The College of Agriculture at Montana State University and High Country Apps have partnered to produce the new Montana Grasses identification app for smart phones and tablets. The app provides images, species descriptions, range maps, and other information for more than 260 grasses and grass-like plants (graminoids) inhabiting the agricultural landscapes in Montana and adjacent states and provinces. Designed for beginners and experts alike, Montana Grasses will appeal to anyone who wants to identify grasses and learn more about them. The app does not need an Internet connection to run, so you can use it no matter where your wanderings take you.

Users can browse the species list or search for specific plants by common or scientific name. In addition, the app’s identification feature provides 13 sets of characteristics to help define your search, including: overall appearance, seed head, blade width, auricle, habitat, elevation, and origin (native or introduced). Select the characteristics you know -- a click of a button returns a list of thumbnail images and species that match your search.

Montana Grasses includes a “favorites” feature that allows users to select a custom list of species for future reference and sharing via email and social networks. Lastly, detailed information on grass identification basics, sources and resources, as well as a glossary of botanical terms and diagrams of grass anatomy are provided.

The app will be updated on a regular basis to add new species and other content, and available to all users at no additional charge. A portion of revenues from the app will be dedicated by High Country Apps to support plant conservation in Montana.

The app is a joint development of the College of Agriculture at Montana State University and High Country Apps of Bozeman, MT. Montana State University, the State's land-grant institution, educates students, creates knowledge and art, and serves communities by integrating learning, discovery, and engagement. Expertise on the grass family was provided during the development of this app by faculty and staff in the Land Resources and Environmental Sciences Department and the Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology Department, which are two of the primary Departments dedicated to research on plants, including crop development, native plant diversity, and invasive plant ecology and management.