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Species Review

Achnatherum lettermanii, Letterman's needlegrass

Written
July, 2000
Contributors
Jane Taylor - 1st Author

Taylor, Jennifer L. 2000. Achnatherum lettermanii, Letterman's needlegrass. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://research.fs.usda.gov/feis/species-reviews/achlet

DOI
10.2737/feis-species-review-achlet

AbbreviationCommon NameScientific NameClassificationStatus
Plants
ACHLETLetterman's needlegrassAchnatherum lettermaniiLife Form: Plants/Graminoid
Kingdom: Plantae
Class: Monocot
Order: Cyperales
Family: Poaceae
Genus: Achnatherum		Fed. Protected: No
Nativity: Native
Invasiveness: Noninvasive

A photo of a somewhat sparse bunchgrass growing on a rocky outcrop with a treed ridgeline extending into the distance.
A photo of a grass inflorescence with a meadow in the background, with trees in the near distance.

Taxonomy

The currently accepted name of Letterman's needlegrass is Achnatherum lettermanii (Vasey) Barkworth (Poaceae) [27].

Synonyms

  • Stipa lettermanii Vasey [15,29,30,65]

Other Common Names

No entry.

General Distribution

Letterman's needlegrass occurs throughout most of the western United States and British Columbia. It can be found in Washington eastward to Montana and southward to southeastern California, Arizona, and New Mexico [1,2,5,8,11,13,15,21,22,24,27,28,33,35,37,38,40,41,44,46,47,48,51,53,55,56,57,65,66,67].

States and Provinces

  • United States: AZ CA CO ID MT NV NM OR UT WA WY
  • Canada: BC

Site Characteristics

Letterman's needlegrass occurs across a wide range of elevations and exposures [1]. It is found on sandy loam, loam, silty clay loam, or clay loam soils [3,8,18,39]. It typically occurs on dry soils 15 inches (38 cm) or more in depth, but it can be found on very fertile soils or severely eroded ones [1,3,7,14,18,22,38,63]. It is commonly found on gentle slopes (3-10%) with a northern aspect [3,5]. The annual precipitation is 0.74 to 29.48 inches (188-749 mm) [5,13,17,22,39,40,51,67]. The average annual temperature where Letterman's needlegrass is found in Utah is 32.5 to 42.6 degrees Fahrenheit (.28-5.89 °C) [13]. The average maximum temperature in Utah (1935-1944) was between 55.8 and 73.2 degrees Fahrenheit (13.2-22.9 °C) and the average minimum temperature was between 12.1 and 36.9 degrees Fahrenheit (-11.1-2.7 °C) [22]. For Colorado, the average temperature ranges from 34 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit (1.11-18.3 °C) [40]. It is described as somewhat more drought-resistant than the closely related Columbia needlegrass [63].

A photo of a somewhat sparse bunchgrass growing on a rocky outcrop with a treed ridgeline extending into the distance.
Photo Credit
Public domain photo by crothfels, iNaturalist.

Letterman's needlegrass growing in Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest in Utah.

Letterman's needlegrass occurs from middle elevations to the subalpine zone [15]. Elevation ranges are as follows:

  • 4,290 to 4,950 feet (1,300-1,500 m) in California [2,12]
  • 2,365 to 12,500 feet (1,700-3,810 m) in Colorado [7,14,18,33]
  • 7,200 to 8,500 feet (2,195-2,591 m) in Oregon [46]
  • 4,918 to 11,705 feet (1,617-3,355 m) in Utah [3,5,13,18,22,24,35,37,39,41,43,57]
  • 6,388 to 10,100 feet (1,947-3,081 m) in Wyoming [51]

Plant Communities

Letterman's needlegrass can be found in a wide range of habitat types from open stands of quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) and conifers to subalpine grasslands to sagebrush (Artemisia spp.)/grass ranges [8,15,19,21,34,37,38,63,65]. Classifications describing plant communities in which Letterman's needlegrass is a dominant species are as follows:

