Grasses of the Serpentine - East Bay Regional Park District

 Grasses of the Serpentine Prairie Grasslands comprise approximately ¼ of vegetation cover in the state of California. Repeatable, and unique, stand of grasses are key signatures of deserts, coastal prairies, central valley salt flats, oak savannahs and nearly everywhere in between. Many of these grasslands have been directly and indirectly impacted by human activity, and thus may have compromised quality compared to the days John Muir walked through endless wildflower fields.
Within many of these grasslands there is a great species diversity that is transient, reflective of annual precipitation, climate, temperature, grazing, fire, and other types of disturbance both natural and human‐induced. We believe that it is our responsibility to learn to identify and preserve the unique flora associated with grass‐dominated ecosystems. The following key attempts to make grass identification accessible to all who have had some basic training (say 6‐8 hour course) by a professional. The attached key is specifically designed for the Serpentine Prairie located in East Bay Regional Park District's Redwood Regional Park, Oakland, California. Grasses of the Serpentine Prairie, Redwood Regional Park – Survey Results from
1979-82, 1990-1, 2007-15
SURVEY NOTES: 82: X = reported on serpentine prairie 1979-1982 in 1982's A Flora of Redwood Regional Park by K. Culligan b90: X = reported on serpentine
prairie in 1990 CNPS survey 91: X = reported on serpentine prairie in 1991 CNPS survey 2007-15: Creekside Science biologists, Lech Naumovich, Christal Niederer,
James Quenelle. Scientific Name: According to The Jepson Manual 2, Higher Plants of California. 2012. Bold = native, non-bold = introduced Common Name:
According to various local references
Common Names
Scientific Name
Agrostis pallens
Dune Bent Grass
Aira caryophyllea
Silver European Hair Grass
Avena barbata
Slender Wild Oat
Bromus carinatus var. carinatus
California Brome
Bromus diandrus
Ripgut Brome
Bromus hordeaceus
Soft Brome
Bromus madritensis ssp. madritensis
Spanish Brome
Bromus madritensis ssp. rubens
Red Foxtail Brome
Cortaderia selloana
Smooth pampas grass
Cynosurus echinatus
Hedgehog Dogtail grass
Danthonia californica var. californica
California Oat Grass
Elymus glaucus ssp. glaucus
Blue Wild Rye
Elymus multisetus
Big Squirreltail
Elymus triticoides
Creeping Wild Rye
Festuca arundinacea
Tall Fescue
Festuca bromoides
Brome Fescue
Festuca idahoensis
Idaho Fescue
Festuca microstachys
Pacific Fescue
Festuca myuros
Rattail Fescue
Festuca perennis
Perennial Rye Grass
Festuca rubra
Red Fescue
Hordeum brachyantherum
Hordeum jubatum
Meadow barley
Hordeum marinum ssp. gussoneanum
Mediterranean Barley
Hordeum murinum ssp. leporinum
Foxtail
Koeleria macrantha
June Grass
Melica californica
California Melic Grass
Melica torreyana
Poa secunda ssp. secunda
One-sided bluegrass
Polypogon monspeliensis
Rabbit’s foot grass
Stipa lepida
Foothill needlegrass
Stipa pulchra
Purple needlegrass
June 1, 2015
of 1
Notes
Foxtail Barley
Torrey’s Melic
Serpentine Prairie Plant List - Survey Results from 1979-82, 1990 and 1991, 2007-2015 Page 1
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Key to grasses of the Serpentine Prairie, Redwood
Regional Park
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By Lech Naumovich – June 2015 Version1.3
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DIRECTIONS: The following dichotomous key is intended for use for grasses found at Redwood Regional
Park’s Serpentine Prairie, but can be used elsewhere in the Berkeley Hills in similar open grassland habitats.
This key asks questions in pairs (or couplets) which are labeled #A & #B. Select the most fitting answer (e.g.
either 1A or 1B) using all the clues and then proceed to the next couplet directly beneath your answer.
Continue until a final species identification is noted in italic and bold (e.g. 2A). Ruler and grass anatomy
drawings are provided on the last page. Please send questions and corrections to [email protected]
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Key adapted in part from Toni Corelli’s Flowering Plants of Edgewood Natural Preserve: 2nd Edition (2004).
