Index of Species Information
SPECIES: Achnatherum richardsonii
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| Richarson's needlegrass. Photo by permission of Blackfoot Native Plants. |
Introductory
SPECIES: Achnatherum richardsonii
AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION :
Esser, Lora L. 1992. Achnatherum richardsonii. In: Fire Effects
Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture,
Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences
Laboratory (Producer). Available:
https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/graminoid/achric/all.html [].
ABBREVIATION :
ACHRIC
SYNONYMS :
Stipa richardsonii Link
NRCS PLANT CODE :
ACRI8
COMMON NAMES :
Richardson's needlegrass
spreading needlegrass
TAXONOMY :
The scientific name of Richardson's needlegrass is
Achnatherum richardsonii (Link) Barkworth [40].
LIFE FORM :
Graminoid
FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS :
No special status
OTHER STATUS :
NO-ENTRY
DISTRIBUTION AND OCCURRENCE
SPECIES: Achnatherum richardsonii
GENERAL DISTRIBUTION :
Richardson's needlegrass is distributed from British Columbia, Alberta,
Saskatchewan, and parts of Yukon Territory [18,36] south through Montana
to Colorado and west to eastern Washington [14,18]. Scattered
populations occur in the Black Hills of South Dakota [14].
ECOSYSTEMS :
FRES20 Douglas-fir
FRES21 Ponderosa pine
FRES26 Lodgepole pine
FRES29 Sagebrush
FRES36 Mountain grasslands
FRES37 Mountain meadows
FRES38 Plains grasslands
STATES :
CO ID MT SD WA WY AB BC SK YT
BLM PHYSIOGRAPHIC REGIONS :
8 Northern Rocky Mountains
9 Middle Rocky Mountains
10 Wyoming Basin
11 Southern Rocky Mountains
15 Black Hills Uplift
16 Upper Missouri Basin and Broken Lands
KUCHLER PLANT ASSOCIATIONS :
K011 Western ponderosa forest
K012 Douglas-fir forest
K016 Eastern ponderosa forest
K017 Black Hills pine forest
K018 Pine - Douglas-fir forest
K024 Juniper steppe woodland
K050 Fescue - wheatgrass
K051 Wheatgrass - bluegrass
K055 Sagebrush steppe
K056 Wheatgrass - needlegrass shrubsteppe
K063 Foothills prairie
K064 Grama - needlegrass - wheatgrass
K066 Wheatgrass - needlegrass
SAF COVER TYPES :
201 White spruce
210 Interior Douglas-fir
217 Aspen
218 Lodgepole pine
219 Limber pine
220 Rocky Mountain juniper
237 Interior ponderosa pine
238 Western juniper
251 White spruce - aspen
SRM (RANGELAND) COVER TYPES :
NO-ENTRY
HABITAT TYPES AND PLANT COMMUNITIES :
Richardson's needlegrass is found in intermontane valley grasslands and
meadows [24]. It is also common in bottomlands, on rocky or wooded
slopes, and on hillsides in mature pine (Pinus spp.) forests [12,14].
In British Columbia, Richardson's needlegrass commonly occurs on warm, dry
sites scattered throughout major valleys of the sub-boreal zone [25].
Published classifications describing Richardson's needlegrass as a
codominant in community types are listed below:
Grasslands of the North Fork Valley, Glacier National Park, Montana [16].
Fescue grasslands of western Canada [19].
Common plant associates of Richardson's needlegrass not listed in
Distribution and Occurrence are: Canada bluegrass (Poa compressa),
prairie Junegrass (Koeleria cristata), rough fescue (Festuca altaica),
Idaho fescue (F. idahoensis), bearded wheatgrass (Elymus caninus),
western needlegrass (Achnatherum occidentalis), timber danthonia (Danthonia
intermedia), tufted hairgrass (Deschampsia cespitosa), sedges (Carex
spp.), shrubby cinquefoil (Potentilla fruticosa), bearberry
(Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), timothy (Phleum pratense), common yarrow
(Achillea millefolium), prairiesmoke avens (Geum triflorum), northern
bedstraw (Galium boreale), Hood's phlox (Phlox hoodii), and bluebell
(Campanula rotundifolia) [21,23,30,34].
MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS
SPECIES: Achnatherum richardsonii
IMPORTANCE TO LIVESTOCK AND WILDLIFE :
Richardson's needlegrass is an important forage species for livestock on
the northern Great Plains [15]. It is also utilized by deer, bighorn
sheep, and elk [7]. At lower elevations in western Montana, cattle
graze Richardson's needlegrass from late spring until early fall. At
higher elevations, grazing is limited to the summer months [7].