  • The plant communities of the big cottonwood canyon drainage [1]
  • Classification and ordination of seral communities [53]
  • Sagebrush steppe [71]

It is an important species in many early- to late-seral and subclimax plant communities in Idaho [53]. It occurs as an understory dominant with numerous trees and shrubs including Rocky Mountain ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum) [35,67], Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca) [35], Rocky Mountain lodgepole pine (Pinus contorta var. latifolia) [65], singleleaf pinyon (Pinus monophylla), Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma) [42], quaking aspen, basin big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata var. tridentata) [35,57], mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata var. vaseyana) [44,51], pale serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia var. pallida) [53,67], and green rabbitbrush (Chrysothamnus viscidiflorus) [1,22,53]. It also grows as a codominant with many grasses and forbs such as Columbia needlegrass (Achnatherum nelsonii ssp. dorei) [31,53], needle-and-thread grass (Hesperostipa comata) [35,67], bluebunch wheatgrass (Pseudoroegneria spicata) [53,55,57,67], Idaho fescue (Festuca idahoensis) [53,64,67], Thurber fescue (Festuca thurberi) [33,64], Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda) [1,54,67], Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) [31,53], cheatgrass (Bromus tectorum) [67,68], bottlebrush squirreltail (Elymus elymoides) [35,55,67], capitate sedge (Carex capitata), and tailcup lupine (Lupinus caudatus) [53].

Botanical Description

Letterman's needlegrass is a native, densely tufted, slender, perennial bunchgrass which often forms large clumps [15,17,18,27,30,38,39,40,63,65,66]. Old sheath bases of the culms are persistent [65]. This fine-stemmed, cool-season, erect grass grows from 6-60 inches (15-150 cm) in height [13,17,27,39,40,56,63,65,66]. Letterman's needlegrass has few spikelets [15], inflorescences are 2.8 to 7.5 inches (7-19 cm), and the awns are 0.5 to 1 inch (1.2-2.5 cm) long [27]. It has a fibrous root system and Woolley [66] found vertical root lengths of 35.4 inches (90 cm).

A photo of a grass inflorescence with a meadow in the background, with trees in the near distance.
Photo Credit
Photo by Greg Pappas, iNaturalist (CC BY-NC 4.0).

Letterman's needlegrass growing in a dry, montane meadow. Sierra Madre Range, Carbon County, WY.

Raunkiaer Life Form (Raunkiaer 1934)

  • Hemicryptophyte

Seasonal Development

Most needlegrasses begin growth in the early spring [61]. Specific phenological data for central Utah are given below (average dates for 1925-1934) [13]:

Elevation (ft)Plant 6 in. tallFlowerstalks evidentFlowerheads showingFlowers in bloomSeeds ripeSeeds dispersed
7,15016 May25 May15 June1 July28 July14 August
7,65521 May29 May22 June5 July2 August21 August
8,4506 June3 June23 June6 July6 August26 August
9,00019 June19 June7 July21 July23 August21 September
10,10021 July21 June9 July25 July28 August19 September

In a western Colorado mountain grassland site, flower development took place between June 20 and August 19. Seeds matured and were disseminated between July 10 and September 6 [40].

Regeneration Processes

Letterman's needlegrass reproduces by seed [40] and Ellison [21] characterized it as an "aggressive seed producer." In laboratory experiments most germination took place between 14 and 21 days after seeds were planted. Paulsen [40] observed that germination occurred between 77 and 86 degrees Fahrenheit (25-30 °C) in Colorado and average germination in greenhouse experiments was relatively low (47%). However, survival of the seedlings was high (90%) and the number of plants producing flowers was high (90%).

Needlegrasses (Achnatherum spp.) also reproduce by tillering [59].

