Difference between revisions of "Festuca roemeri"

From Puget Prairie Plants
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(→‎Propagation)
 
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===Description===
 
===Description===
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Roemer’s fescue is a native cool season perennial bunchgrass with variable longevity and mostly basal foliage. It is short, fine textured, and densely tufted, and has stiff culms that grow 35-100 cm tall. The panicle (seed head) is open and 5-20 cm long. Leaves are often glaucous (covered with a whitish waxy coating) and color varies throughout a wide spectrum of greens and blues. Stem color ranges from light green to dark purple or red.<ref name=":0">USDA NRCS Plant Fact Sheet. Retrieved from https://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_fero.pdf</ref>
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Tufted, perennial bunchgrass with mostly basal foliage<ref name=":0">USDA NRCS Plant Fact Sheet. Retrieved from https://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_fero.pdf</ref> and narrow panicles, growing to 100 cm tall.<ref name=":2">Bowcutt, F., &
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Hamman, S. (2016). ''Vascular Plants
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of the South Sound Prairies''. p. 125.</ref> Culms hollow,<ref name=":3">Hitchcock, C. L., Cronquist, A., Giblin, D.,
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& Legler, B. et al. (2018). ''Flora of the Pacific Northwest: an
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illustrated manual''. Seattle: University of Washington Press. pp. 795-796.</ref> erect, glabrous,<ref name=":4">Flora of North America. Retrieved
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from http://dev.floranorthamerica.org/Festuca_roemeri</ref> light green to reddish.<ref name=":0" /> Leaf sheaths closed for less than half their length,<ref name=":4" /> collars glabrous, lower sheaths pale;<ref name=":3" /> ligules 0.1-0.5 mm.<ref name=":4" /> Panicles 5-20 cm long;<ref name=":0" /> spikelets with 5-7 flowers;<ref name=":2" /> point of disarticulation above glumes; glumes shorter than lemmas, lacking awnes, 1 and 3-nerved respectively;<ref name=":3" /> lemmas 5-nerved<ref name=":3" /> with 3-5 mm terminal awns;<ref name=":4" /> paleas nearly equal in length to lemmas;<ref name=":4" /> stamens 3.<ref name=":3" />
 
===Bloom Period===
 
===Bloom Period===
 
May - July<ref name=":1">WTU Herbarium, Burke Museum, & University of Washington. Retrieved from https://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Festuca%20roemeri
 
May - July<ref name=":1">WTU Herbarium, Burke Museum, & University of Washington. Retrieved from https://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Festuca%20roemeri
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===Distribution===
 
===Distribution===
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Chiefly west of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia south to California.<ref name=":1" />
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British Columbia to California; mostly west of the Cascade crest in Washington.<ref name=":1" />
  
 
===Habitat===
 
===Habitat===
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Rocky slopes & dry openings in woods below 5000 ft.
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Upland, dry to mesic rocky slopes and forest openings below 5000 ft. Prefers well-drained mineral soils, moderately acidic to slightly alkaline, fine to medium texture; does not tolerate flooding or soil saturation. Mid to late succession.<ref name=":0" />
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Deep, fertile to thin, rocky soils.
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It prefers moderately acid to slightly alkaline, fine to medium textured mineral soils.
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Medium water use – While drought tolerant with extensive roots, it is found on somewhat more mesic (moist) sites such as the edges of grassy balds. As an upland grass it requires good soil drainage and does not tolerate winter soil saturation or flooding.
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The species generally grows in full sun but will tolerate partial shade near forest edges and oaks.
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Roemer’s fescue is a mid to late succession species in its natural habitat.<ref name=":0" />
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===Uses===
 
===Uses===
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Roemer’s fescue is an important native grass for restoration of upland prairie and oak savanna within its natural range of western Oregon, western Washington, and northwest California. Typically found on steep, shallow, or highly mineral soils, it may also be useful for revegetation and erosion control where a slower establishing, fine textured native grass is desired, although Roemer’s fescue does not compete well with introduced grasses.<ref name=":0" />
 
Roemer’s fescue is an important native grass for restoration of upland prairie and oak savanna within its natural range of western Oregon, western Washington, and northwest California. Typically found on steep, shallow, or highly mineral soils, it may also be useful for revegetation and erosion control where a slower establishing, fine textured native grass is desired, although Roemer’s fescue does not compete well with introduced grasses.<ref name=":0" />
  
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Larval host to Mardon skipper (''Polites mardon''), a rare PNW butterfly.<ref>Hatfield, R. et al. (2013). ''Management Plans for mardon skipper (Polites mardon ssp.
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Larval host to Mardon skipper (''Polites mardon''), a rare PNW butterfly.<ref>Hatfield, R. et al. (2013). ''Management Plans for mardon skipper (Polites mardon ssp.''
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klamathensis) sites on Lily Glen and Howard Prairie.'' USFS. Retrieved from https://www.fs.fed.us/r6/sfpnw/issssp/documents2/smp-iile-poma-lily-glen-howard-prairie-2013-03.pdf</ref> Forage value and palatability for wildlife and livestock are unknown, but may be similar to Idaho fescue (F. idahoensis).  
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klamathensis) sites on Lily Glen and Howard Prairie.'' USFS. Retrieved from https://www.fs.fed.us/r6/sfpnw/issssp/documents2/smp-iile-poma-lily-glen-howard-prairie-2013-03.pdf''</ref> Forage value and palatability for wildlife and livestock are unknown, but may be similar to Idaho fescue (F. idahoensis).  
 
