Festuca (fescue) is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the grass family Poaceae. They are evergreen or herbaceous perennial tufted grasses with a height range of 10–200 cm (4–79 in) and a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on every continent except Antarctica. The genus is closely related to ryegrass (Lolium), and recent evidence from phylogenetic studies using DNA sequencing of plant mitochondrial DNA shows that the genus lacks monophyly. As a result, plant taxonomists have moved several species, including the forage grasses tall fescue and meadow fescue, from the genus Festuca into the genus Lolium, or alternatively into the segregate genus Schedonorus.
Festuca altaica, also known as the altai fescue, or the northern rough fescue, is a perennial bunchgrass with a wide native distribution in the Arctic, from central Asia to eastern North America. It was first described in 1829 by Carl Bernhard von Trinius. It is under the synonym F. scabrella, the rough fescue.
Epichloë is a genus of ascomycete fungi forming an endophytic symbiosis with grasses. Grass choke disease is a symptom in grasses induced by some Epichloë species, which form spore-bearing mats (stromata) on tillers and suppress the development of their host plant's inflorescence. For most of their life cycle however, Epichloë grow in the intercellular space of stems, leaves, inflorescences, and seeds of the grass plant without incurring symptoms of disease. In fact, they provide several benefits to their host, including the production of different herbivore-deterring alkaloids, increased stress resistance, and growth promotion.
Epichloë australiensis is a systemic and seed-transmissible symbiont of the grass Echinopogon ovatus. It was originally described as a Neotyphodium species but later transferred to the genus Epichloë.
Epichloë melicicola is a systemic and seed-transmissible endophyte of Melica dendroides and Melica racemosa, grasses endemic to southern Africa. It was described as a Neotyphodium species in 2002 but transferred to the genus Epichloë in 2014.
Epichloë coenophiala is a systemic and seed-transmissible endophyte of tall fescue, a grass endemic to Eurasia and North Africa, but widely naturalized in North America, Australia and New Zealand. The endophyte has been identified as the cause of the "fescue toxicosis" syndrome sometimes suffered by livestock that graze the infected grass. Possible symptoms include poor weight gain, elevated body temperature, reduced conception rates, agalactia, rough hair coat, fat necrosis, loss of switch and ear tips, and lameness or dry gangrene of the feet. Because of the resemblance to symptoms of ergotism in humans, the most likely agents responsible for fescue toxicosis are thought to be the ergot alkaloids, principally ergovaline produced by E. coenophiala.
Festuca paniculata is a grass with culms 60–120 cm long, endemic to central, southwestern, and southeastern Europe and northern Africa. It was first described in 1913.
Epichloë typhina is a haploid sexual species in the fungal genus Epichloë. It was originally described as a Sphaeria species. Today, however, it is classified in Epichloë.
Epichloë festucae is a systemic and seed-transmissible endophytic fungus of cool season grasses.
Epichloë hybrida is a systemic, asexual and seed-transmissible endophyte of perennial ryegrass within the genus Epichloë. An interspecies allopolyploid of two haploid parent species Epichloë typhina and Epichloë festucae var. lolii, E. hybrida was first identified in 1989, recognized as an interspecific hybrid in 1994, but only formally named in 2017. Previously this species was often informally called Epichloë typhina x Epichloë festucae var. lolii, or referenced by the identifier of its most well-studied strain, Lp1. Epichloë hybrida is a symbiont of perennial ryegrass where its presence is almost entirely asymptomatic. The species has been commercialized for the benefits of its anti-insect compounds in a pasture setting, although it is now more commonly used as an experimental model system for studying interspecific hybridization in fungi.
Festuca brachyphylla, commonly known as alpine fescue or short-leaved fescue, is a grass native to Eurasia, North America, and the Arctic. The grass is used for erosion control and revegetation. The specific epithet brachyphylla means "short-leaved". The grass has a diploid number of 28, 42, or 44. This species was first described in 1827.
Epichloë amarillans is a haploid sexual species in the fungal genus Epichloë.
Epichloë mollis is a haploid sexual species in the fungal genus Epichloë.
Epichloë stromatolonga is a haploid species in the fungal genus Epichloë.
Epichloë uncinata is a hybrid asexual species in the fungal genus Epichloë.
Epichloë funkii is a hybrid asexual species in the fungal genus Epichloë.
Epichloë pampeana is a hybrid asexual species in the fungal genus Epichloë.
Epichloë sinofestucae is a hybrid asexual species in the fungal genus Epichloë.
Epichloë tembladerae is a hybrid asexual species in the fungal genus Epichloë.
Epichloë sinensis is a hybrid asexual species in the fungal genus Epichloë.
