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Festuca brachyphylla — alpine fescue

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Facts

Alpine fescue is a rare native grass of alpine cliffs and ravines in Vermont. It was reported from near the summit of Mount Washington, New Hampshire, but this report remains unconfirmed. It is a boreal species that regularly inhabits open, rocky places in the alpine. It is eaten by a variety of mountain wildlife. Its spikelets are often tinged with anthocyanic (reddish) pigment, possibly to protect it from desiccation, the high ultraviolet sunlight of high elevations, and extreme cold.

Habitat

Alpine or subalpine zones, cliffs, balds, or ledges, talus and rocky slopes

New England distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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North America distribution

Adapted from BONAP data

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Characteristics

Habitat
terrestrial
New England state
Vermont
Leaf blade width
0.3–1.2 mm
Inflorescence branches
the flowers are attached to branches rather than to the main axis of the inflorescence
Spikelet length
4.4–8.5 mm
Glume relative length
neither glume is quite as long as all of the florets
Awn on glume
the glume has no awn
One or more florets
there is more than one floret per spikelet
Lemma awn length
0.8–3.5 mm
Leaf sheath hair type
there are no hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath
Leaf ligule length
0.1–0.4 mm
Anther length
0.5–1.3 mm
Show all characteristics
  • Flowers

    Anther length
    0.5–1.3 mm
    Anther number
    3
    Awn on glume
    the glume has no awn
    Bristles below spikelets
    no
    Floret lower bract texture
    the lemma is thin and flexible
    Floret number
    2–6
    Floret types within spikelet
    all the florets within a spikelet are similar
    Glume awn length
    0 mm
    Glume keel
    • the glume keels are rough or hairy
    • the glume keels are smooth and hairless
    Glume relative length
    neither glume is quite as long as all of the florets
    Glume shape
    the glume is V-shaped in cross-section
    Glume veins
    • 1
    • 3
    Glumes per spikelet
    2
    Inflorescence arrangement
    the spikelets are uniform
    Inflorescence axis orientation
    • the inflorescence axis is arched or curved outward
    • the inflorescence axis is straight
    Inflorescence branch length
    0.2–1.2 cm
    Inflorescence branch roughness
    the inflorescence branches are somewhat to very rough
    Inflorescence branches
    the flowers are attached to branches rather than to the main axis of the inflorescence
    Inflorescence branches coming off the lowest stem node
    1–2
    Inflorescence crowding
    the panicle is somewhat to very congested (crowded), and the branches may not be clearly seen without close inspection
    Inflorescence length
    15–55 mm
    Inflorescence type (general)
    the spikelets are borne on stalks or on branches
    Inflorescence type (specific)
    • the inflorescence is a raceme (a long unbranched stem with stalked flowers growing along it)
    • the inflorescence is branched, and the branches do NOT both grow from the same side of the plant AND look like spikes
    Inforescence position
    the spikelets are mainly carried at the end of the stem
    Lemma awn base
    the awn is attached right at the tip of the lemma
    Lemma awn coiled
    the lemma awn is straight or twisted, but not coiled one half turn
    Lemma awn length
    0.8–3.5 mm
    Lemma awn number
    the lemma has one awn on it
    Lemma awn orientation
    the awn of the lemma is straight
    Lemma base hair length
    0 mm
    Lemma base hairs
    the lemma is hairless or feels just a tiny bit rough at the base
    Lemma cross-section
    the lemma is flat or rounded if you cut across the midpoint
    Lemma hairs
    the lemma has fine hairs between the veins
    Lemma keel hairs
    NA
    Lemma surface
    the surface of the lemma is relatively smooth (not counting any longitudinal veins or hairs)
    Lemma tip
    the lemma tip is a simple point, with or without an awn (long narrow extension ending in a point)
    Lemma tip shape
    • the lemma tip tapers to a long narrow point (it may or may not also have an awn or teeth at the tip)
    • the lemma tip tapers to a narrow point (it may or may not also have an awn or teeth at the tip)
    Lemma vein number
    • 1
    • 5
    Lemma vein orientation
    the veins on the lemma come together near the tip
    Lower glume length
    1.2–3.5 mm
    One or more florets
    there is more than one floret per spikelet
    Palea relative length
    palea is one half to fully as long as lemma
    Reproductive system
    all the flowers on the plant have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)
    Spikelet axis tip
    there is no extension of the spikelet axis beyond the tip of the spikelet
    Spikelet disintegration
    the spikelet breaks off above the glumes, so that after the florets fall off, the glumes remain
    Spikelet length
    4.4–8.5 mm
    Spikelet number per node
    0
    Spikelet pedicel
    the spikelets have pedicels
    Spikelet position
    the spikelets emerge mainly from the upper halves of the inflorescence branches
    Spikelet shape
    • the spikelets are lanceolate (lance-shaped, widest below the middle and tapering narrowly to the ends) in profile
    • the spikelets are obtriangular (triangular, with the widest end away from the point of attachment) in profile
    Spikelet width
    1.5–2.5 mm
    Spikelets per panicle branch
    1–4
    Spikelets spiny
    the spikelets do not appear spiny
    Tip of glume
    the tip of the glume is not divided (though it may have an awn on it)
    Upper glume length
    2.4–4.6 mm
    Upper glume shape
    the upper glume is widest at or below the middle
  • Fruits or seeds

