POACEAE

GRASS FAMILY

James P. Smith, Jr., except as specified

Annual to bamboo-like; roots generally fibrous
Stem generally round, hollow; nodes swollen, solid
Leaves alternate, 2-ranked, generally linear; sheath generally open; ligule membranous or hairy, at blade base
Inflorescence various (of generally many spikelets)
Spikelet: glumes generally 2; florets (lemma, palea, flower) 1–many; lemma generally membranous, sometimes glume-like; palea generally ± transparent, ± enclosed by lemma
Flower generally bisexual, minute; stamens generally 3; stigmas generally 2, generally plumose
Fruit: achene-like grain
Genera in family: 650–900 genera; ± 10,000 species: worldwide; greatest economic importance of any family (wheat, rice, maize, millet, sorghum, sugar cane, forage crops, ornamental, weeds; thatching, weaving, building materials)
Reference: [Hitchcock 1951 Manual grasses US, USDA Misc Publ 200; Clayton & Renvoise 1986 Kew Bull Add Series 13]
See Glossary p. 26 for illustrations of general family characteristics. Generally wind-pollinated.

FESTUCA

FESCUE

Susan G. Aiken

Perennial, generally cespitose, generally ± glabrous; bisexual, dioecious in F. kingii
Stem erect
Leaves ± basal; sheath generally persisting; collar generally glabrous; ligule generally < 1 mm, membranous, truncate, minutely fringed; blade flat or rolled, basal lobes generally 0
Inflorescence panicle-like; branches dense and appressed to open and spreading
Spikelet: glumes < lowest floret, unequal, lower 1–3-veined, upper 3–5-veined; axis breaking above glumes and between florets, florets 2–10, generally bisexual; lemma base generally glabrous, 5-veined (rarely 3- or 7-veined), not converging at tip; awn generally terminal, straight, glabrous; palea ± = lemma; stamens 3
Fruit free from palea, generally beakless
Etymology: (Latin: ancient name)
Reference: [Frederiksen 1982 Nord J Bot 2:525–536]

Native

F. occidentalis Hook.

WESTERN FESCUE

Stems 4–11 dm, slender, loosely clumped; nodes visible
Leaf: sheath shredding with age; ligule << 0.5 mm; blade 5–25 cm, 0.5–1 mm wide, folded, often V-shaped in section, soft
Inflorescence 5–20 cm; branches 1–2, often drooping
Spikelet 6–12 mm; lower glume 2–5 mm, upper 3–6 mm; florets 2–6; lemma 4–8 mm, tip sparsely scabrous, awn 3–12 mm; anthers ± 2–3 mm; ovary tip hairy
Chromosomes: 2n=14,42,46,56,64,70
Ecology: Open pine/oak woodland, redwood forest
Elevation: generally < 1900 m.
Bioregional distribution: Northwestern California, Cascade Range, Sierra Nevada, n&c Central Western California, Peninsular Ranges, Modoc Plateau
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia, e N.America
Horticultural information: IRR, DRN: 4, 5, 6, 15, 16, 17 &SHD: 7, 14, 21, 22, 23, 24.