130 FKSTUCA. [class hi. order lu 



Habitat. — Meadows and pastures, frequent. 



Perennial ; flowering in June and July. 



The Meadow Fescue, observes Mr. Sinclair, "constitutes a very 

 considerable portion of the herbage of all rich natural pastures and 

 irrigated meadows ; it makes excellent hay, and though a large plant, 

 the leaves or herbage are succulent and tender, and apparently much 

 liked by cattle, as they never form rank tufts, which is the case with 

 the larger grasses. It does not appear to arrive at its full productive 

 powers from seed so soon as either the Cocksfoot or Foxtail Grass, 

 and though essential for permanent pastures, is not by itself very well 

 adapted for the alternate husbandry, but should be combined with 

 Cocksfoot, Rye-grass, and Rough-stalked Meadow-grass." 



9. F. ela'tior, Linn. (Fig. 166.) tall Fescue-grass. Panicle large, 

 much branched, somewhat drooping; spikelets ovate -lanceolate; 

 florets numerous, somewhat awned ; leaves linear-lanceolate ; 

 root with creeping stems. 



English Botany, t. 1593. — English Flora, vol. i. p. 14S. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 50. — Sinclair, Hort. Gram. Woburn. p. 161. — 

 Schedon'oms ela'tior, Beauvis, Lindley, Synopsis, p. 313. 



Root with downy fibres, and creeping underground stems. Stems 

 erect, stout, from three to four feet high, striated, smooth and leafy. 

 Leaves linear-lanceolate, striated, smooth, except the margins. Sheaths 

 very long, close, smooth, striated. Ligula short, obtuse, mostly torn. 

 Injiorescence a large, much branched, spreading, slightly drooping 

 panicle. Spikelets numerous, ovate-lanceolate, scarcely compressed. 

 (rZ^me* unequal : the o«to- smallest, keeled; the rnwer keeled, ribbed, 

 ovate-lanceolate. Florets from eight to ten. Glumelles equal : the 

 outer valve ovate-lanceolate, ribbed, membranous, and bifid at the 

 point, the keel mostly tenninating in a short awn ; the inner valve 

 ■with two green, hairy, marginal ribs. Glumellules similar to the last. 

 Fruit ovate. Stigmas feathery. 



Habitat. — Moist meadows, banks of rivers and ditches; much less 

 frequent than the above species. 



Perennial ; flowering in June and July. 



This is one of the best grasses that can be cultivated in clayey lands, 

 either for the purpose of grazing or making into hay. Its herbage is 

 abundant, and produced early in the spring, containing a considerable 

 proportion of nutritive matter, and is eaten by most cattle. 



10. F. lolia'cea, Linn. (Fig. 167.) spiked Fescue-grass. Spikelets 

 arranged in an elongated, two-ranked spike ; spikelets linear- 

 oblong, nearly sessile, distant; florets numerous, awnlcss. 



English Botany, t. 1821.— English Flora, vol. i. p. 147.— Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 50. — Sinclair, Hort. Gram. Woburn. p. 178. — 

 Schedon'orns IvUa'cca, Dtimort, Lindley, Synopsis, p. 313. 



