Participant Info

Species

Festuca arizonica [Festuca altaica subsp. arizonica] [Festuca ovina var. arizonica]

Family

Poaceae

CommonName

Arizona fescue, mountain bunchgrass, pinegrass

Presence

yes

Status

native

EarliestDate

1896

LatestDate

2025

Ecosystem

foothill, montane, subalpine

Geobotanical

SSawatch, Garitas, SSanjuans, NCristos

Counties

Alamosa, Conejos, Costilla, Hinsdale, Mineral, Rio Grande, Saguache, San Juan

Passes

Cochetopa, La Veta, Spring Creek

WildlifePreserves

Big Meadows Reservoir

Other Localities

La Botica

PhotoRecords

YES Richard Haswell: Rio Grande Co, Big Meadows Reservoir, embankment over outlet 9 July 2025

Comments

In the Watershed, Arizona fescue is probably more common than Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis), with which it is sometimes confused. Festuca arizonica, perennial and cool-season, has been vouchered from the west-side mountain ranges, with only three locations from the north Christos (Hots Springs Canyon; Willow Creek east of Creston; and La Veta pass). F. arizonica often grows in ponderosa pine habitat along with mountain muhly (Muhlenbergia montana).s they both provide good forage for deer. The USA distribution of Festuca arizonica is largely restricted to Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico (where it is the most common fescue). It follows the Rio Grande drainage through all of New Mexico and on down to the Big Bend region of Texas.

Annotation