NPSpecies

Data Source: NatureServe. 2007. Inventory of the vascular plants of Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. Draft report submitted to the National Park Service, Appalachian Highlands I&M Network, Asheville, NC.

Data Source: NatureServe. 2007. Inventory of the vascular plants of Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area. Draft report submitted to the National Park Service, Appalachian Highlands I&M Network, Asheville, NC. Legacy NPSpecies information may no longer be applicable, please remove if it is not applicable. In legacy NPSpecies Weedy value was Yes In legacy NPSpecies Pest value was Yes with comment: TNEPPC RANK=SIGNIFICANT THREAT; I-Rank=High/medium; Lolium arundinaceum (tall fescue), is a non-native species that has escaped from cultivation throughout the United States. It currently is known from nearly every state in the country, including Alaska and Hawaii. It threatens several natural communitites, including fens, prairies, woodlands, salt desert scrub, sagebrush, and other grasslands. This species is usually infected with a fungal endophyte which is estimated to be in at least 75% of tall fescue plants in the country. When infected with the fungus tall fescue is allelopathic, inhibiting other plants from growing around it, and is poisonous to animals including soil organims. In addition, when tall fescue is infected with the fungus it produces more seed, these seeds produce larger more vigorous seedlings which are more capable of persisting than those not infected and the plants have high instances of tillering. Overall, this species is an aggressive non-native species, especially when infected with the fungal endophyte and it is suspected that this species is currently spreading due to the fact that it is still planted. (NatureServe 2007).