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Taxon  Report  
Festuca pratensis  Huds.
Meadow fescue
Festuca pratensis is a perennial grasslike herb that is not native to California.
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Bloom Period
Genus: Festuca
Family: Poaceae  
Category: angiosperm  
PLANTS group:Monocot
Jepson eFlora section: monocot

Wetlands: Occurs usually in non wetlands, occasionally in wetlands

Communities: escaped cultivar

Name Status:
Accepted by JEF

Alternate Names:
JEFFestuca elatior var. pratensis
JEFLolium pratense
JEFSchedonorus pratensis
PLANTSSchedonorus pratensis
Information about  Festuca pratensis from other sources

[wikipedia] Habitat, Description: Festuca pratensis, the meadow fescue,[1] is a perennial species of grass, which is often used as an ornamental grass in gardens, and is also an important forage crop. It grows in meadows, roadsides, old pastures, and riversides on moist, rich soils, especially on loamy and heavy soils. It is a tall, tufted grass similar to the tall fescue, F. arundinacea. F. pratensis differs by having only 2 spikelets on the smaller branch at the lowest panicle node and by having minute hairs on the auricles. It can hybridise with Lolium perenne and Lolium multiflorum.[2] Description It is a perennial bunchgrass, (i.e. grows in tufts), which grows 30?120 cm (12?47 in), flowering from June until August. The panicles are green to purplish. The spikelets have 5 to 14 flowers. It has a short, blunt ligule compared to other grasses 1 mm high. The leaves are bright green and up to 4 mm across.[3] (link added by Mary Ann Machi)

[eddmaps.org] Ecological Threat: F. pratensis habitat includes remnants of prairies, woodland borders, vacant lots, degraded meadows, pastures, and fields, as well as sides of railroads and roadsides. Preferring full to partial sunlight in loam or clay-loam soils, meadow fescue was introduced as a source of pasturage and hay for farm animals in the United States. (link added by Mary Ann Machi)


Suggested Citation
Calflora: Information on California plants for education, research and conservation, with data contributed by public and private institutions and individuals. [web application]. 2024. Berkeley, California: The Calflora Database [a non-profit organization]. Available: https://www.calflora.org/   (Accessed: 11/21/2024).