Festuca trachyphylla

Species category

Revegetation or Rangeland, Turf

Common name

hard fescue

Diagnostic characters

Planting unit

FloretFloret:
A small flower in a clustered inflorescence (e.g., sunflower, grasses). In grasses, a floret consists of the lemma, palea, stamens, and pistil.

Shape

Lanceolate

Size

  • Length 5 mm 
  • Width 1 mm 
  • Thickness 0.75 mm 

Color

Light brown

Texture

Sparsely pubescentPubescent:
Having hairs.
across the top and glabrousGlabrous:
Lacking hairs or pubescence.
below

Lemma

Laterally compressed above the caryopsisCaryopsis:
The single-seeded fruit or grain of the grass family (Poaceae); the fruit wall (pericarp) is united with the seed coat (testa).

Palea

Laterally compressed above the caryopsisCaryopsis:
The single-seeded fruit or grain of the grass family (Poaceae); the fruit wall (pericarp) is united with the seed coat (testa).

Other structures

RachillaRachilla:
The axis of a spikelet.
with disc on apexApical:
The distal end of the fruit or seed away from the point of attachment or attachment scar.

Identification notes

FloretFloret:
A small flower in a clustered inflorescence (e.g., sunflower, grasses). In grasses, a floret consists of the lemma, palea, stamens, and pistil.
is small and broad in the middle and quickly compresses toward the apexApical:
The distal end of the fruit or seed away from the point of attachment or attachment scar.
. Roots of the germinating floretFloret:
A small flower in a clustered inflorescence (e.g., sunflower, grasses). In grasses, a floret consists of the lemma, palea, stamens, and pistil.
fluoresce in an ammonia atmosphere.

Noxious weed seed categories

Not listed

AOSA examination list

Not included

More information

For more information, see ISMA fact sheet.

Nomenclature

Family

Poaceae

Valid name

Festuca brevipila Tracey

Synonyms

Festuca cinerea auct. non Vill.
Festuca duriuscula auct. non L.
Festuca duriuscula L. var. cinerea auct. non (Vill.) Krajina
Festuca longifolia auct. non Thuill.
Festuca michiganica Alexeev
Festuca ovina auct. non L.
Festuca ovina L. var. duriuscula auct. non (L.) W.D.J. Koch
Festuca trachyphylla (Hack.) Krajina, nom. illeg.

 Festuca trachyphylla.  Florets are small and broad in the middle and quickly compress toward the apex. Caryopsis is also pictured. 
Festuca trachyphylla. Florets are small and broad in the middle and quickly compress toward the apex. Caryopsis is also pictured.