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1A. Grass inflorescence a panicle or raceme (1B is on page 3) 14
2B. Plant with inflorescence not as in 2A
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3A. Awns present and obvious (> 1mm) on flowering parts
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4A. Both glumes and lemmas with awns (lemmas may be minutely so), awns
obviously bent with maturity
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5A. Grass of open grasslands, lemma awn 3.8-11 cm in length, >0.2 mm thick … Stipa pulchra purple
needlegrass [Although not surveyed S. cernua may be present, identified by have hairs on fruits (achenes)
that are only present on seed ridges – vs. S. pulchra with hairs generally completely around achene]
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5B. Grass of understory of other plants, former woodland/scrub habitat, lemma awn 1.2-5.5 cm, about 0.1
mm thick … Stipa lepida foothill needlegrass
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4B. Only lemmas awned (not glumes), awns not bent regularly
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6A. Lemma awns >1.5 cm
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7A. One or both glumes > floret, encloses at least the lowest floret, inflorescence
very open/airy, tall annual grass (usu. 1-2 m) with tall inflorescence (>10 cm), stem
glabrous … Avena barbata slender wild oats [A. fatua wild oats may also be present
with lemma tip that’s ragged or forked with none or very short awns (<1.5 mm), 9-11 lemma
veins vs. A. barbata with obvious, longer forked lemma awn 2-6 mm, 5-9 lemma veins]
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7B. Florets visibly longer than glumes, not fully enclosed, lower sheaths hairy
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8A. Straight lemma awns very obvious from a distance (3-7 cm) … Bromus
diandrus ripgut brome
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8B. Lemma awns < 3 cm, inflorescence dense … Bromus madritensis [B. m. ssp. rubens red brome has a shorter
rounder inflorescence with florets overlapping at maturity while B. m. ssp. madritensis foxtail chess has a more oval
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6B. Lemma awns <1.5 cm
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9A. Annual
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10A. Lemma awn minute (< 0.2 mm), grass usu. 15cm in height, airy, open panicle with small round seeds at
ends of inflorescence branches … Aira caryophyllea silver hair grass
2A. Plant with inflorescence as large plume, stem dense, clumped, plant to 3m,
leaves sharply serrated … Cortaderia selloana Pampas grass
overall inflorescence shape with more space between florets so as they are generally not overlapping at maturity.]
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10B. Lemma awn longer than 0.2 mm, inflorescence spreading or packed densely on inflorescence stem,
not airy.
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11A. Stem, leaves generally glabrous, or sparsely hairy … Festuca microstachys (formerly Vulpia
microstachys) Pacific fescue
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11B. Stem, leaves densely hairy, pubescent … Bromus hordaeceus soft chess
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9B. Perennial
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12A. Glumes >= florets, enclosing them, dense clumping perennial with inflorescences nodding if not
touching the ground, lemma awn curved, typical of open cooler areas, coastal prairie … Danthonia
californica California oat grass
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12B. Glumes only = to lower florets, otherwise smaller than floret, perennials with mostly upright inflorescences
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13A. Lower leaf sheaths pubescent or hairy (scabrous), inflorescence may be nodding in anthesis, lemmas
awn > 7mm … Bromus carinatus California brome
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13B. Upper leaf sheaths glabrous or very sparcely hairy, large perennial bunchgrass, lemma awn usually < 5
mm
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14A. Leaf blade with prominent clasping basal auricles, leaf blade flat, awn may be absent … Festuca
arundinacea tall fescue
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14B. Auricles not obvious, leaf blade rolled and often needle-like, lemma awn typically ½ length of lemma
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15A. Leaves generally red at base, can be slightly rhizotomous, hairs
downward pointing, leaf sheath closed … Festuca rubra red fescue
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15B. Leaves generally not red at base, leaf sheath open at least ½ of its length,
not rhizotomous, hairs not pointing downward (if present) … Festuca
idahoensis Idaho fescue
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3B. Awns absent
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16A.Annual, small diminutive grass (< 8 cm) … Poa annua annual bluegrass
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16B. Perennial
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17A. Spreading rhizotomous plant, flowering late (July), spreading over large
area in cooler areas and in shade, lower glume with one vein … Agrostis pallens dune bentgrass [A. halli Hall’s
bent grass may also be present, which is difficult to discern – A. hallii has a larger ligule (> 4mm) and obvious lemma hairs
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17B. Not as in 17A, obvious bunchgrass, or weaky rhizotomous plant
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18A. Dense inflorescence with many spikelets overlapping each other in early flowering, with caryopsis
(seed) maturity inflorescence branches tend to (may reflex with age to one side) lemma base may be
cobwebby/hairy … Poa secunda ssp. secunda one-sided bluegrass
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18B. Inflorescence often appressed to stem (inflorescence axis) and inflorescence may look like a spike at