Needlegrasses (Achnatherum spp.) rank high as forage grasses on the western
ranges because of their abundance, wide distribution, long growing
period, and capacity to cure well on the ground [32].
At maturity, the long, sharp awns of needlegrasses become dangerous to
grazing animals and can cause injuries to the eyes, ears, and skin [32].
Reports of livestock injuries caused by Richardson's needlegrass, however,
are not documented in the available literature.
PALATABILITY :
Palatability of Richardson's needlegrass varies with phenological
development. Palatability is highest in the spring and early summer
when plants are young and succulent. Richardson's needlegrass is less
palatable at maturity, when it becomes coarse and wiry [31]. In
Montana, the palatability of Richardson's needlegrass is rated as fair for
deer, fair to good for elk, and good for sheep and cattle [21].
NUTRITIONAL VALUE :
The nutritional value of Richardson's needlegrass during five major stages
of growth are as follows (values are percentage of dry weight with the
exception of carotene which is in mg/kg) [1,15]:
Leaf Heading Seed-ripe Cured Weathered
Stage
Dry Matter 93.0 92.5 93.1 93.3 95.4
Protein 10.3 6.65 5.13 4.10 2.60
Crude Fat 2.55 2.60 2.27 3.00 2.60
Crude Fiber 31.2 31.2 34.7 31.1 38.4
Ash 7.20 6.00 7.40 6.10 4.50
Calcium 0.33 0.30 0.33 0.38 0.36
Phosphorus 0.15 0.08 0.08 0.07 0.04
Cellulose 31.3 34.6 35.8 34.8 40.5
Carotene 33.1 31.5 5.67 3.50 1.15
COVER VALUE :
NO-ENTRY
VALUE FOR REHABILITATION OF DISTURBED SITES :
NO-ENTRY
OTHER USES AND VALUES :
NO-ENTRY
OTHER MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
Fescue (Festuca spp.) grasslands are an important grazing resource in
much of the West, and Richardson's needlegrass is an important component
of these grasslands. Richardson's needlegrass decreases with overgrazing
[19]. On lightly to moderately disturbed sites, Richardson's needlegrass
increases. On more severely disturbed sites, Richardson's needlegrass
decreases. Richardson's needlegrass increases on moist disturbed sites
[19].
BOTANICAL AND ECOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS
SPECIES: Achnatherum richardsonii
GENERAL BOTANICAL CHARACTERISTICS :
Richardson's needlegrass is a native, perennial, cool-season bunchgrass.
This fine-stemmed, tufted grass grows from 16 to 40 inches (40-100 cm)
tall [10,18]. The inflorescence is open and diffuse [18]. Culms are
glabrous or slightly hairy. Blades are typically involute and
subfiliform and reach heights of about 6 to 10 inches (15-25 cm) [14].
The seeds of Richardson's needlegrass are hard, slender, and cylindrical,
and have a sharp, pointed base (callus) and long, twisted awns [31].
Richardson's needlegrass is a shallow-rooted species; the abundance of
roots decreases as soil depth increases. Clay accumulation restricts
root penetration of Richardson's needlegrass [22]. Richardson's needlegrass
becomes dormant following depletion of surface soil moisture during the
latter part of the growing season [22].
RAUNKIAER LIFE FORM :
Hemicryptophyte
REGENERATION PROCESSES :
Richardson's needlegrass reproduces sexually. The twisted awns of the
seeds expand and contract with variations in temperature and moisture,
drilling them into the soil [31,36]. Strong winds may transport seeds a
considerable distance, especially when awns are twisted together in
clumps. Animals also carry seeds as the awns become trapped in their
fur [36].
SITE CHARACTERISTICS :
Richardson's needlegrass is common on hillsides and dry plains, in open
grassland or sagebrush benches, and in bottomlands, swales, and wooded
slopes [3,10]. It is also found on moraines and gravel outwash
associated with streams [3]. In Montana, Richardson's needlegrass is
found on mountain slopes on both sides of the Continental Divide at
elevations of 3,000 to 7,000 feet (900-2,100 m) [21]. In north-central
Colorado, it is found in mesic sites at 8,000 to 8,600 feet (2,400-2,580
m) [13]. In Wyoming, Richardson's needlegrass is commonly found at
elevations of 7,000 to 8,500 feet (2,134-2,591 m) and occasionally at
elevations of 9,000 feet (2,743 m) [3].
