(genus Bouteloua), any of about 50 species of annual or perennial forage grasses constituting a group within the family Poaceae, and native mostly to North America, with a few species in Central and South America. Grama grasses may grow in tufts or clumps or spread by creeping horizontal stems above or below ground. Sideoats grama (B. curtipendula), blue grama (B. gracilis), black grama (B. eriopoda), and hairy grama (B. hirsuta) are the most important North American range species. Other common names include mat, needle, Parry, purple, Rothrock, six-weeks, and slender.