Festuca thurberi

Festuca thurberi is a species of grass known by the common name Thurber's fescue. It is native to a section of the western United States encompassing New Mexico, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming. It probably also occurs in parts of Arizona. This perennial grass forms a large, dense tuft of stout stems which may just exceed one meter in maximum height. It has a fibrous root network and no rhizomes. The roots are generally colonized by various mycorrhizae. The leaves are mostly located at the base of the stems. They feature a ligule which may be nearly one centimeter in length. The inflorescence is a panicle up to 17 centimeters long with spikelets borne on spreading branches a few centimeters long. This grass often occurs at high elevations. It can be found in alpine climates. It grows in several habitat types, usually in cool, dry areas. It is a dominant species in a number of regions throughout its range, growing in forest and woodland understory; it is an indicator species for a number of......read more on Wikipedia.