Possible uses are low maintenance lawns or as a cover crop in vineyards and young orchards, although further evaluation is needed. Some populations and specimens have ornamental value, including those with fine textured, purple and red tinged stems or bluish foliage.<ref name=":0" />
 
Possible uses are low maintenance lawns or as a cover crop in vineyards and young orchards, although further evaluation is needed. Some populations and specimens have ornamental value, including those with fine textured, purple and red tinged stems or bluish foliage.<ref name=":0" />
  
 
===Propagation===
 
===Propagation===
 
Propagate by seed, though seeds are not highly germinable.  A seeding rate of 1 lb/ac results in about 12 seeds/sq. ft. Sown alone, recommended rates vary from 4 to 20 pure live seed (PLS) lbs/ac depending on goals. Fall seeding is generally preferred but not required. Rate of establishment from seed is moderately slow. Spring sown plants do not flower until the second full growing season.<ref name=":0" />
 
Propagate by seed, though seeds are not highly germinable.  A seeding rate of 1 lb/ac results in about 12 seeds/sq. ft. Sown alone, recommended rates vary from 4 to 20 pure live seed (PLS) lbs/ac depending on goals. Fall seeding is generally preferred but not required. Rate of establishment from seed is moderately slow. Spring sown plants do not flower until the second full growing season.<ref name=":0" />
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[https://npn.rngr.net/search/search?SearchableText=Festuca+roemeri Native Plant Network Propagation Protocol]
 
===Photo Gallery===
 
===Photo Gallery===
 
<gallery>
 
<gallery>

Latest revision as of 13:45, 29 June 2021

  • Scientific Name: Festuca roemeri
  • Family: Poaceae
  • Common Names: Roemer's fescue
  • Synonyms/Misapplications: Festuca idahoensis
  • Codon: FESROE
Photo by Regina Johnson, also featured on Main Page

Taxonomy

Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Subkingdom: Viridiplantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Spermatophytina
Class: Magnoliopsida
Subclass: Lilanae
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Genus: Festuca L.
Species: Festuca roemeri (Pavlick) E.B. Alexeev

[1]

Description

Tufted, perennial bunchgrass with mostly basal foliage[2] and narrow panicles, growing to 100 cm tall.[3] Culms hollow,[4] erect, glabrous,[5] light green to reddish.[2] Leaf sheaths closed for less than half their length,[5] collars glabrous, lower sheaths pale;[4] ligules 0.1-0.5 mm.[5] Panicles 5-20 cm long;[2] spikelets with 5-7 flowers;[3] point of disarticulation above glumes; glumes shorter than lemmas, lacking awnes, 1 and 3-nerved respectively;[4] lemmas 5-nerved[4] with 3-5 mm terminal awns;[5] paleas nearly equal in length to lemmas;[5] stamens 3.[4]

Bloom Period

May - July[6]

Distribution

British Columbia to California; mostly west of the Cascade crest in Washington.[6]

Habitat

Upland, dry to mesic rocky slopes and forest openings below 5000 ft. Prefers well-drained mineral soils, moderately acidic to slightly alkaline, fine to medium texture; does not tolerate flooding or soil saturation. Mid to late succession.[2]

Uses

Ecology and Wildlife

Roemer’s fescue is an important native grass for restoration of upland prairie and oak savanna within its natural range of western Oregon, western Washington, and northwest California. Typically found on steep, shallow, or highly mineral soils, it may also be useful for revegetation and erosion control where a slower establishing, fine textured native grass is desired, although Roemer’s fescue does not compete well with introduced grasses.[2]

Larval host to Mardon skipper (Polites mardon), a rare PNW butterfly.[7] Forage value and palatability for wildlife and livestock are unknown, but may be similar to Idaho fescue (F. idahoensis). Possible uses are low maintenance lawns or as a cover crop in vineyards and young orchards, although further evaluation is needed. Some populations and specimens have ornamental value, including those with fine textured, purple and red tinged stems or bluish foliage.[2]

Propagation

Propagate by seed, though seeds are not highly germinable. A seeding rate of 1 lb/ac results in about 12 seeds/sq. ft. Sown alone, recommended rates vary from 4 to 20 pure live seed (PLS) lbs/ac depending on goals. Fall seeding is generally preferred but not required. Rate of establishment from seed is moderately slow. Spring sown plants do not flower until the second full growing season.[2]

Native Plant Network Propagation Protocol

Photo Gallery

  • Photo by Regina Johnson, 2011.

  • Photo by Regina Johnson, 2011.

  • Photo by Julie A. Kierstead, 2017

  • Photo by Susan McDougall, 2014. (www.treeslivehere.com)

References

  1. ↑ Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Retrieved from https://www.itis.gov/servlet/SingleRpt/SingleRpt?search_topic=TSN&search_value=513556
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 USDA NRCS Plant Fact Sheet. Retrieved from https://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_fero.pdf
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Bowcutt, F., & Hamman, S. (2016). Vascular Plants of the South Sound Prairies. p. 125.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Hitchcock, C. L., Cronquist, A., Giblin, D., & Legler, B. et al. (2018). Flora of the Pacific Northwest: an illustrated manual. Seattle: University of Washington Press. pp. 795-796.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Flora of North America. Retrieved from http://dev.floranorthamerica.org/Festuca_roemeri
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 WTU Herbarium, Burke Museum, & University of Washington. Retrieved from https://biology.burke.washington.edu/herbarium/imagecollection/taxon.php?Taxon=Festuca%20roemeri
  7. ↑ Hatfield, R. et al. (2013). Management Plans for mardon skipper (Polites mardon ssp. klamathensis) sites on Lily Glen and Howard Prairie. USFS. Retrieved from https://www.fs.fed.us/r6/sfpnw/issssp/documents2/smp-iile-poma-lily-glen-howard-prairie-2013-03.pdf
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