Introductory
SPECIES: Vulpia myuros | Foxtail Fescue 



ABBREVIATION : 
VULMYU

SYNONYMS : 
   Festuca myuros
   Vulpia megalura
   Festuca megalura


SCS PLANT CODE : 
   VUMY
   VUMYH


COMMON NAMES : 
   foxtail fescue
   rattail fescue
   six weeks fescue


TAXONOMY : 
The fully documented scientific species name is Vulpia myuros (L.) C.C.
Gmelin.  The annual fescues, only weakly distinguished from the
perennial fescues, were previously placed in the subgenus Vulpia within
the genus Festuca.  According to Cronquist and others [2], most American
researchers now follow European workers in giving the annual fescues
generic status.

Two varieties are recognized:  V. m. var. myuros and V. m. var. hirsuta
Hack. [13].

Foxtail fescue was formerly known as Vulpia (or Festuca) megalura.  This
species was thought to be a native North American species closely
related to Vulpia myuros, a European introduction.  The distinguishing
characteristic was considered to be the ciliate lemma of V. megalura
[2].  However, ciliate lemmas are also found on some European specimens,
and most researchers now place Vulpia megalura within the species V.
myuros [2,14].

Foxtail fescue (V. m. var. myuros) hybridizes with red fescue (Festuca
rubra) in Britain [13].


LIFE FORM : 
Graminoid

FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS : 
NO-ENTRY


OTHER STATUS : 
NO-ENTRY


COMPILED BY AND DATE : 
D. Tirmenstein, February 1987


LAST REVISED BY AND DATE : 
D. Tirmenstein, January 1988


AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION : 
Tirmenstein, D. A. 1987. Vulpia myuros. In: Remainder of Citation

DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Vulpia myuros | Foxtail Fescue 



GENERAL DISTRIBUTION : 
Foxtail fescue, a European native, is widely distributed throughout
North America from Alaska and British Columbia eastward to Montana and
southward to Baja California [2,8].  It is occasional in the central
United States but is common in the eastern United States [2].  This
species is common throughout southern Europe, Asia, Australia, and the
Americas [13].

Vulpia myuros var. myuros is widely distributed throughout Eurasia,
Africa, Australia, and North and South America [13,14].  In Canada, the
United States, and Mexico, it occurs most commonly in coastal areas.
Vulpia myuros var. hirsuta occurs widely throughout Europe, North
America, South America, Hawaii, Japan, and Australia.  It is occasional
in the Rocky Mountains and the Midwest [13].


ECOSYSTEMS : 
   FRES29  Sagebrush
   FRES34  Chaparral - mountain shrub
   FRES42  Annual grasslands


STATES : 
     AL  AK  AZ  AR  CA  CT  DE  GA  HI  ID
     LA  MA  MD  ME  MI  MT  NC  NJ  NV  OH
     OK  OR  PA  RI  SC  TN  TX  UT  WA  WI
     VA  WV  BC  YT  MEXICO


ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS : 
     CALO  CHCH  COLO  HAVO  NOCA  OLYM
     REDW  RICH  SAGU  SAMO  WHIS


BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS : 
    1  Northern Pacific Border
    2  Cascade Mountains
    3  Southern Pacific Border
    4  Sierra Mountains
    5  Columbia Plateau
    6  Upper Basin and Range
    7  Lower Basin and Range
    8  Northern Rocky Mountains
    9  Middle Rocky Mountains
   10  Wyoming Basin
   11  Southern Rocky Mountains
   12  Colorado Plateau
   13  Rocky Mountain Piedmont
   14  Great Plains
   15  Black Hills Uplift
   16  Upper Missouri Basin and Broken Lands


KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS : 
   K038  Great Basin sagebrush
   K048  California steppe
   K055  Sagebrush steppe


SAF COVER TYPES : 
NO-ENTRY


SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES : 
NO-ENTRY


HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES : 
Foxtail fescue is most typically a constituent of early seral plant
communities.  It occurs sporadically through a range of habitat types
and may becomes abundant on some disturbed sites [7].  This species has
been described as an indicator of climax on some sites, and it occurs as
a dominant in the annual grasslands of California [16].  Foxtail fescue,
along with smooth brome (Bromus mollis), dominate a vegetation zone
surrounding vernal pools in southern California [11].

VALUE AND USE
SPECIES: Vulpia myuros | Foxtail Fescue 



WOOD PRODUCTS VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE : 
Foxtail fescue is a fair to good seasonal forage for livestock because
of the relatively large volume of herbage produced at some sites [18].
It may be a slightly better forage for cattle and horses than for sheep.


