G56 



FESCUES 



Festu'ca spp. 



The large and widespread fescue genus is well represented in 

 the West, ooth annual and perennial species being found in almost 

 every locality. The perennials are mostly bunchgrasses and some 

 of them rank among the best forage .plants, both in farm pastures 

 and meadows as well as on the range. The annuals are sometimes 

 so abundant in waste places and so aggressive in extending their 

 residence where unwelcome as to be pests. These annuals often in- 

 habit compacted soils, and several have invaded range areas, mostly 

 in the foothills, which have been overgrazed. Here they supply 

 more or less early forage and provide a measure of soil protection 

 in the absence of better plants. 



As a rule, fescue species have abundant leaves which are largely 

 basal and fairly fine. Fescues do not have a notched or two-toothed 

 apex on the outer seed husk (lemma), which distinguishes them 

 from the bromes. The lemma is pointed or bearded (awned), and 

 the five ribs (nerves) converge at the apex. The back of the lemma 

 is rounded except that toward the summit the midrib (nerve) sticks 

 out like the keel on the bottom of a boat. In fescues, the backs of 

 the bracts (glumes) at the base of the groups (spikelets) of flowers, 

 or florets, are keeled. The Latin word festuca means a stalk or 

 straw. 



The fescue tribe (Festuceae), to which fescues, bromes, and blue- 

 grasses belong, is one of the largest in the entire grass family, and 

 irom a range standpoint is one of the most important. It includes 

 some of the outstanding pasture and hay grasses of the world. 

 Several characters in combination distinguish this tribe : The flower 

 cluster (inflorescence) is branched and compound (a panicle) but 

 may be open, narrow, or so compact as to approach the appear- 

 ance of being without branches and spikelike. There is always 

 more than one floret, usually several, in a group (spikelet). If the 

 outer seed husk (lemma) of the florets has a beard (awn), it is 

 straight and attached at the apex, except that in a few cases the 

 apex is notched, and the beard, if present, is attached at the base 

 of the notch or just below. The two bracts (glumes) at the base 

 of the spikelet are shorter than the first floret and usually remain 

 on the branch after the seeds have matured and become detached. 