    Groove on seed
    the caryopsis has a groove running most of its length
  • Growth form

    Horizontal rooting stem
    no
    Lifespan
    the plant lives more than two years
    Rhizomes
    no
  • Leaves

    Basal leaves
    the plant has large or prominent tufts of leaves at the base of the flowering stem
    Leaf auricles
    • the leaves do not have auricles
    • the leaves have auricles
    Leaf basal lobe hairy
    • NA
    • the lobes at the base of the leaf blades are hairless
    Leaf blade cross-section
    the leaf blade is clearly folded or rolled inwards
    Leaf blade hairs
    • the leaf blade is hairless, but it may have tiny prickles that give it a sand-papery feel
    • the leaf blade is hairy
    Leaf blade length
    2–12 cm
    Leaf blade texture
    • the leaf blade is rough and sandpapery
    • the leaf blade is smooth, or it may have soft hairs
    Leaf blade width
    0.3–1.2 mm
    Leaf ligule length
    0.1–0.4 mm
    Leaf ligule type
    • the leaf ligule is in the form of a membrane
    • the leaf ligule is in the form of a membrane with fine hairs
    Leaf margin glands
    there are no glands along the edges of the leaf blade
    Leaf sheath closed around stem
    • the margins of the leaf sheath are fused together and form a closed tube except (possibly) at the very top
    • the margins of the leaf sheath are overlapping and not fused together except in the basal half (or less)
    Leaf sheath hair type
    there are no hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath
    Leaf sheath hairs
    there are no hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath
    Orientation of topmost leaf
    the flag leaf is held upright, or at less than a 45 degree angle out from the stem
  • Place

    Habitat
    terrestrial
    New England state
    Vermont
    Specific habitat
    • alpine or subalpine zones
    • cliffs, balds, or ledges
    • talus or rocky slopes
  • Stem, shoot, branch

    Plant height
    8–35 cm
    Stem hairs
    • the stem has hairs on it
    • the stem is nearly to completely hairless
    Stem orientation
    the stems are upright
    Stem spacing
    the stems grow close together in compact clusters or tufts

Wetland status

Not classified

In New England

Distribution

Connecticut
absent
Maine
absent
Massachusetts
absent
New Hampshire
absent
Rhode Island
absent
Vermont
present

Conservation status

Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.

ssp. brachyphylla

Vermont
extremely rare (S-rank: S1)

Subspecies and varieties

Our subspecies is Festuca brachyphylla J.A. Schultes & J.A. Schultes f. ssp. brachyphylla.

From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key

1.  Festuca brachyphylla J.A. Schultes & J.A. Schultes f. ssp. brachyphylla NC

alpine fescue. Festuca ovina L. var. alpina (Gaudin) W.D.J. Koch; F. ovina L. var. brachyphylla (J.A. Schultes & J.A. Schultes f.) Piper ex A.S. Hitchc.; F. ovina L. ssp. brevifolia (S. Wats.) Hack., pro parteVT; also reported from NH by Löve and Löve (1966), but specimens are unknown. Alpine cliffs and ravines. Löve and Löve (1966) reported this species from near the summit of Mount Washington, Coos County, NH. Based on their report, it is unsure if they observed reproductive stems or relied solely on chromosome counts for identification. The voucher specimen was not located at the stated repository and has yet to be discovered.

Native to North America?

Yes

Sometimes confused with

Festuca ovina:
anthers mostly 2-2.5 mm long, spikelets with 3-8 florets, and reproductive stems usually 20-75 cm tall (vs. F. brachyphylla, with anthers mostly 0.7-1.1 mm long, spikelets with mostly 2-4 flowers, and reproductive stems 8-35 cm tall).

Synonyms

  • Festuca ovina L. ssp. brevifolia (S. Wats.) Hack., pro parte
  • Festuca ovina L. var. alpina (Gaudin) W.D.J. Koch
  • Festuca ovina L. var. brachyphylla (J.A. Schultes & J.A. Schultes f.) Piper ex A.S. Hitchc.

Family

Poaceae

Genus

Festuca