Successional Status

Letterman's needlegrass is a climax species in a number of grassland, sagebrush, mountain-shrub, and pinyon-juniper (Pinus-Juniperus spp.) communities. It also grows well in early successional assemblages, and is well represented in many early- to late-seral plant associations [53]. Reid [46] found Letterman's needlegrass on severely eroded sites in Oregon where greenleaf fescue (Festuca viridula) had died. This species is an invader on disturbed sites and one of the 1st persistent perennials to invade eroded sites dominated by mountain tarweed (Madia glomerata) [22,42,46].

Immediate Fire Effects

Generally, the aboveground vegetation of needlegrass species is consumed by fire. When fire severity is high, heat may be transferred below the soil surface further damaging or killing the plant. Two related species, needle-and-thread grass and Thurber needlegrass, exhibited subsurface charring following a fire in sagebrush/grassland in southern Idaho [68].

Postfire Regeneration Strategy (Stickney 1989)

  • Tussock graminoid
  • Initial-offsite colonizer (off-site, initial community)

Fire Adaptations

Little specific information is available on adaptions of Letterman's needlegrass to fire. It is morphologically similar to Columbia needlegrass, which is only slightly to moderately damaged by fire [34,69]. Other needlegrasses such as Thurber needlegrass (Achnatherum thurberanium) tend to suffer more serious damage [34].

Season of burn affects the plant's ability to survive a fire. Needlegrasses tend to be more susceptible to fire when burned during mid-summer [68].

Plant Response to Fire

Letterman's needlegrass is nonrhizomatous, therefore postfire regeneration is through seed and tillering. The specific effect of fire on Letterman's needlegrass has not been well documented. Most needlegrasses are damaged by fire, especially within the 1st year [34,69]. Basal area and phytomass of most needlegrasses are often reduced by fire, with basal area commonly being reduce by as much as 50%. Plant vigor may be reduced for a period of 1 to 4 years, depending on species. Most 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 [68].

Wright [67] found that in an areas where precipitation averages 20 inches (508 mm) per year, bunchgrasses may recover in 1 to 3 years following a fire.

The Research Project Summary Vegetation changes following prescription fires in quaking aspen stands of Colorado's Front Range provides information on prescribed fire use and postfire response of plant community species including Letterman's needlegrass.

Fire Regimes

Fire regimes for plant communities in which Letterman's needlegrass occurs are summarized below.

Community or ecosystemScientific name of dominant speciesFire return interval range in years (mean)
Pacific ponderosa pinePinus ponderosa var. ponderosa1–47
Rocky Mountain ponderosa pineP. p. var. scopularum2–10 [10]
Rocky Mountain lodgepole pineP. contorta var. latifolia25–300+ [4, 50]
Rocky Mountain Douglas-firPseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca40–140 [9]
Coastal Douglas-firP. menziesii  var. menziesii95–242 [36, 49]
California montane chaparralCeanothus and/or Arctostaphylos spp.50–100 [10]
Basin big sagebrushArtemisia tridentata var. tridentata12–43 [52]
Mountain big sagebrushA. t. var. vaseyana5–15 [70]
Mountain grasslandsPseudoroegneria spicata3–40 (10) [4]
Plains grasslandsBouteloua gracilis and/or Buchloe dactyloides20–40 [10]

For additional fire regime information, search FEIS for this species by entering the species name on the Advanced Search page and selecting “Fire Regime” as the publication type.

Fire Management Considerations

In sagebrush/grass communities in Idaho, fire depletes the perennial grasses. This effect can be short-term or as long as 25 years. The vigor of the perennials is decreased when burned in late May or early June. Late summer or early fall fires are less damaging [68].

Federal Status

None

Other Status

No entry.

Importance to Wildlife and Livestock

Letterman's needlegrass provides valuable forage for many species of wildlife and domestic livestock. It is consumed by mule deer, white-tailed jackrabbits, and northern pocket gophers [20,21,37,57,64]. This species begins growth early in the year and like most needlegrasses remains green throughout a relatively long growing season. This pattern of development enables animals to use Letterman's needlegrass when many other grasses are unavailable. It is grazed in early spring before fruits have developed as it becomes less palatable when mature. It is usually grazed in the fall only if the fruits are softened by rain [22].