quick glance, inflorescence with open space between spikelets, glumes pappery and translucent, lemma
base glabrous
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19A. Spikelet usually > 10 mm, large plant of open areas with weak clumping, lowest internodes +/- swollen,
base of plant may look bulbuous … Melica californica California melic
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19B. Spikelet 3-7 mm, plant in shade or around rock outcrops in open areas, lemma back and margin hairy
… Melica torreyana Torrey’s melic
to about ½ length of the lemma visible once the lemma is extracted from spikelet (A. pallens lemma hairs are minute,
sparce or 0)
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20A. Spikelets (in general) with awns
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21A. Both glumes and lemmas awned
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22A. Annual
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23A. Glumes narrow and acute like awns
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24A. Glumes with hairs, auricles of upper leaves well developed …
Hordeum murinum foxtail
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24B. Glumes not with obvious hairs, auricles of upper leaves not obvious
… Hordeum marinum ssp. gussoneanum Mediterranean barley
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23B. Glumes are not awn-like
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25A. Inflorescence with dense obvious awns and soft hair, often in wet
locations … Polypogon monspeliensis rabbit’s foot grass
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25B. Inflorescence not as in 24A, one-sided seedhead … Cynosurus echinatus hedgehog dogtail
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22B. Perennial
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26A. Glumes awn-like, plant typically < 0.7 m
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27A. Lemma awn <3 cm … Hordeum brachyantherum meadow barley
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27B. Lemma awn >3 cm, inflorescence resembles bottlebrush when seeds mature, plant leaves and stem
often hairy … Elymus multisetus big squirreltail
1B. Grass inflorescence a spike with spikelets attaching directly 99
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26B. Glumes not awn-like, inflorescences stalks tall (> 1m), plant large in maturity, plant stem usu. glaucous …
Elymus glaucus blue wild rye
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21B. Only glumes or only lemmas awned (not both)
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28A. Perennial
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29A. Spreading rhizotomous plant, lemma awns < 1.5 cm … Elymus triticoides creeping wild rye
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29B. Clumped bunchgrass, sometimes with well developed, dense basal leaves, lemma awns > 1.5 cm …
Elymus glaucus blue wild rye
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28B. Annual
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30A. Awns < 1 cm, tightly packed spikelets of 2 of more seeds (usu. 4-7), one glume subtending spikelet,
forming dense annual stands sometimes with notable bunchgrass-like base, lemma glabrous … Festuca
perennis Italian rye grass
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30B. Awns > 1cm, plant a smaller annual with lemma margin with soft hairs
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31A. Lower glume ½ or less of length of upper glume … Festuca myuros rat-tail fescue
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31B. Lower glume > ½ of length of upper (often subequal) … Festuca bromoides six-week fescue
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20B. Spikelets without awns
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32A. Glumes generally 1, annual, inflorescence two-ranked (planar), auricles often overlapping, at least
clasping stem … Festuca perennis Italian rye grass
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32B. Glumes 2, perennial bunchgrass with inflorescence radial, auricles not overlapping … Koeleria
macrantha June grass
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OTHER DRAWINGS
California Brome (Bromus carinatus ssp. carinatus)
Growth form: Perennial bunchgrass
Keys to Identification: California brome is a native, biennial, or short-lived perennial bunchgrass. It is a highly
variable species so using multiple ID characteristics is recommended. The base of this robust plant is very
open with coarse, erect to spreading stems (culms) that grow 45-120 cm tall, differing from dense bungrasses.
Leaf sheaths are often hairy & open, blades are glabrous to hairy. Ligule membranous, irregularly toothed 2-4
mm. The inflorescence (seed head , panicle) is 10-30 cm long, large, open, and erect at top to somewhat
drooping near bottom. Lemmas are uniformly hairy, lemma awns to 1.5 m.
Habitat: California brome is a well adapted species that can grow from sea level upwards of 11,000’. While
tolerant of somewhat poor drainage and fine textured clays, best growth is attained on medium-textured or
loamy soils with good drainage. It is found in environments with full sun to slight shade – open grasslands into
open canopy and mid-succession woodlands.
Notes: This species is part of a large genus of grasses. For the most part, Bromus represents non-native
annuals that are co-dominants in valley grasslands. CA brome seeds easily and is known to even be weedy in
agricultural situations. Highly recommended for restoration and revegetation work as it has been used to
reduce cover of competitive weeds.
Related Species: The most common look-alikes for this brome typically occur in disturbed ground and weedy
settings. Bromus stamineus and Bromus catharticus are two very similar taxa that have highly flattened
spikelets (think of pressed plant – before being pressed). Bromus diandrus, ripgut brome has notably longer
lemma awns and usually denser inflorescences.
Credits: Photos: Naumovich (L), Darris, Plants.gov (R).
