Alpine Fescue

This is a panarctic tundra species, extending southward into C Asia on high mountains.

Plant usually densely tufted; shoots intravaginal. Culms (5–)8–30(–55) cm tall; node 1. Leaf sheaths glabrous; auricles present as erect swellings; leaf blades conduplicate, (1.5–)2–10(–20) cm × 0.5–0.8 mm, veins (3–)5–7; adaxial to abaxial sclerenchyma strands absent, abaxial sclerenchyma in 5–7 narrow discrete strands; ligule ca. 0.2 mm, margin ciliate. Panicle contracted, spikelike, 1.5–4(–5.5) cm; branches 0.2–1.5 cm, scabrid, 1–2 at lowest node. Spikelets 4–8 mm, usually brown or brownish purple, occasionally greenish; florets 2–6; glumes smooth, margins glabrous, apex acute or subobtuse; lower glume narrowly lanceolate, (1.2–)1.5–2.5(–3.3) mm; upper glume oblong, (2.4–)3–4.5 mm; rachilla internodes 0.8–1 mm; lemmas 3–4.5(–5.2) mm, scabrid; awns 0.8–1.5 mm; palea keels smooth or minutely scaberulous. Anthers (0.5–)0.7–1.1(–1.3) mm. Ovary apex glabrous. Fl. and fr. Jul–Sep. 2n = 42.

Gansu, Qinghai, Xinjiang, Xizang (Amdo) [E Kazakhstan (Tarbagatai Mountains.), Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Russia, Tajikistan; N Europe, North America].

Alpine meadows, mountain slopes, forests, among shrubs, gravelly places; 3500–4800 m.

Festuca brevifolia R. Brown, Chloris Melvilliana 31. 1823, not Muhlenberg (1817); F. jouldosensis D. M. Chang; F. ovina subsp. brachyphylla (Schultes & J. H. Schultes) Piper; F. ovina var. brachyphylla (Schultes & J. H. Schultes) Hitchcock.