Palatability and Nutritional Value

Letterman's needlegrass is palatable to many species of wildlife and livestock. It is generally most palatable early in the season before the foliage becomes coarse and wiry [61]. The awns and/or calluses of many needlegrass species become sharply pointed at maturity, causing grazing animals to avoid them after they mature. These sharp plant parts can injure livestock [18], but such injuries have not been well documented for Letterman's needlegrass. Vallentine [63] reported that the awns of Letterman's needlegrass are apparently not harmful to livestock.

In Utah, Letterman's needlegrass is considered a fair to good cattle forage but a relatively poor domestic sheep forage [63]. The palatability of Letterman's needlegrass to livestock and wildlife has been rated as follows [18]:

AnimalColoradoMontanaUtahWyoming
CattleFairGoodFairGood
Domestic sheepFairFairPoorGood
HorsesFairGoodFairGood
Pronghorn——FairFair
ElkGood—GoodGood
Mule deer——FairGood
White-tailed deer———Good
Small mammals——FairGood
Small nongame birds——FairGood
Upland game birds——GoodGood
Waterfowl——PoorPoor

Letterman's needlegrass is rated fair in energy value and poor in protein content [18]. Carbohydrate levels of Letterman's needlegrass vary depending on phenological stage. Representative total available carbohydrate values for this species on a typical mountain range in Utah (northeast of Logan) follow [19]:

Plant part/seasonTotal available carbohydates (mg/g)
Roots, 1 May86.7
3-leaf stage, 18 May49.2
End of May107.1
Boot stage, 12 July112.4
Approaching maturity, 27 August120.4

Cover Value

Letterman's needlegrass provides some cover for small birds and mammals. The degree to which Letterman's needlegrass provides cover for wildlife is rated as follows [18]:

AnimalUtahWyoming
Small mammalsFairGood
Small nongame birdsFairGood
Upland game birdsFairFair
WaterfowlPoorPoor

Value for Rehabilitation or Restoration of Disturbed Sites

Letterman's needlegrass has been used successfully in revegetating mine spoils at several sites in Idaho [48]. This species also has good potential for erosion control [26].

Other Uses

No entry.

Other Management Considerations

On Utah ranges, Letterman's needlegrass tends to increase in response to heavy grazing by domestic sheep. It apparently decreases in response to light cattle and horse grazing [8,22,39,63]. In the absence of grazing, Letterman's needlegrass competes poorly with such species as Kentucky bluegrass and Thurber fescue [40]. In Utah, Ellison [22] found that it was not present on dry sites that had not been grazed.

Table A1— Forest and range ecosystems, Bureau of Land Management (BLM) physiographic regions, Kuchler plant associations, Society for American Foresters (SAF) forest cover types, and Society for Rangeland Management (SRM) rangeland cover types in which this species occurs.

Forest and Range Ecosystems (Garrison et al. 1977)

  • FRES20 Douglas-fir
  • FRES21 Ponderosa pine
  • FRES23 Fir-spruce
  • FRES26 Lodgepole pine
  • FRES29 Sagebrush
  • FRES34 Chaparral-mountain shrub
  • FRES35 Pinyon-juniper
  • FRES36 Mountain grasslands
  • FRES38 Plains grasslands
  • FRES44 Alpine

BLM Physiographic Regions (Bernard and Brown 1977)

  • 3 Southern Pacific Border
  • 4 Sierra Mountains
  • 5 Columbia Plateau
  • 6 Upper Basin and Range
  • 7 Lower Basin and Range
  • 8 Northern Rocky Mountains
  • 9 Middle Rocky Mountains
  • 10 Wyoming Basin
  • 11 Southern Rocky Mountains
  • 12 Colorado Plateau
  • 13 Rocky Mountain Piedmont

