Festuca sp.
Fescue, rye grass, Rye Grass
Family: Poaceae · Type: Perennial · Variable; species dependent
Festuca sp. (Fescue) is a non-native California perennial in the Poaceae family.
How to tell it apart
vs Bromus: Festuca sheaths split open; Bromus sheaths stay closed around the stem.; vs Lolium: Festuca spikelets branch from multiple points; Lolium spikelets sit flat against one side of stem.; vs Aciphylla: Festuca is a grass with thin blade leaves; Aciphylla has rigid spine-tipped tufts.; vs Poa: Festuca lemmas have 5+ veins; Poa lemmas show only 3-5 veins with cobwebby hairs at base.; vs Muhlenbergia: Festuca has multi-flowered chunky spikelets; Muhlenbergia has delicate single-flowered tiny spikelets.
Frequently asked questions
Is Festuca sp. native to California?
No. Festuca sp. is not native to California (recorded as variable; species dependent).
What plant family does Festuca sp. belong to?
Festuca sp. is in the Poaceae family, genus Festuca.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-04-14
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.