Species Detail Grasses

Herbarium specimen - Usage Rights: CC BY-NC (Attribution-Non-Commercial)		Yavapai County Native & Naturalized Plants Festuca californica - California fescue Synonyms: Festuca hitchcockianus Plant Form: Grass Family: Poaceae


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Herbarium specimen University of Arizona Herbarium, Usage Rights: Attribution-Non-Commercial (CC BY-NC)	Herbarium specimen Usage Rights: CC BY-NC (Attribution-Non-Commercial)


	Grass Description - Glossary of Grass Terminology Origin: Native Season: Cool and Warm Habitat Description: Dry open forest and moist streambanks. Plant Communities:Desert Scrub, Interior Chaparral, Semidesert Grasslands, Pinyon Juniper Woodland, Montane Conifer Forest, Riparian Elevation: 2500 - 6500 feet General Description Desc: A cool season perennial bunchgrass with stems up to 4 feet high and thick chalky blue to green foliage. Identification Notes: Densely tufted perennial with gracefully drooping, narrow, folded or rolled, dull-green to blue-green leaves. Collar is generally densely hairy, persistent dead leaf sheaths at bases. Leaf sheaths open at least 1/2 their length, smooth or slightly hairy. Grass Type: Perennial bunchgrass Rhizomes: N Stolons: N Large Dense Clump (> 2 feet): N Bushy (highly branched): N Height with Seedheads: Greater than 36 inches Seedhead Structure: Branched - open and spreading Seedhead Droops: N Flowering Period: Apr - Jul Flower Characteristics Number of Flowers per Spikelet: Multi-flowered Spikelets One-sided: N Awns: Less than 1/4 inch Three Awns: N Awns Bent: N Flower and Seedhead Notes: The seedhead is open, sparsely branched and 4 to 12 inches long. The branches usually occur in pairs. Spikelets are 4 to 6 flowered. Vegetative Charcteristics Blade Hairy: Y Blade with White Margins: N Blade Cross section: Flat or involute Blade Notes: Leaf blades are 4 to 39 inches long and narrow. Leaves are primarily basal, flat or rolled, firm, and rough to the touch. Leaves are greenish-gray and sometimes purple tinged. Sheath Hairy: Y Tuft of Hairs at top of Sheath or Collar: Y Ligules: Hairy Auricles (Ear-like lobes at collar area: Y Forage Value: Fair.


	Arizona Cooperative Extension Yavapai County 840 Rodeo Dr #C Prescott, AZ 86305 (928) 445-6590	Version 8.0 http://cales.arizona.edu/yavapaiplants/SpeciesDetailGrass.php Last Updated: Dec 13, 2022 Content Questions/Comments: Email Matt Halldorson Legal Disclaimer