| Festuca | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Festuca pratensis | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Monocots |
| Clade: | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Subfamily: | Pooideae |
| Supertribe: | Poodae |
| Tribe: | Poeae |
| Subtribe: | Loliinae |
| Genus: | Festuca Tourn. exL. (1753) |
| Synonyms[1] | |
Synonymy
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Festuca (fescue) is agenus offlowering plants belonging to the grassfamilyPoaceae (subfamilyPooideae). They areevergreen orherbaceous,perennial, tufted grasses with a height range of 10–200 cm (4–79 in) and acosmopolitan distribution, occurring on every continent except Antarctica.[2] The genus is closely related toryegrass (Lolium), and recent evidence fromphylogenetic studies usingDNA sequencing of plantmitochondrial DNA shows that the genus lacksmonophyly. As a result, planttaxonomists have moved several species, including the forage grasses tall fescue and meadow fescue, from the genusFestuca into the genusLolium[3] or alternatively into the segregated genusSchedonorus.
Because thetaxonomy is complex, scientists have not determined how many true species belong to the genus, but estimates range from more than 400[4] to over 640.[5][6][7]
Fescuepollen is a significant contributor tohay fever.[8]
The genusFestuca represents a major evolutionary line of the tribePoeae. The ancient group has produced varioussegregates that possess more advanced characteristics thanFestuca, includingracemose inflorescences and more annual habits.
The word "festuca" is aLatin word meaning "stem" or "stalk" first used byPliny the Elder to describe a weed.[2] The wordFestuca first appears to describe grasses inDodoens' "Stirpium historiae pemptades sex, sive libri XXX" in 1583. However, the plant Dodoens described asFestuca altera is trulyBromus secalinus. Other authors beforeLinnaeus used the name to describe other various species ofBromus. In the first edition ofGenera Plantarum, Linnaeus describes seven species ofFestuca, five of which are trulyBromus grasses, with the other two beingFestuca gigantea andFestuca pratensis. In 1753, the genus is accepted as first being formally described, in Linnaeus' "Species Plantarum". Eleven species were described, withF. ovina being the type species. Of these 11, one species wasDanthonia, onePoa, and oneKoeleria. The first majormonograph on the genus wasHackel's "Monographia Festucarum Europaearum" in 1882. Since Linnaeus' publications, seven genera have been proposed for groups of perennial fescues and 15 for annual fescues, all with varying degrees of acceptance.[9] For example in 1906, the subgenusVulpia was introduced for North American species. The annual habit and shorteranthers ofVulpia have since been enough to distinguishVulpia as a separate genus fromFestuca.[10]
The taxonomy of the genus is ultimately problematic and controversial, as evidenced by the large number of small genera closely related toFestuca. Often, distinguishing species within the genus requires the analysis of highly specific morphological differences on characters such as ovary pubescence or leafsclerenchyma patterns. This distribution of sclerenchyma tissue is an important distinguishing characteristic between species, and though species can be locally distinguished without analyzing these characteristics, to distinguish the genus as a whole, the analysis is necessary.[2]
Festuca grasses are perennial andbisexual plants that are densely to looselycespitose. Some grasses arerhizomatous, some lack rhizomes, and rarely species arestoloniferous. Theculms of the grasses are typically glabrous and smooth, though some species have scabrous culms or culms that are pubescent below theinflorescences. Theleaf sheaths range from open to the base to closed to the top. Some species have sheaths that persist over years and typically have deciduous blades, and some species have sheaths that quickly shred into fibers and decay insenescence and typically have blades that are not deciduous. Species lackauricles. Themembranousligules measure 0.1–8 mm (0.0039–0.3150 in) and are typically longest at the margins. The ligules are typicallytruncate andciliate, though they can occasionally beacute orerose. The flat andconduplicate leaf blades areinvolute orconvolute and are sometimesglaucous orpruinose. Theabaxial surfaces of leaf blades are glabrous or scabrous and occasionally pubescent orpuberulent. Theadaxial surfaces of leaf blades are typically scabrous, though occasionally arehirsute or puberulent. The abaxialsclerenchyma tissue forms longitudinal strands that vary in presence from the margins and opposite of themidvein to adjacent to some or every lateral vein. These longitudinal strands occasionally merge into interrupted or continuous bands. Bands of confluent strands that reach veins are known as "pillars". The adaxial sclerenchyma tissue sometimes forms strands that are opposite or extend toepidermal veins. Some strands form "girders" together with the abaxial sclerenchyma tissue that connect epidermides at some or all veins.[2]
