Festuca brachyphylla

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Festuca brachyphylla
Festuca brachyphylla - Flickr - aspidoscelis.jpg
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Pooideae
Genus: Festuca
Species:
F. brachyphylla
Binomial name
Festuca brachyphylla
Synonyms [1]
    • Festuca brachyphylla subsp. breviculmis Fred.
    • Festuca brachyphylla subsp. coloradensis Fred.
    • Festuca brachyphylla f. flavida Polunin
    • Festuca brachyphylla var. groenlandica Schol.
    • Festuca brevifolia R.Br.
    • Festuca brevifolia var. arctica St.-Yves
    • Festuca groenlandica (Schol.) Fred.
    • Festuca jensenii Gjaerev. & Ryvarden
    • Festuca jouldosensis D.M.Chang
    • Festuca ovina subsp. brachyphylla (Schult.) Piper
    • Festuca ovina subsp. brevifolia (S.Watson) Hack.
    • Festuca ovina var. brevifolia S.Watson
    • Festuca ovina subsp. purpusiana St.-Yves

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. [2]

Contents

Description

Festuca brachyphylla is a bright green perennial grass that is tufted or loosely cespitose and erect, growing without rhizomes. The grass has slender, low growing culms measuring 2–35 cm (0.79–13.78 in) tall that can reach 55 cm (22 in) when the grass is cultivated. The culms are glabrous and somewhat scabrous, becoming more puberulent towards the inflorescence, and are occasionally tinged purple at their base. The smooth or scabrous leaf sheaths are closed for half of their length. The sheaths remain at the basal tuft when dead. The ligules measure 0.1–0.4 mm (0.0039–0.0157 in). The capillary leaf blade are long and soft, measuring 2–6 cm (0.79–2.36 in) long and 0.5–1 mm (0.020–0.039 in) wide, and arise from the basal tuft. The inflorescences are typically cylindrical or ovoid panicles that are 1–3 cm (0.39–1.18 in) long, though they can occasionally be racemes. The panicles have one to two erect branches at each node that sometimes become spreading during anthesis. The pedicellate spikelets are purplish or bronze. [3] The spikelets measure 3.5–7 mm (0.14–0.28 in), each with two to four florets. The glabrous glumes are ovate to lanceolate and are much shorter than the spikelets. The lower glumes are 1.8–3 mm (0.071–0.118 in) and the upper glumes are 2.6–4 mm (0.10–0.16 in). The elliptical or lanceolate lemmas are membranous and become scabrous towards their apex. The lemmas are 2.5–4.5 mm (0.098–0.177 in) long. The terminal awns are 1–3 mm (0.039–0.118 in) long. The paleas are 3–5.5 mm (0.12–0.22 in) long. The anthers are 0.5–1 mm (0.020–0.039 in) long. [4] [5] These short anthers distinguish the species from Festuca ovina . [6]

The spikelets are colored red to purple by anthocyanin pigments. [5]

The plant flowers from late June into July. [4]

Distribution and habitat

Festuca brachyphylla is circumpolar and alpine, occurring in North America throughout Canada and along the Rocky Mountains, growing as far south as New Mexico and California. [7]

Festuca brachyphylla grows in rocky places at high altitudes, from 2,800–4,300 m (9,200–14,100 ft). [8] It occurs in wet meadows, along streams, on riverbeds, on dry gravel, and on dry slopes. [3]

Related Research Articles

<i>Festuca</i> Genus in the grass family Poaceae

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.

<i>Bromus arvensis</i> Species of grass

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<i>Bromus hordeaceus</i> Species of grass

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<i>Festuca occidentalis</i> Species of flowering plant

Festuca occidentalis is a species of grass known as western fescue. It is native to much of the northern half of North America and is most widely distributed in the west. It is most often found in forest and woodland habitat. The specific epithet occidentalis is Latin, meaning "western".

<i>Bromus madritensis</i> Species of grass

Bromus madritensis is a species of brome grass known by the common name compact brome. The specific epithet madritensis refers to Madrid, Spain. It has a diploid number of 28.

<i>Bromus briziformis</i> Species of grass

Bromus briziformis is a species of brome grass known by the common name rattlesnake brome. The specific epithet briziformis comes from the resemblance of the grass to grasses of the genus Briza, particularly Briza maxima. The common name is derived from the resemblance of the spikelets to the rattles of rattlesnakes. The grass has a diploid number of 14.

<i>Bromus catharticus</i> Species of grass

Bromus catharticus is a species of brome grass known by the common names rescuegrass, grazing brome, prairie grass, and Schrader's bromegrass. The specific epithet catharticus is Latin, meaning cathartic. The common name rescuegrass refers to the ability of the grass to provide forage after harsh droughts or severe winters. The grass has a diploid number of 42.