Soils: Richardson's needlegrass is common on slightly acidic to neutral
soil (pH 6.6-7.3) [19]. Soil textures vary from fine sandy loam to
clayey loam. Cation exchange capacity is moderately high, but soils are
considered of low fertility because of low levels of nitrogen and
phosphorus [19].
SUCCESSIONAL STATUS :
Richardson's needlegrass is a climax codominant on sites in Glacier
National Park and on fescue grasslands of western Canada [16,19]. It
occurs in the rough fescue prairie association, a climax community type.
However, the equilibrium between prairie and associated forest
vegetation is not always clear. Woody species such as willows (Salix
spp.) and poplars (Populus spp.) are tending to invade the fescue
prairie of Alberta, though the effects of fire, mowing, and limited
grazing may serve to counteract this tendency. It has been suggested
that white spruce (Picea glauca) may be considered as the theoretical
climax for much of the fescue grassland or black soil region of Alberta;
however, natural burning tends to prevent this climax from being realized
[39].
SEASONAL DEVELOPMENT :
Most needlegrasses begin vegetative growth in the early spring, usually
before associated grasses green up, and continue growing throughout the
summer if enough moisture is available [31,32]. Needlegrasses flower
from July to September [31]. No specific information on the seasonal
development of Richardson's needlegrass was found.
FIRE ECOLOGY
SPECIES: Achnatherum richardsonii
FIRE ECOLOGY OR ADAPTATIONS :
Perennial needlegrasses are among the least fire resistant of the
bunchgrasses [35]. No specific information on adaptations of Richardson's
needlegrass to fire was found.
Season of burn and plant size contribute to needlegrasses' ability to
survive fire. Needlegrasses tend to be more susceptible to fire when
burned during midsummer. Plants with smaller crown diameters more often
survive fire than do larger plants. Successive years' accumulation of
dead culm and leaves make older needlegrasses highly susceptible to
burning. Needlegrasses may often survive low-intensity fires, as heat
is not transferred below the soil surface [37].
FIRE REGIMES :
Find fire regime information for the plant communities in which this
species may occur by entering the species name in the FEIS home page under
"Find Fire Regimes".
POSTFIRE REGENERATION STRATEGY :
Tussock graminoid
FIRE EFFECTS
SPECIES: Achnatherum richardsonii
IMMEDIATE FIRE EFFECT ON PLANT :
Specific fire effects probably depend largely on season of burn,
phenology, and fire intensity and severity. Generally, needlegrasses
(Achnatherum spp.) are top-killed by fire. Occasionally, a few culms may
survive along the periphery of the crown. When fire severity is
moderate to high, heat may be transferred below the soil surface,
damaging roots and killing the plant. Needlegrasses often exhibit
subsurface charring following fire [37].
PLANT RESPONSE TO FIRE :
Production of most needlegrasses is initially reduced by fire; the
degree of reduction appears dependent on species and season of burn
[11]. In southwestern Montana, however, production of Richardson's
needlegrass in a rough fescue habitat type with a heavy preburn canopy
of mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata var. vaseyana) increased
from 4 pounds per acre (1.8 kg/ha) to 306 pounds per acre (137.7 kg/ha)
2 years after a spring prescribed fire. Basal area and biomass of most
needlegrasses are also often reduced following fire, with basal area
commonly being reduced by as much as 50 percent [37]. Small needlegrass
plants with a lower ratio of dead to living plant material and less fuel
volume generally respond more favorably to fire than do larger plants
[37]. Richardson's needlegrass is nonrhizomatous; therefore postfire
regeneration is through seed or sprouting by surviving plants [10].
DISCUSSION AND QUALIFICATION OF PLANT RESPONSE :
The Research Project Summary Vegetation response to restoration treatments
in ponderosa pine-Douglas-fir forests of western Montana provides information
on prescribed fire and postfire response of plant community species,
including Richardson's needlegrass, that was not available when this species review
was written.
FIRE MANAGEMENT CONSIDERATIONS :
Elimination of large scale fires has enabled coniferous forests to
encroach into grassland habitats. Fire policy in Glacier National
Park before 1972 favored the development of coniferous forests at the
expense of fescue grasslands [16]. Fire policies should assure the
preservation of vegetation types such as the fescue grassland, of which
Richardson's needlegrass is an important component [16].
REFERENCES
SPECIES: Achnatherum richardsonii
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