PALATABILITY : 
NO-ENTRY


NUTRITIONAL VALUE : 
Nutritional value is low after the plant matures in late spring [18].


COVER VALUE : 
NO-ENTRY


VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES : 
NO-ENTRY


OTHER USES AND VALUES : 
NO-ENTRY


MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Foxtail fescue generally increases in response to moderate to heavy
grazing [18].  It generally replaces perennial bunchgrasses following
overuse [7].  Foxtail fescue is considered a serious weed in some areas
[14].

BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Vulpia myuros | Foxtail Fescue 



GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS : 
Foxtail fescue is a single or loosely tufted weedy annual [2].  Culms
grow from 7.9 to 23.6 inches (20-60 cm) in height and are decumbent and
geniculate at the lower nodes [2,8].  Blades may be long or short and
either flat or involute [13].  Sheaths are glabrous, blades are narrow,
and panicles are elongated [2].  Spikelets are four- or five-flowered.
The first glume is generally less than one-half as long as the second
glume [10].  The inflorescence is contracted on a rather dense panicle
or spicate raceme [13].  


RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM : 
   Therophyte


REGENERATION PROCESSES : 
Foxtail fescue reproduces by seed which drops to the ground when mature.
Seed production tends to be abundant, and seed is usually viable [18].
   
Optimum germination occurs over a wide range of temperatures.
Germination was inhibited by a constant temperature of 92 degrees
Fahrenhiet (30 deg C) and by wide diurnal fluctuations [21].


SITE CHARACTERISTICS : 
Foxtail fescue is widely distributed on dry, disturbed sites [2].
Although foxtail fescue stands may fluctuate greatly from year to year,
this species tends to be fairly uniformly distributed over extensive
foothill ranges of California [18].  It also occurs as a codominant with
soft brome (Bromus mollis) on an outer, seasonally moist zone of some
California vernal pools [11]. It has been reported at 4,300 feet
(1,312 m) in Utah [4] and occurs from sea level to 4,500 feet (1,373 m)
in California [18].  It is favored on thin to heavily packed acid soils
and on recently burned chaparral in California [18].  In North America,
V. m. var. myuros occurs most commonly in coastal areas [13].


SUCCESSIONAL STATUS : 
Facultative Seral Species

Annual fescues such as foxtail fescue generally occur sporadically but
may become abundant where disturbance occurs [7].  Foxtail fescue is
most typically a constituent of early seral plant communities.  It
dominantes later seres of the annual grasslands of California, however
[16].


SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT : 
Foxtail fescue, an annual, begins growth in the spring and matures
earlier than associated perennial grasses.  At many California sites
maturation is completed from May 1 to May 15 [18].

FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Vulpia myuros | Foxtail Fescue 



FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS : 
Reestablishment of a burned site is through seed, which is produced in
abundance even in relatively poor years [18].  Foxtail fescue cures
early and drops seed prior to the onset of the main fire season in many
areas [22].  Seed buried in the soil or litter is capable of surviving
most fires.  Fire generally creates conditions that are favorable for
the germination and growth of foxtail fescue.


POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY : 
   Ground residual colonizer (on-site, initial community)

FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Vulpia myuros | Foxtail Fescue 



IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT : 
Little is known about the specific effects of fire on foxtail fescue.
The dry foliage is typically consumed by fire; seeds usually remain
undamaged in the soil or litter.  Late season fires presumably have very
little effect on this species.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF FIRE EFFECT : 
NO-ENTRY


PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE : 
Foxtail fescue generally remains unchanged or increases in response to
fire [7].  This species typically becomes abundant on dry, disturbed
sites such as those created by fire [2,7].  It is a common constituent
of many recently burned chaparral communities in California [18].

Limited research indicates that season of burn may significantly
influence the fire response of this species.  Wildfires often occur
after the seeds of annual grasses such as foxtail fescue have dropped to
the ground [22].  Seed already buried in the litter or soil is usually
undamaged by fire.  Late season fires probably have little effect on
foxtail fescue, while creating an environment favorable for seedling
germination and growth.  When undamaged seed is present on a site,
recovery is generally rapid and presumably occurs by the following
growing season.  Little information exists on the specific response to
various fire intensities and severities.


DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE : 
NO-ENTRY


FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS : 
Foxtail fescue has replaced original bunchgrass vegetation as a result
of overgrazing and fire in foothills big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata
ssp. vaseyana var. xericensis)- bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria
spicata) habitat types in southern Idaho [7].

REFERENCES
SPECIES: Vulpia myuros | Foxtail Fescue 



REFERENCES : 

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Related categories for Species: Vulpia myuros | Foxtail Fescue