<i>Bromus ciliatus</i> Species of grass

Bromus ciliatus is a species of brome grass known by the common name fringed brome. It is native to most of North America, including most of Canada, most of the United States except for some portions of the South, and northern Mexico. It is a plant of many habitats, including temperate coniferous forest. The specific epithet ciliatus is Latin for "ciliate", referring to the delicate hairs of the leaf blades.

<i>Bromus kalmii</i> Species of grass

Bromus kalmii, Kalm's brome, is a species of brome grass. It is a native bunchgrass in the North-central and Northeastern United States, the Great Lakes region, and eastern Canada. The specific epithet kalmii refers to its discoverer Pehr Kalm.

<i>Melica ciliata</i> Species of plant

Melica ciliata, the hairy melic or silky spike melic, is a species of flowering plant in the grass family Poaceae, native to Europe, north Africa and temperate Asia. It has been introduced to South Australia.

Festuca contracta, commonly known as tufted fescue or land tussac, is a species of true grass (Poaceae). It is native to many subantarctic islands in, and the coasts bordering, the Southern Ocean. The specific epithet comes from the Latin contractus, with reference to the inflorescence.

<i>Bromus erectus</i> Species of grass

Bromus erectus, commonly known as erect brome, upright brome or meadow brome, is a dense, course, tufted perennial grass. It can grow to 120 centimetres (47 in). Like many brome grasses the plant is hairy. The specific epithet erectus is Latin, meaning "erect". The diploid number of the grass is 56.

Melica brevicoronata, is a grass species in the family Poaceae that can be found in Brazil, southern South America, and Cerro Pan de Azúcar, Uruguay.

Melica paulsenii is a species of grass endemic to Chile where it grows along the coastal cordillera at 50–700 metres (160–2,300 ft) above sea level.

Melica patagonica is a species of grass that is endemic to South America.

<i>Bromus japonicus</i> Species of grass

Bromus japonicus, the Japanese brome, is an annual brome grass native to Eurasia. The grass has a diploid number of 14.

<i>Bromus squarrosus</i> Species of grass

Bromus squarrosus, the rough brome, is a brome grass native to Russia and Europe. The specific epithet squarrosus is Latin, meaning "with spreading tips". The grass has a diploid number of 14.

<i>Festuca saximontana</i> Species of grass

Festuca saximontana, the rocky mountain fescue or the mountain fescue, is a perennial grass native to North America. The specific epithet saximontana is Latin and means "of the Rocky Mountains". The grass has a diploid number of 42.

Puccinellia laurentiana is a perennial grass which grows on gravelly seashores in south-eastern Canada. Its specific epithet "laurentiana" refers to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, where it grows.

<i>Eragrostis mexicana</i> Species of grass

Eragrostis mexicana, the Mexican lovegrass, is an annual grass found from North America down to Argentina. Its specific epithet "mexicana" means "from Mexico". Its diploid number is 60.

References

  1. ↑ "Festuca brachyphylla". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  2. ↑ "Festuca brachyphylla Schult. & Schult.f." Festuca brachyphylla Schult. & Schult.f. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
  3. 1 2 Umberto Quattrocchi (2006). CRC World Dictionary of Grasses: Common Names, Scientific Names, Eponyms, Synonyms, and Etymology. CRC Press. p. 923. ISBN   9781420003222.
  4. 1 2 Merrit Lyndon Fernald (1970). R. C. Rollins (ed.). Gray's Manual of Botany (Eighth (Centennial) - Illustrated ed.). D. Van Nostrand Company. p. 105. ISBN   0-442-22250-5.
  5. 1 2 Flora of North America Editorial Committee (1993). Flora of North America: North of Mexico. Vol. 24. Oxford University Press. p. 428. ISBN   9780195310719.
  6. ↑ Fjellheim, Siri; Elven, Reida; Brochmann, Christian (2001). "Molecules and morphology in concert. II. The Festuca brachyphylla complex (Poaceae) in Svalbard". American Journal of Botany. 88 (5). Wiley Online Library: 869–882. doi: 10.2307/2657039 . JSTOR   2657039. PMID   11353712.
  7. ↑ Aiken, S. G. & Darbyshire, S. J. (1935). Fescue grasses of Canada. Canada Department of Agriculture. p.  29. ISBN   0-660-13483-7.
  8. ↑ Jepson Flora Project (ed.). "Festuca brachyphylla". Jepson eFlora. The Jepson Herbarium, University of California, Berkeley.
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