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. viridula Vasey

MOUNTAIN BUNCHGRASS, GREEN FESCUE

Stems 5–10 dm, clumped; nodes visible
Leaf: sheath strongly veined, shredding with age; ligule < 0.5 mm; blade 10–30 cm, 1–2.5 mm wide, ± rolled
Inflorescence 4–15 cm, open; branches generally 2 per node, ascending
Spikelet 9–12 mm; lower glume 3.5–5 mm, upper 4.5–7 mm; florets 3–6 mm; lemma 5–8 mm, folded near tip, awn 0–1 mm; anthers 3–4 mm; ovary tip hairy
Chromosomes: 2n=28
Ecology: Subalpine meadows, open forests, rocky slopes
Elevation: generally > 2000 m.
Bioregional distribution: Klamath Ranges, n High Sierra Nevada
Distribution outside California: to British Columbia, Idaho, Colorado
Important forage grass
Horticultural information: DFCLT.