity for precipitation absorption. Also, their roots can reach moisture more deeply than other grasses and annual plants during seasonal or climatic droughts. The plants provide
habitat and food for insects (including
Lepidoptera), birds, small animals and larger
herbivores, and support beneficial soil
mycorrhiza. The leaves supply material, such as for
basket weaving, for
indigenous peoples and
contemporary artists.
In western North American
wildfires, bunch grasses tend to smolder and not ignite into flames, unlike
invasive species of
annual grasses that contribute to a fire's spreading.[4]
^R.H. Groves, R.D.B. Whalley "Grass and Grassland Ecology in Australia" in Flora of Australia Volume 43 Poaceae 1: Introduction and Atlas, CSIRO Publishing, Canberra. "Tussock" grass implies a vertical orientation of the grass clump. In North American usage "Bunch grass" is more specific and defines a clumping, non-
rhizomatous or non-
stoloniferous growth form, vertical to splayed, and usually
perennial with a deeper rooting system than other Poacea.
^Crampton, Beecher. "Grasses in California. University of California Press. Berkeley. 1974.
ISBN0-520-02507-5. p. 7 Walker, T.W. 1955 "The Ecology of Tussock Grasslands: Discussion" Proc. NZ Ecol. Soc 3:7 "One fifth of New Zealand carries tussock or bunch grass vegetation, more than other
steppes,
prairies, or grasslands of the world"
^Walker, T.W. 1955 "The Ecology of Tussock Grasslands: Discussion" Proc. NZ Ecol. Soc 3:7 "One fifth of New Zealand carries tussock or bunch grass vegetation, more than other
steppes,
prairies, or grasslands of the world"
^Ellsworth and Kauffman, 2010, Native Bunchgrasses Response to Prescribed fire in Ungrazed Grasslands