Theinflorescences of species are open or contractedpanicles, occasionallyracemes, with one to two (rarely three) branches at their lowernode. The branches are erect and begin to spread duringanthesis, and occasionally lower branches arereflexed. Thespikelets have 2-12, mostly bisexualflorets. Therachillas are typically either scabrous or pubescent, but can occasionally be smooth and glabrous. The subequal or unequalglumes areovate tolanceolate, acute toacuminate, and are typically exceeded by the florets. The lower glumes are as long or shorter than their adjacentlemmas and have one (rarely two or three) veins, and the upper glumes have three (rarely four or five) veins. Thecalli are typically glabrous and smooth, but can be occasionally scabrous or rarely pubescent. Thechartaceous or sometimescoriaceous lemmas have somewhatdorsally rounded anddistally keeled bases. The lemmas typically have five (rarely six or seven) veins. The lemmas have acute toattenuate apices that are occasionally doubly pointed, and terminalawns ormucros. The bidentatepaleas are shorter to longer than the lemmas, with scabrous-ciliate veins. The regions between the veins are smooth and glabrous near the base of the paleas and become scabrous or puberulent distally. All grasses have threeanthers. Theovaries are glabrous with occasionallyhispidulous apices on which hairs persist when ovaries becomecaryopses. The oblong caryopses have adaxial grooves. The linearhila vary in length from half as long to as long as the caryopses.[2]
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Some fescues are used asornamental andturf grasses and aspasture andhay for livestock, being a highly nutritious stock feed.[5]Festuca rubra andF. rubra subsp.commutata are used as lawn grasses, and these species,F. arundinacea, andF. trachyphylla are used in parks, deforested areas, and sports fields for land stabilization.F. saximontana andF. idahoensis are used as rangeland grasses for livestock, and fescues often provide good forage for native wildlife.[10]F. ovina and its various subspecies are the most important grazing fescues for North America, andF. arundinacea is one of the most important hay and pasture grasses in Europe.[9] Fescue quickly establishes on bare ground, suffocating native plants, and persists over several years. Native grassland plants take years to establish deep root system of 5–15 feet (species specific), while fescue roots maximum depth is 2–3 feet. Historically used insoil erosion control programs, Tall fescue (F. arundinacea) particularly, 'Kentucky 31', acultivar species, was used in land reclamation during theDust Bowl of the 1930s in the US,[11] trigged by the removal of deep root systems for row crop cultivation. Fescues have been used as building material, as rope and as a variety of other things in indigenous Ethiopian communities, in particular theGuassa Community Conservation Area where it is referred to as 'Guassa Grass'.[12] The grassesF. amethystina,F. cinerea,F. elegans,F. glauca, andF. pallens are all grown as ornamentals.[2]
Fescue is sometimes used as feed for horses. However, fescue poisoning, caused byergotalkaloids produced by theendophyticfungusEpichloë coenophiala, is a risk for pregnant mares.[13] During the last three months of pregnancy fescue poisoning increases the risk of spontaneous abortion, stillbirths, retained placenta, absent milk production, and prolonged pregnancy.[14] Incorporatinglegumes into the fescue can be a way to increase livestock gains and conception rates, even if the fescue is infected.[15]
Infrageneric ranks:[16]
Over 660 species are currently accepted.[1] Species include:[5][17]
Several formerFestuca species are now placed in other genera, including species from subgenusSchedonorus.
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