48 ON FESTUCA HETEROPHYLLA. 



quality of its spring herbage, nor in its time of flowering and fruit- 

 ing, does it agree with the above. Even in an early season, its 

 flowers did not begin to expand before the middle of June ; and its 

 seed was not ripe till more than a month later. It is here more 

 backward than either F. ovina or F. rubra. In the 8vo edition of 

 1824, as stated by Mr. Carruthers, " a very good plate is given " ; 

 but the plant represented by it is neither heterophylla nor the rubra- 

 form of 1816, but F. ovina, var. vulgaris Koch. I could match the 

 figure with shade-grown specimens so named by Dr. Hackel, 

 collected last summer at Witley. 



I next come to Mr. M. J. Sutton's work (1886), of which, by 

 the courtesy of Messrs. Sutton, a copy is before me. The short 

 description is correct, as far as it goes, but would equally well 

 apply to rubra fallax; and one who knew the capillary-triangular 

 root-leaves of heterophylla would scarcely describe them simply as 

 " folded." The accompanying figure bears not the faintest resemblance 

 to the true plant, either in leaves, habit, or inflorescence, and is 

 in marked contrast to the general excellence of the plates. The 

 statement about its introduction in 1814 evidently points to 

 Sinclair's book ; and the remark that it is " particularly suited 

 to pastures, on account of its large bulk of herbage," is also very 

 suggestive of error. 



Messrs. Carter's figure I have not succeeded in seeing, but this 

 is immaterial, as they expressly state, in sending me a seed- 

 sample, that it "is the F. heterophylla of commerce and a giant 

 variety of Festuca duriuscula or Hard Fescue." 



Messrs. Webb's figure is as unlike the real plant as is Messrs. 

 Sutton's. They remark that " it produces a large quantity of 

 foliage, which is broad and succulent, and of a fine dark green 

 colour. Hence, like Sheep's Fescue, it is well adapted for lawns." 

 This is certainly not true of heterophylla, which grows in compact 

 tufts (almost "tussocks"). 



I wish to express my best thanks to the three leading firms 

 mentioned above, for their prompt help and liberal gift of seeds, 

 which I hope to grow experimentally. 



Dr. Stebler stands alone in figuring the genuine plant of 

 Lamarck. With reference to its alleged culture in England, he 

 expressly says : — " It is very probable that the four varieties men- 

 tioned above are in reality forms of tufted red fescue {Festuca rubra 

 fallax Hackel). The tufted red fescues are often regarded as 

 varieties of various-leaved fescue." He states that commercial 

 seed is rarely genuine, F. fallax being usually substituted for it, 

 but mentions two German houses and one in Paris from which he 

 has obtained it. Messrs. Sutton write to me as follows : — 

 " The true F. heterophylla is very seldom offered in the trade. We 

 used to sell considerable quantities, but lately have been unable to 

 get sufficient seed, really true, to make it worth while offering it in 

 our catalogue." As, however, they maintain that Mr. Martin 

 Sutton's figure "was certainly Festuca heterophylla, ... a very 

 luxuriant specimen grown on soil suitable to it," their opinion 

 seems to me of small value, either way ; and I greatly doubt their 