California Oatgrass (Danthonia californica) Growth form: Perennial bunchgrass
Keys to Identification: California oatgrass is a long lived perennial bunchgrass with stems (culms) that grow
30-100 cm tall and separate at the lower nodes (joints) upon maturity. Many of these stems grow droop to the
ground at maturity, forming inflorescence arches. The leaf sheaths are often densely hairy with ciliate auricle.
Leaves are both basal and attached to the stem. The upper blades are flat to in-rolled and spreading to
abruptly bent with distinct spreading hairs where they meet the stem. The panicle (seed head) flowers
between May and early July and is 3-8 cm long, loose, and open with 1-6 broadly spreading spikelets. Awns
(linear appendages) on the seed are bent and 4-12 mm long. Seed is produced both in the terminal panicle
and at the lower nodes enclosed (hidden) within the leaf sheaths of the stem.
Habitat: Common and usually dominant component of coastal prairies and wetter sites & north facing slopes.
Notes: Danthonia is a valuable wildlife and forage grass. Growing California oatgrass from seed can be
problematic as the result of delayed or sporadic germination and moderately slow seedling development
combined with early competition from other species. Keys to establishment for revegetation and other
purposes are preplant weed control and proper seedbed preparation such as 1-3 years of fallow. Besides
tillage and herbicides, site preparation methods and weed and stand management options include prescribed
fire, grazing, mowing, or combinations thereof. The most successful stands are often achieved by sowing the
seed alone rather than in a mix, succeeded by the use of a nonselective herbicide such as glyphosate to kill
new weeds before the California oatgrass seedlings emerge following delayed germination. (Darris, USDA
publication)
Credits: Photo: Plants.gov. Drawings: Hitchcock, 1950.
Blue Wild Rye Elymus glaucus Growth form: Perennial bunchgrass
Keys to Identification: A tall, upright grass between 3-5 feet in height with a
notably long and obvious inflorescence (flower head) stalk. Inflorescence is an
erect spike rising from just a few stems per plant, with a dense, rye-like
seedhead packed with large seeds (. Leaves are flat and thin with a waxy
coating (glaucus).
Habitat: Can be found in many different habitats with wide variation in conditions
including drought, although it is best associated with moist clay soils in woodland
understory.
Notes: Elymus glaucus is a common grass excellent for restoration due to good
drought and fire tolerance, adaptivity, competitiveness, and usefulness to
wildlife.
Related species: Elymus trachycaulus is a bunchgrass that does well on
disturbed sites and in saline soils and generally is taller and has 1 spikelet per
node, whereas E. glaucus has 2 per node generally. NOTE: Elymus species are
known to hybridize.
Credits: Drawing: Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. An illustrated flora of the northern United States, Canada
and the British Possessions. 3 vols. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York. Vol. 1: 289. Provided by Kentucky
Native Plant Society. Drawing left: L, Naumovich. Photo: Wikipedia.
CREEPING WILD RYE (ELYMUS TRITICOIDES) Prior Taxonomy: Leymus triticoides
Growth Form: Strongly rhizomatous, sod forming grass
Key to Identification: Strongly rhizomatous grass that grows in
stands. Inflorescence is a simple, large seeded-spike. The culms
(stems) are up to three feet tall with closed sheaths and a claw like
auricle. Sheath may be glabrous (smooth) but typically pubescent
(hairy). Two to three spikelets per node, each spikelets having
three to seven florets, lemmas awned. Inland, this plant is often around wetlands, seeps and on cooler slopes.
Habitat: Typically grows in moist, poorly drained soils on open, sunny sites along the coast.
Notes: Elymus triticoides is a very useful grass as a bank stabilizer, livestock forage, and nesting habitat for
birds. Before European settlement E. triticoides was a dominant species in oak woodlands and grasslands of
the Central Valley.
Related Species: Elymus triticoides can hybridize with E. mollis, E. condensatus, and others with the expected
similarities but correct identification can be assisted by habitat preferences. E. mollis is usually found on
coastal strands. E. condensatus is found on dry slopes and open woodland.
Credits: Drawing: Hitchcock, 1950. Photo: Watershed Nursery.
ITALIAN RYEGRASS (FESTUCA PERENNIS) Prior Taxonomy: Lolium perenne/multiflorum
Growth Form: Annual
grass, can form weak to
medium bunch,
especially if growing as
biennial in wetter
environments.
Key to Identification:
Plant forms a simple
spikelet, but can be
branching. Usually with
only one glume,
spikelets are two
ranked. Stem is
glabrous and leaves often are bright green and shiny. Ligules are
membranous (1-3 mm), auricles wrap the stem.
