VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Krameria grayi | White Ratany 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
White ratany is an important forage for all classes of livestock [27].
It is one of the most important browse species for mule deer (Odocoileus
hemionus) and desert bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis mexicana) in the
Sonoran Desert [18,23,25].  Black-tailed jack rabbits (Lepus
californicus) rely almost exclusively on white ratany during the winter
[12].

The seeds of white ratany comprises up to 5 percent of the diet of
scailed quail (Callipepla squamata) in southeastern New Mexico [5].
  


PALATABILITY : 
White ratany is relished by all classes of livestock [27], mule deer,
and desert bighorn sheep [18,23].  The relish and degree of use shown by
livestock and wildlife species for white ratany in several western
states has been rated as follows [13,18,23,27]:

                         AZ      NM      NV      TX      UT
Cattle                  good    good    good    good    good
Sheep                   good    good    good    good    good
Burros                  good    good    good    good    good
Bighorn sheep           good    good    good    good    good
Mule deer               good    good    good    good    good
White-tailed deer       fair    fair    fair    fair    fair
Upland game birds       good    good    good    good    good     


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Rautenstrauch and others [23] reported the bimonthly nutritional
composition of white ratany as follows:

                                Percent Composition 
            Dry                         Cell                  Hemi-
            Matter   Protein   Lignin   Soluble   Cellulose   cellulose
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Jan.        57.69     7.90      9.91    43.35     27.19       19.68
Mar.        56.49     7.79      9.27    46.16     26.98       17.27 
May         59.65    10.54     10.18    46.22     26.61       17.06
July        61.91     8.38     10.46    45.59     25.17       18.55
Sept.       46.82     9.63     11.38    38.24     27.02       22.96
Nov.        59.38     8.19     11.86    37.11     37.03       16.30
 


COVER VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
NO-ENTRY


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
The Pima Indians used an infusion of the roots to treat skin irritations
and sores.  The roots also provided them with a reddish-yellow dye [29].
The Seri Indians used an infusion of the flowers to treat an upset
stomach and diarrhea, and an infusion of the stems with the bark removed
was used to make "the blood very red".  The stems, dried and ground,
were applied to sores [8].

White ratany's roots are commercially important in the production of
aniline stain [21].


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
White ratany decreases in response to grazing [30].  Blydenstein and
others [2] found that after 50 years of protection from grazing on a
site in the Sonoran Desert white ratany showed the greatest increase in
density.  Goldberg and Turner [10] confirmed these findings and added
that recovery from grazing is a slow process.  Even when protected from
grazing white ratany will not increase in density until favorable
moisture regimes occur.

Under heavy grazing pressure white ratany produces phenolic acids
(cinnamic and salcyclic acids) to reduce herbivory by reducing the
palatability [31].

Related categories for Species: Krameria grayi | White Ratany