370 ENDOGENOUS PLANTS 



22. Grain mostly adherent to the upper palea, hairy at summit; lower palea cflorta- 

 ceous, or coriaceous. 



48?. FESTtTCA, L. 



[An ancient Latin name.] 



SpiMets oblong, subterete, rather dry and harsh, 2- 3- or many- 

 flowered, panicled, or racemose; florets not cobwebby at base. 

 Glumes unequal, mostly keeled, shorter than the florets. Lower 

 palea subcoriaceous, convex, nerveless, not scariously margined, 

 either awned, mucronate, or pointless. Stamens mostly 3. 

 f Florets awned from the tip; panicle contracted, racemose. 



1. F. tcnclla, Willd. Culm filiform ; leaves setaceous ; panicle 

 somewhat secund ; spikelets 3- to 9-flowered. 

 TENDER, OR LITTLE FESTUCA. 



Annual. Culm 6 to 12 inches high, often growing in bunches. Leaves 1 to 3 

 inches long, setaceously linear ; sheaths slightly pubescent. Panicle 2 to 4 inchef 

 long, the lower branches in pairs ; spikelets usually 5- to 7-flowered, becoming 

 brown when old ; grain linear, grooved on the upper side. 

 Hob. Dry, sterile banks : frequent. Fl. June. Fr. July. 



f f Florets pointless, or merely mucronate ; panicle open ; grain sometimes fret. 



. F. elatior, L. Panicle spreading, and somewhat nodding ; spike- 

 lets 4- to 6-flowered ; lower palea somewhat mucronate. 

 TALLER FESTUCA. 



Perennial. Culm 3 to 4 or 5 feet high. Leaves 9 to 15 inches long; sheathi 

 smooth; ligule very short. Panicle 5 to 10 inches long, generally nodding: 

 branches mostly in pairs. Grain oval, concave on the upper side. 

 Sab. Wet meadows. Nat. of Europe. Fl. June. Fr. July. 



Obs. This is partially naturalized, but is much less common, 

 and also less valuable, than the next following ; to which, however, 

 it is nearly allied. 



3. F. pratensis, Hudson. Panicle rather erect and secund ; spike- 

 lets 7- to 9-flowered ; lower palea never mucronate. 



MEADOW FESTUCA. Fescue-Grass. 



Perennial. Culm 2 to 3 feet high, smooth. Leaves 4 to 8 and 12 inches long, 

 lance-linear, tapering to a point, smooth and shining, yellowish-green, the radi 

 cal ones numerous ; sheaths smooth ; ligule very short or obsolete. Panicle 4 to 

 inches long; branches generally single, often subdivided; spikelets racemose on 

 the branches, frequently purplish. 

 Sab. Fields, waysides, &c. Nat. of Europe. Fl. June. Fr. July. 



Obs. This is a valuable grass, and has become thoroughly 

 naturalized in all our good lands. 



4. F. nutans, Willd. Panicle of several long slender naked 

 branches, which are mostly in pairs ; spikelets subterminal, pedicel- 

 late, finally nodding, about 3-flowered. 



NODDING FESTUCA. 



Perennial. Culm about 3 feet high, rather slender, smooth ; nodes blackish. 

 Leaves 6 to 12 inches long, deep green; sheaths nerved, often pilose; ligule short, 

 gerrate. Panicle very loose ; spikelets few, 2 to 5 flowered ; florets rather tumid. 

 Bab. Moist woodlands : frequent. Fl. June. Fr. July. 



