Summary ⁶

Festuca arundinacea (syn., Lolium arundinaceum Darbyshire; Schedonorus phoenix (Scop.) Holub) is a species of grass commonly known as tall fescue. It is a cool-season perennial C3 species of bunchgrass native to Europe. It is an important forage grass throughout Europe, and many cultivars have been used in agriculture. It is also an ornamental grass in gardens, and a phytoremediation plant.

Description ⁷

Tufted or densely tufted perennial without rhizomes; culms 45-200cm high, usually erect, stout to robust. Leaf-blades flat, prominently ribbed above, up to 60cm long, 3-12 mm wide, scabrid except sometimes below; ligule up to 2mm long, with prominent falcate auricles ciliate (though often sparsely so) on the edge. Panicle lanceolate to ovate, 10-50 cm long, erect or nodding, loose and open or ± contracted, the branches scabrid. Spikelets 4-5-flowered, 10-18 mm long (excluding the awns); lower glume 3-6 mm long, 1-nerved; upper glume 4.5-7mm long, 3-nerved; lemmas lanceolate in side-view, 6-9mm long, minutely scaberulous, awnless or with an awn 1-3(-4)mm long; palea scabrid along the keels: anthers 3-4mm long; ovary glabrous.

Description ⁶

Tall fescue is a long-lived perennial bunchgrass species. Photosynthesis occurs throughout the leaves, which form bunches and are thick and wide with prominent veins running parallel the entire length of the blade. The blades have a "toothed" edge which can be felt if fingers are run down the edge of the leaf blade. The underside of the leaf may be shiny. Emerging leaves are rolled in the bud with no prominent ligule. Note that most grasses are folded not rolled, which make this a key idenification feature on tall fescue. The auricles are usually blunt but occasionally may be more clawlike. The culm is round in cross-section. Typically, this species of grass has a long growing season and ranges between 2 to 4 feet (1.2 m) tall in seedhead stage.

Tall fescue spreads through tillering and seed transmission — not by stolons or rhizomes, which are common in many grass species. However, tall fescue may have numerous sterile shoots that extend the width of each bunch. There are approximately 227,000 seeds per pound.

Typically found across the mid-Atlantic and Southeast US, tall fescue performs best in soils with pH values between 5.5 to 7. Growth may occur year-round if conditions are adequate, but typically growth ceases when soil temperature falls below 40 °F (4 °C).

Endophyte association ⁶

Tall fescue can be found growing in most soils of the southeast including marginal, acidic, and poorly drained soils and in areas of low fertility, and where stresses occur due to drought and overgrazing. These beneficial attributes are now known to be a result of a symbiotic association with the fungus Neotyphodium coenophialum.

This association between tall fescue and the fungal endophyte is a mutualistic symbiotic relationship (both symbionts derive benefits from it). The fungus remains completely intercellular, growing between the cells of the aboveground parts of its grass host. The fungus is asexual, and is transmitted to new generations of tall fescue only through seed, a mode known as vertical transmission. Thus in nature, the fungus does not live outside the plant. Viability of the fungus in seeds is limited; typically, after a year or two of seed storage the fungal endophyte mycelium has died, and seeds germinated will result in plants that are endophyte-free.

The tall fescue–endophyte symbiosis confers a competitive advantage to the plant. Endophyte-infected tall fescue compared to endophyte-free tall fescue deters herbivory by insects and mammals, bestows drought resistance, and disease resistance. In return for shelter, seed transmission, and nutrients the endophyte produces secondary metabolites. These metabolites, namely alkaloids, are responsible for increased plant fitness. Alkaloids in endophytic tall fescue include 1-aminopyrrolizidines (lolines), ergot alkaloids (clavines, lysergic acids, and derivative alkaloids), and the pyrrolopyrazine, peramine.

The lolines are the most abundant alkaloids, with concentrations 1000 higher than those of ergot alkaloids. Endophyte-free grasses do not produce lolines, and, as shown for the closely related endophyte commonly occurring in meadow fescue, Neotyphodium uncinatum, the endophyte can produce lolines in axenic laboratory culture. However, although N. coenophialum possesses all the genes for loline biosynthesis, it does not produce lolines in culture. So in the tall fescue symbiosis, only the interaction of the host and endophyte produces the lolines. Lolines have been shown to deter insect herbivory, and may cause various other responses in higher organisms. Despite their lower concentrations, ergot alkaloids appear to significantly affect animal growth. Ergots cause changes in normal homeostatic mechanisms in animals that result in toxicity manifested through reduced weight gains, elevated core temperatures, restricted blood flow, reduced milk production and reproductive problems. Peramine, like the ergot alkaloids, is found in much lower concentrations in the host compared with loline alkaloids. Its activity has been shown to be primarily insecticidal, and has not been linked to toxicity in mammals or other herbivores.

