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

Scientific Name Common Names Notes 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 Meadow barley Hordeum jubatum Foxtail Barley Hordeum marinum ssp. gussoneanum Mediterranean Barley Hordeum murinum ssp. leporinum Foxtail

Koeleria macrantha June Grass Melica californica California Melic Grass Melica torreyana Torrey’s Melic Poa secunda ssp. secunda One-sided bluegrass Polypogon monspeliensis Rabbit’s foot grass Stipa lepida Foothill needlegrass Stipa pulchra Purple needlegrass

June 1, 2015 Serpentine Prairie Plant List - Survey Results from 1979-82, 1990 and 1991, 2007-2015 Page 1 of 1 1 Key to grasses of the Serpentine Prairie, Redwood 2 Regional Park

3 By Lech Naumovich – June 2015 Version1.3

4 DIRECTIONS: The following dichotomous key is intended for use for grasses found at Redwood Regional 5 Park’s Serpentine Prairie, but can be used elsewhere in the Berkeley Hills in similar open grassland habitats. 6 This key asks questions in pairs (or couplets) which are labeled #A & #B. Select the most fitting answer (e.g. 7 either 1A or 1B) using all the clues and then proceed to the next couplet directly beneath your answer. 8 Continue until a final species identification is noted in italic and bold (e.g. 2A). Ruler and grass anatomy 9 drawings are provided on the last page. Please send questions and corrections to [email protected]

10 Key adapted in part from Toni Corelli’s Flowering Plants of Edgewood Natural Preserve: 2nd Edition (2004).

11 1A. Grass inflorescence a panicle or raceme (1B is on page 3) 12 2A. Plant with inflorescence as large plume, stem dense, clumped, plant to 3m, 13 leaves sharply serrated … Cortaderia selloana Pampas grass

14 2B. Plant with inflorescence not as in 2A

15 3A. Awns present and obvious (> 1mm) on flowering parts

16 4A. Both glumes and lemmas with awns (lemmas may be minutely so), awns 17 obviously bent with maturity

18 5A. Grass of open grasslands, lemma awn 3.8-11 cm in length, >0.2 mm thick … Stipa pulchra purple 19 needlegrass [Although not surveyed S. cernua may be present, identified by have hairs on fruits (achenes) 20 that are only present on seed ridges – vs. S. pulchra with hairs generally completely around achene]

21 5B. Grass of understory of other plants, former woodland/scrub habitat, lemma awn 1.2-5.5 cm, about 0.1 22 mm thick … Stipa lepida foothill needlegrass

23 4B. Only lemmas awned (not glumes), awns not bent regularly

24 6A. Lemma awns >1.5 cm

25 7A. One or both glumes > floret, encloses at least the lowest floret, inflorescence 26 very open/airy, tall annual grass (usu. 1-2 m) with tall inflorescence (>10 cm), stem 27 glabrous … Avena barbata slender wild oats [A. fatua wild oats may also be present 28 with lemma tip that’s ragged or forked with none or very short awns (<1.5 mm), 9-11 lemma 29 veins vs. A. barbata with obvious, longer forked lemma awn 2-6 mm, 5-9 lemma veins]

30 7B. Florets visibly longer than glumes, not fully enclosed, lower sheaths hairy

31 8A. Straight lemma awns very obvious from a distance (3-7 cm) … Bromus 32 diandrus ripgut brome

33 8B. Lemma awns < 3 cm, inflorescence dense … Bromus madritensis [B. m. ssp. rubens red brome has a shorter 34 rounder inflorescence with florets overlapping at maturity while B. m. ssp. madritensis foxtail chess has a more oval 35 overall inflorescence shape with more space between florets so as they are generally not overlapping at maturity.] 36 6B. Lemma awns <1.5 cm

37 9A. Annual

38 10A. Lemma awn minute (< 0.2 mm), grass usu. 15cm in height, airy, open panicle with small round seeds at 39 ends of inflorescence branches … Aira caryophyllea silver hair grass 40 10B. Lemma awn longer than 0.2 mm, inflorescence spreading or packed densely on inflorescence stem, 41 not airy.

42 11A. Stem, leaves generally glabrous, or sparsely hairy … Festuca microstachys (formerly Vulpia 43 microstachys) Pacific fescue

44 11B. Stem, leaves densely hairy, pubescent … Bromus hordaeceus soft chess

45 9B. Perennial

46 12A. Glumes >= florets, enclosing them, dense clumping perennial with inflorescences nodding if not 47 touching the ground, lemma awn curved, typical of open cooler areas, coastal prairie … Danthonia 48 californica California oat grass

49 12B. Glumes only = to lower florets, otherwise smaller than floret, perennials with mostly upright inflorescences

50 13A. Lower leaf sheaths pubescent or hairy (scabrous), inflorescence may be nodding in anthesis, lemmas 51 awn > 7mm … Bromus carinatus California brome

