Vulpia octoflora

Sixweeks Fescue

Vulpia octoflora, common name Sixweeks Fescue.

Sixweeks Fescue has large spikelets for a fescue and its awns can be much longer than these.

When dry or in anthesis like this, the spikelets tend to separate from each other.

The entire plant is small to medium, about knee-high.

The seedhead is usually bunched with overlapping spikelets.

The pointed glumes at the bottom of each spikelet are equal in length.

True to its name, there are about eight fertile florets, plus or minus.

Vulpia octoflora has flat leaves 1/8 to 1/2 inches wide.

These roots are incomplete but the leaf bases show their width.

How to Identify Vulpia octoflora

  The 19 Arizona fescues (not counting Lolium), especially those of genus Festuca, are among the most difficult grasses to differentiate. In addition, most are restricted to just a couple mountainous counties. Vulpia octoflora is the only exception, occurring in every county. As for identification, it is difficult enough to confidently say any grass is a fescue. Leave the species to the experts.

Similar Species

  Most fescues are strongly bunched and have extremely narrow rolled leaves less than 1/16 inch wide. The plants are usually perennials. I recommend against identifying them to species level until you are ready to specialize. If you are in the high country, you may find Festuca sororia, the only fescue in the mountains (aside from Six-weeks Fescue) that has flat leaves.  Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium perenne), a fescue relative, is easy to identify and can be found in all counties except La Paz. Arizona Fescue (Festuca arizonica), shown below, deserves special mention because it is a common and abundant bunchgrass high in the northern mountains above 6,900 feet.