Kuchler Plant Associations (Kuchler 1964)

  • K008 Lodgepole pine-subalpine forest
  • K010 Ponderosa shrub forest
  • K011 Western ponderosa forest
  • K012 Douglas-fir forest
  • K015 Western spruce-fir forest
  • K016 Eastern ponderosa forest
  • K017 Black Hills pine forest
  • K018 Pine-Douglas-fir forest
  • K019 Arizona pine forest
  • K020 Spruce-fir-Douglas-fir forest
  • K021 Southwestern spruce-fir forest
  • K022 Great Basin pine forest
  • K023 Juniper-pinyon woodland
  • K024 Juniper steppe woodlands
  • K037 Mountain-mahogany-oak scrub
  • K038 Great Basin sagebrush
  • K046 Desert: vegetation largely lacking
  • K050 Fescue-wheatgrass
  • K051 Wheatgrass-bluegrass
  • K052 Alpine meadows and barren
  • K055 Sagebrush steppe
  • K056 Wheatgrass-needlegrass shrubsteppe
  • K063 Foothills prairie
  • K064 Grama-needlegrass-wheatgrass
  • K066 Wheatgrass-needlegrass
  • K067 Wheatgrass-bluestem-needlegrass
  • K098 Northern floodplain forest

SAF Cover Types (Eyre 1980)

  • 206 Engelmann spruce-subalpine fir
  • 210 Interior Douglas-fir
  • 211 White fir
  • 213 Grand fir
  • 218 Lodgepole pine
  • 220 Rocky Mountain Juniper
  • 237 Interior ponderosa pine
  • 239 Pinyon-juniper
  • 244 Pacific ponderosa pine-Douglas-fir
  • 245 Pacific ponderosa pine

SRM Rangeland Cover Types (Shiflet 1994)

  • 101 Bluebunch wheatgrass
  • 102 Idaho fescue
  • 104 Antelope bitterbrush-bluebunch wheatgrass
  • 105 Antelope bitterbrush-Idaho fescue
  • 106 Bluegrass scabland
  • 108 Alpine Idaho fescue
  • 109 Ponderosa pine shrubland
  • 110 Ponderosa pine-grassland
  • 209 Montane shrubland
  • 210 Bitterbrush
  • 301 Bluebunch wheatgrass-blue grama
  • 302 Bluebunch wheatgrass-Sandberg bluegrass
  • 303 Bluebunch wheatgrass-western wheatgrass
  • 304 Idaho fescue-bluebunch wheatgrass
  • 306 Idaho fescue-slender wheatgrass
  • 309 Idaho fescue-western wheatgrass
  • 310 Needle-and-thread-blue grama
  • 311 Rough fescue-bluebunch wheatgrass
  • 312 Rough fescue-Idaho fescue
  • 314 Big sagebrush-bluebunch wheatgrass
  • 315 Big sagebrush-Idaho fescue
  • 316 Big sagebrush-rough fescue
  • 317 Bitterbrush-bluebunch wheatgrass
  • 318 Bitterbrush-Idaho fescue
  • 319 Bitterbrush-rough fescue
  • 401 Basin big sagebrush
  • 402 Mountain big sagebrush
  • 410 Alpine rangeland
  • 412 Juniper-pinyon woodland
  • 413 Gambel oak
  • 414 Salt desert shrub
  • 416 True mountain-mahogany
  • 420 Snowbrush
  • 504 Juniper-pinyon pine woodland
  • 606 Wheatgrass-bluestem-needlegrass
  • 607 Wheatgrass-needlegrass
  • 608 Wheatgrass-grama-needlegrass
  • 609 Wheatgrass-grama
  • 610 Wheatgrass
  • 612 Sagebrush-grass
  • 613 Fescue grassland
  • 704 Blue grama-western wheatgrass

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