Endophyte infected tall fescue effects on animals ⁶

Horses are especially prone to reproductive problems associated with tall fescue, often resulting in death of the foal, mare, or both. Horses which are pregnant may be strongly affected by alkaloids produced by the tall fescue symbiont. Broodmares that forage on infected fescue may have prolonged gestation, foaling difficulty, thickened placenta, or impaired lactation. In addition, the foals may be born weakened or dead. To moderate toxicosis, it is recommended that pregnant mares should be taken off infected tall fescue pasture for 60–90 days before foaling as late gestation problems are most common.

Fescue toxicity in cattle appears as roughening of the coat in the summer and intolerance to heat. Cattle that graze on tall fescue are more likely to stay in the shade or wade in the water in hot weather. In the winter, a condition known as "fescue foot" might afflict cattle. This results from vasoconstriction of the blood vessels especially in the extremities, and causes a gangrenous condition. Untreated, the hoof might slough off. Additionally, cattle may experience decreased weight gains and poor milk production when heavily grazing infected tall fescue pasture. To deter toxicosis cattle should be given alternative feed to dilute their infected tall fescue intake.

Nutrient pools under tall fescue pasture ⁶

Carbon cycling in terrestrial ecosystems is a major focus of research. Terrestrial carbon sequestration is the process of removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere via photosynthesis and storing this carbon in either plant or soil carbon pools. Increases in soil organic carbon help aggregate the soil, increase infiltration, reduce erosion, increase soil fertility, and act as long lived pools of soil carbon. Many studies have suggested that long term endophyte-infected tall fescue plots increase soil carbon storage in the soil by limiting the microbial and macrofaunal activity to break down endophyte infected organic matter input and by increasing inputs of carbon via plant production. While the long term studies tend to show an increase in carbon storage, the short term studies do not. However, short term studies have shown that the endophyte association results in higher above- and belowground plant biomass production compared to uninfected plants, as well as a decrease in certain microbial communities. Site-specific characteristics, such as management and climate, need to be further understood to realize the ecological role and potential benefits of tall fescue and the endophyte association as it relates to carbon sequestration.

Nutritional value ⁸

Tall fescue energy value is rated fair; protein value is rated poor [16].

Nutritive value of tall fescue for cattle is less than that of
orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata), smooth brome (Bromus inermis), or
intermediate wheatgrass (Elytrigia intermedia) [29].

Tall fescue nutritive value drops during its summer dormant period.  In
southwestern Missouri steers eating spring-baled tall fescue in the
summer gained an average of 0.70 pound (0.3 kg) per day from June to
September.  Steers grazing tall fescue left standing in the field lost
on average almost a pound (0.45 kg) a day from June to August.  In
contrast, steers grazing switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) from late May to
late August gained an average of 1.43 pounds (0.65 kg) per day [27].

White-tailed deer in the Ozarks of southern Missouri eat tall fescue.
Tall fescue is most abundant in late spring, summer, and fall.  Forage
samples were collected in the White River Basin of southern Missouri
from fertilized and unfertilized fescue stands during May, July,
September, and November.  Protein did not vary significantly with
respect to fertilizer treatment.  The following mean nutritive values
and dry matter digestibility of tall fescue forage were reported for
combined fertilized and unfertilized samples [52]:

   Harvest Date                       Percent
                   Protein      Ca       P      ADF*      DMD*

     May             16.2      0.31     0.29    30.7      61.3
     July             9.1      0.43     0.21    35.2      51.4
     September        9.3      0.36     0.26    37.5      50.9
     November         9.5      0.29     0.25    31.0      55.9

  ADF:  acid detergent fiber
** DMD:  dry matter digestibility

Tall fescue in May had a crude protein content value higher than
adequate for reproduction of white-tailed deer and only slightly below
that yielding good growth and antler production.  The protein values in
other measured months were adequate to obtain some growth but retard
antler development.  Tall fescue is most valuable for deer in early
spring and late fall when protein, acid-detergent fiber, and dry matter
digestibility are at their most desirable levels [52].

The following wildlife food values have been reported for tall fescue
[16]:

                           Utah      Wyoming

      Elk                  good       good
      Mule deer            fair       poor
      White-tailed deer    ----       fair
      Pronghorn            fair       poor
      Upland game birds    good       ----
      Waterfowl            good       ----
      Small nongame birds  good       ----
      Small mammals        good       ----

Cattle ⁶

Fescue toxicity in cattle appears as roughening of the coat in the summer and intolerance to heat. Cattle that graze on tall fescue are more likely to stay in the shade or wade in the water in hot weather. In the winter, a condition known as "fescue foot" might afflict cattle. This results from vasoconstriction of the blood vessels especially in the extremities, and causes a gangrenous condition. Untreated, the hoof might slough off. Additionally, cattle may experience decreased weight gains and poor milk production when heavily grazing infected tall fescue pasture. To deter toxicosis cattle should be given alternative feed to dilute their infected tall fescue intake.

Importance to livestock and wildlife ⁹

More info for the term: cool-season

The herbage of mature tall fescue tends to be coarse, but it is taken by
all livestock when it is young, green, and succulent [57].  Tall fescue
is a commonly planted cool-season forage grass [27].

Songbirds consume tall fescue seeds; both seeds and foliage are used by
small mammals [75].

