218 GRAMINEAE. 
7. Festuca Shortii Kunth. Short’s Fescue-grass. (Fig. 503.) 
Festuca Shorlit Kunth; Wood, Class-book, 794. 1861. 
Festuca nutans var. palustris Wood, Bot. & F1. 399. 1873- 
Culms 2°-4° tall, erect, simple, smooth and gla- 
brous. Sheaths much shorter than the internodes; 
ligule very short; leaves 5’-10’ long, 1/’-3’’ wide, flat, 
smooth beneath, rough above; panicle 3/—7’ in length, 
open, the branches spreading or ascending, rarely 
erect, spikelet-bearing from the middle or below, the 
lower 114/-3 14’ long; spikelets broadly obovate, when 
mature, 3-6 flowered, 214’/-3’’ long; empty scales 
acute, unequal, scabrous on the nerves, the first I- 
3-nerved, the second 3-neryed; flowering scales about 
2’’ long, smooth, obtuse or acutish, faintly nerved. 
In woods and thickets, Pennsylvania (according to 
Porter) and Illinois to Kansas, south to Mississippi and 
Texas. July-Aug. 
8. Festuca nutans Willd. Nodding Fescue-grass. (Fig. 504.) 
Festuca nutans Willd, Enum. 1: 116. 1809. 
Culms 2°-3° tall, erect, simple, slender, glabrous 
or sometimes pubescent. Sheaths much shorter 
than the internodes, glabrous or pubescent; ligule 
very short; nodes black; leaves 4/-12’ long, 2//-3// 
wide, rather dark green, flat, smooth beneath, 
rough above; panicle 4/-9’ in length, its branches 
at first erect, the lower 2'4’—5/ long, finally spread- 
ing and nodding, spikelet-bearing only at the ends; 
spikelets lanceolate, 3-5-flowered, 2%4’/-3/’ long; 
empty scales acute, scabrous on the keel, the 
the first r-nerved, shorter than the 3-nerved second; 
flowering scales about 2’’ long, smooth, acute, very 
faintly nerved. 
In rocky woods, Nova Scotia to Ontario and Ne- 
braska, south to Florida and Texas. Ascends to 2300 
ft. in Virginia. June—Aug. 
g. Festuca gigantéa (L.) Vill. Great Fescue- 
grass. (Fig. 505.) 
Bromus giganteus Y,. Sp. Pl. 77. 1753. 
Festuca gigantea Vill. Hist. Pl. Dauph. 2: 110. 1787. 
Culms 2°-4° tall, erect, simple, smooth and glabrous. 
Sheaths usually overlapping; ligule 1’’ long; leaves 5/— 
1° long or more, bright green, 2’/-6’’ wide, flat, rough; 
panicle 7’-12’ in length, loose, narrow, the branches 
erect or ascending, the lower 2/’-4’ long; spikelets 3-7- 
flowered; empty scales acuminate, smooth and glabrous, 
the first 1-3-nerved, shorter than the 3-5-nerved second; 
flowering scales, exclusive of awns, about 3/’ long, 
faintly 5-nerved, slightly scabrous, minutely 2-toothed 
at the apex, bearing an awn 6’’-8’’ long. 
In waste places, Maine tosouthern New York. Adventive 
from Europe. July—Aug. 
