FESTUCEZ 
Festuca elatior L. (Fig. 55). Meadow fescue. 
Perennial, sometimes with short rootstocks; 
culms erect, smooth, 1 to 4 feet high; sheaths 
smooth, or slightly scabrous toward the apex; 
ligule a membrane 14 mm. or less long; blades 
elongated, 2 to 5 mm. wide, scabrous on the 
upper surface, the base bearing on each side a 
more or less well-developed auricle; panicle erect 
or nodding at the apex, 4 to 8 inches long, rather 
loose, contracted, but spreading in flower, the 
branches mostly singly disposed, bearing few 
spikelets; spikelets oblong or lanceolate, about 
14 inch long, smooth, green, usually 7- or 8-flow- 
ered; glumes lanceolate, about half as long as 
the first floret; lemma rounded on the back, 
faintly nerved, the scarious apex acute. 
256. Sheep’s fescue (F. ovina L.).— 
A densely tufted erect perennial 6 inches 
to 2 feet high with numerous slender 
firm involute basal leaves and narrow 
panicles 2 to 4 inches long, spreading in 
flower; spikelets short-awned. Common 
in Europe in many forms or closely allied 
species. Used in this country in pasture 
mixtures for sterile soil. Var. capillata 
(Lam.) Hack. has long slender rather 
soft blades. Var. duriuscula (L.) Koch, 
hard fescue, has harsh blades about 1 
mm. thick. 
257. Red fescue (F. rubra L.)—This 
differs from F’. ovina in having less closely 
tufted culms, the bases somewhat de- 
cumbent or creeping. This species is also 
cultivated in meadows. Var. heterophylla 
(Lam.) Hack., various-leaved fescue, has 
231 
Fic. 55. Festuca 
elatior. Inflorescence, 
X 4; spikelet, <4. 