Animals grazing tall fescue infested with the endophytic fungus
Acremonium coenophialum [5] may develop "fescue foot," a serious disease
which affects cattle, horses, and sheep.  All parts of the plant,
whether green or dry, may contain the alkaloid poison at any time of
year.  Symptoms include poor weight gain, lower pregnancy rates, and
decreased milk production.  Lameness and gangrene in the extremities
occur in infected cattle [5,66].  No alkaloids have been found in meat
or milk from animals eating endophyte-infected tall fescue [5].

According to Burchick [7], tall fescue may present "reproductive
problems" to wildlife, particularly rabbits.

Taxonomy ⁶

Festuca arundinacea was first described by the German naturalist Johann Christian Daniel von Schreber in 1771. It was later moved to the genus Schedonorus by the Belgian botanist Barthélemy Charles Joseph Dumortier in 1824 and again to the genus Lolium under the name Lolium arundinaceum by Stephen J. Darbyshire in 1993. The genus Schedonorus was resurrected in 1998 and the name Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort. was conserved against the earlier name Schedonorus arundinaceus Roem. & Schult. Best known by the name Festuca arundinacea, there is disagreement by taxonomists whether Festuca subgenus Schedonorus is allied more with the genus Lolium or best elevated to genus rank on its own.

Associations ¹⁰

In Great Britain and/or Ireland:
Foodplant / parasite
Blumeria graminis parasitises live Festuca arundinacea

Foodplant / parasite
Sphacelia anamorph of Claviceps purpurea parasitises inflorescence of Festuca arundinacea
Remarks: season: 7

Foodplant / saprobe
erumpent through slit pycnidium of Hendersonia coelomycetous anamorph of Hendersonia culmicola is saprobic on dead stem of Festuca arundinacea

Foodplant / saprobe
conidial anamorph of Lophodermium arundinaceum is saprobic on dead sheath of Festuca arundinacea
Remarks: season: 11-3+

Foodplant / saprobe
pseudothecium of Massariosphaeria rubelloides is saprobic on dead stem of Festuca arundinacea
Remarks: season: 4-8

Foodplant / saprobe
effuse colony of Periconia dematiaceous anamorph of Periconia hispidula is saprobic on dry, dead leaf of Festuca arundinacea
Remarks: season: 1-12

Foodplant / saprobe
scattered, initially immersed pseudothecium of Phaeosphaeria eustoma is saprobic on dead stem of Festuca arundinacea
Remarks: season: spring, summer

Foodplant / saprobe
scattered, initially immersed pseudothecium of Phaeosphaeria nigrans is saprobic on dead leaf of Festuca arundinacea
Remarks: season: spring, summer

Foodplant / saprobe
scattered, initially immersed pycnidium of Septoria anamorph of Phaeosphaeria nodorum is saprobic on dead stem (esp node) of Festuca arundinacea
Remarks: season: spring, summer

Foodplant / saprobe
pycnidium of Hendersonia coelomycetous anamorph of Phaeosphaeria vagans is saprobic on dead stem of Festuca arundinacea

Foodplant / parasite
amphigenous, scattered or in patches uredium of Puccinia coronata parasitises live leaf of Festuca arundinacea
Remarks: season: summer

Foodplant / parasite
amphigenous uredium of Puccinia graminis ssp. graminicola parasitises live leaf of Festuca arundinacea

Foodplant / spot causer
Spermospora anamorph of Spermospora lolii causes spots on live leaf of Festuca arundinacea

Foodplant / saprobe
effuse colony of Helicosporium anamorph of Tubeufia paludosa is saprobic on dead leaf of Festuca arundinacea
Remarks: season: 3-11

Foodplant / spot causer
long, linear, erumpent sorus of Urocystis agropyri causes spots on live, blistered leaf of Festuca arundinacea

Foodplant / parasite
sorus of Urocystis ulei parasitises live leaf of Festuca arundinacea

Sources and Credits

1. (c) Harry Rose, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/macleaygrassman/7325845470/
2. (c) Matt Lavin, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/plant_diversity/6166357099/
3. (c) Harry Rose, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/macleaygrassman/7325843750/
4. (c) Harry Rose, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/macleaygrassman/7325834504/
5. (c) Harry Rose, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/macleaygrassman/7325839440/
6. Adapted by Bea Steinemann from a work by (c) Wikipedia, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festuca_arundinacea
7. Adapted by Bea Steinemann from a work by (c) Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Boulevard, St. Louis, MO, 63110 USA, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/4992869
8. Adapted by Bea Steinemann from a work by Public Domain, http://eol.org/data_objects/24633178
9. Adapted by Bea Steinemann from a work by Public Domain, http://eol.org/data_objects/24633176
10. Adapted by Bea Steinemann from a work by (c) BioImages, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), http://eol.org/data_objects/22917519

More Info

• iNat taxon page
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• BOLD Systems BIN search
• eFloras.org
• Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF)
• HOSTS - a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants
• IPNI (with links to POWO, WFO, and BHL)
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• USDA PLANTS database
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