Habitat: Typically grows in moist, poorly drained soils on open, sunny sites along the coast.
Notes: A very common invader of native grasslands, this plant can form extensive stands is typically a codominant in cooler, more coastal grasslands. Known to produce about 10 times the pollen of other similar
grasses, this species may be the cause of seasonal allergies for many.
Credits: Drawing: Hitchcock, 1950. Photos: Spikelet from Wikipedia, Ligule by Trevor James.
Red Fescue (Festuca rubra) Growth form: Perennial bunchgrass
Keys to Identification: Very fine leaves from one to two millimeters wide in a mostly basal growth habit. Leaf
sheaths are closed and reddish colored (at least at base) with a very small half millimeter ligule. Hairs on the
leaf sheath are +/- downward pointing. Older sheaths shred into fibers with age. Plants can be weakly
rhizomatous, especially in wetter, foggy habitats. Culms are one to two feet tall ending in a narrow panicle that
spreads out slightly at maturity. Spikelets have 3-10 florets with lemmas both awned and awnless.
Habitat: Common in sandy & rocky areas along the coast, also
found inland in wetter areas.
Notes: Festuca rubra is a morphologically diverse grass found
in most boreal regions of the world with hundreds of cultivars
and many varieties hybridize. A local race of this grass known
as F. rubra molate (from Pt. Molate, Richmond) is a popular
horticultural taxon that is known to have a slightly bluish hue.
Related species: Festuca idahoensis is a bunchgrass with a
similar basal growth habit and one foot tall culms but with
leaves both glabrous (smooth) and glaucous (waxy). Idahoensis
is not rhizomatous, and hairs on plant are not downward
pointing (or not present). While more drought tolerant the
species co-occur.
Credits: Photo: Wikicommons. Drawings: Hitchcock, 1950
(upper) & Flora Batavia 1876 (lower).
CALFORNIA MELIC (MELICA CALIFORNICA) Growth Form: Perennial Bunchgrass
Keys to Identification: A densely cespitose (bunching) grass with stems growing 2-4 feet tall typically found in
open, warm grasslands. Glumes of melic are notably papery and translucent with age. The lower nodes
(sections) of the stem and both sides of the leaves are covered in short, stiff hairs. The sheaths can either be
glabrous (smooth) or pilose (long, fine hairs). Early spike will form a branching panicle as it matures with 4-15
spikelets, averaging 10 cm. in length. Lower glumes (seed “husk”) will have 3-5 veins and upper glumes will
have 5-7 veins. No awns.
Habitat: From the coast to a mile above sea level from Oregon to California, M. californica can be found on
dry rocky bluffs, warm grasslands, and occasionally on woodland edges.
Notes: A nutritious forage plant for grazing livestock but not generally used for this purpose as it does not form
extensive, dense stands.
Related species: Similar to Torrey’s melic, a smaller
statured bunchgrass found in and around rocky sites with
smaller inflorescences. Torrey’s melic is often more
purplish in hue..
Credits: Photo above: Keir Morse – Photo right: NPS.
Drawing: Steve Hurst, Database (http://plants.usda.gov,
30 May 2015). National Plant Data Team, Greensboro,
NC 27401-4901 USA.USDA, NRCS. 2015.
PURPLE NEEDLE GRASS (STIPA PULCHRA) Prior taxonomy: Nassella pulchra
Growth form: perennial bunchgrass
Keys to Identification: long achene (seed) awns which bend at maturity, seeds with short hairs, ligule ciliate.
Habitat: Common in dry grasslands, can be dominant or co-dominant species, also found in many other
vegetation types. S. lepida is more common in woodlands.
Notes: Stipa is a common native used as the matrix for grassland restoration. It is a long-lived species,
wherein individuals are thought to persist upwards of 50 years. It is a prolific seed producer and reseeds itself
regularly. Stipa is thought to be the most common grass in historic native grasslands in many areas of
California. Purple needlegrass can have roots that extend down into the soil for 20 feet (Stromberg, et al.
2001).
Related species: S. lepida is a smaller plant in wetter, shadier areas with shorter achene awns and smaller
fruits. S. cernua is very similar but tends to be distributed in drier, inland areas, although the two taxa can cooccur. Achenes (seeds) have hairs only in lines down seed, rather than in S. pulchra where seed hair is
continuous around the entire circumference of the seed.
Credits - photo: L. Naumovich, drawing: Hitchcock, A.S. (rev. A. Chase). 1950. Manual of the grasses of the United
States. USDA Miscellaneous Publication No. 200. Washington, DC. 1950.