52 13B. Upper leaf sheaths glabrous or very sparcely hairy, large perennial bunchgrass, lemma awn usually < 5 53 mm

54 14A. Leaf blade with prominent clasping basal auricles, leaf blade flat, awn may be absent … Festuca 55 arundinacea tall fescue

56 14B. Auricles not obvious, leaf blade rolled and often needle-like, lemma awn typically ½ length of lemma

57 15A. Leaves generally red at base, can be slightly rhizotomous, hairs 58 downward pointing, leaf sheath closed … Festuca rubra red fescue

59 15B. Leaves generally not red at base, leaf sheath open at least ½ of its length, 60 not rhizotomous, hairs not pointing downward (if present) … Festuca 61 idahoensis Idaho fescue

62 3B. Awns absent

63 16A.Annual, small diminutive grass (< 8 cm) … Poa annua annual bluegrass

64 16B. Perennial

65 17A. Spreading rhizotomous plant, flowering late (July), spreading over large 66 area in cooler areas and in shade, lower glume with one vein … Agrostis pallens dune bentgrass [A. halli Hall’s 67 bent grass may also be present, which is difficult to discern – A. hallii has a larger ligule (> 4mm) and obvious lemma hairs 68 to about ½ length of the lemma visible once the lemma is extracted from spikelet (A. pallens lemma hairs are minute, 69 sparce or 0)

70 17B. Not as in 17A, obvious bunchgrass, or weaky rhizotomous plant

71 18A. Dense inflorescence with many spikelets overlapping each other in early flowering, with caryopsis 72 (seed) maturity inflorescence branches tend to (may reflex with age to one side) lemma base may be 73 cobwebby/hairy … Poa secunda ssp. secunda one-sided bluegrass

74 18B. Inflorescence often appressed to stem (inflorescence axis) and inflorescence may look like a spike at 75 quick glance, inflorescence with open space between spikelets, glumes pappery and translucent, lemma 76 base glabrous

77 19A. Spikelet usually > 10 mm, large plant of open areas with weak clumping, lowest internodes +/- swollen, 78 base of plant may look bulbuous … Melica californica California melic

79 19B. Spikelet 3-7 mm, plant in shade or around rock outcrops in open areas, lemma back and margin hairy 80 … Melica torreyana Torrey’s melic 81 1B. Grass inflorescence a spike with spikelets attaching directly 82 20A. Spikelets (in general) with awns

83 21A. Both glumes and lemmas awned

84 22A. Annual

85 23A. Glumes narrow and acute like awns

86 24A. Glumes with hairs, auricles of upper leaves well developed … 87 Hordeum murinum foxtail

88 24B. Glumes not with obvious hairs, auricles of upper leaves not obvious 89 … Hordeum marinum ssp. gussoneanum Mediterranean barley

90 23B. Glumes are not awn-like

91 25A. Inflorescence with dense obvious awns and soft hair, often in wet 92 locations … Polypogon monspeliensis rabbit’s foot grass

93 25B. Inflorescence not as in 24A, one-sided seedhead … Cynosurus echinatus hedgehog dogtail

94 22B. Perennial

95 26A. Glumes awn-like, plant typically < 0.7 m

96 27A. Lemma awn <3 cm … Hordeum brachyantherum meadow barley

97 27B. Lemma awn >3 cm, inflorescence resembles bottlebrush when seeds mature, plant leaves and stem 98 often hairy … Elymus multisetus big squirreltail

99 26B. Glumes not awn-like, inflorescences stalks tall (> 1m), plant large in maturity, plant stem usu. glaucous … 100 Elymus glaucus blue wild rye

101 21B. Only glumes or only lemmas awned (not both)

102 28A. Perennial

103 29A. Spreading rhizotomous plant, lemma awns < 1.5 cm … Elymus triticoides creeping wild rye

104 29B. Clumped bunchgrass, sometimes with well developed, dense basal leaves, lemma awns > 1.5 cm … 105 Elymus glaucus blue wild rye

106 28B. Annual

107 30A. Awns < 1 cm, tightly packed spikelets of 2 of more seeds (usu. 4-7), one glume subtending spikelet, 108 forming dense annual stands sometimes with notable bunchgrass-like base, lemma glabrous … Festuca 109 perennis Italian rye grass

110 30B. Awns > 1cm, plant a smaller annual with lemma margin with soft hairs

111 31A. Lower glume ½ or less of length of upper glume … Festuca myuros rat-tail fescue

112 31B. Lower glume > ½ of length of upper (often subequal) … Festuca bromoides six-week fescue

113 20B. Spikelets without awns

114 32A. Glumes generally 1, annual, inflorescence two-ranked (planar), auricles often overlapping, at least 115 clasping stem … Festuca perennis Italian rye grass

116 32B. Glumes 2, perennial bunchgrass with inflorescence radial, auricles not overlapping … Koeleria 117 macrantha June grass 118 119 OTHER DRAWINGS

120

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 co- dominant 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 co- occur. 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.