SLENDER SPIKED FESCUE. 



101 





growing naturally in shady woods, and moist, stiff soils. 

 Cattle are very fond of it. Said by some to be iden- 

 tical with the meadow fescue. 



The SLENDER SPIKED FES- 

 CUE (Festuca loliacea), Fig. 

 76, is a species nearly allied 

 to the tall fescue, and pos.- 

 sesses much the same qual- 

 ities. It grows naturally 

 in moist, rich meadows, 

 forming a good, permanent 

 pasture grass ; but it is met 

 with only very rarely among 

 American grasses, and is of 

 little value for cultivation. 

 Fig. 77 shows a magnified 

 flower of it. 



The NODDING FESCUE 

 (Festuca nutans) is also 

 rarely met with in rocky 

 woods. Panicle diffuse, 

 composed of several long, 

 slender branches, generally 

 in pairs, nodding when ripe. 

 Flowers close together ; 

 leaves dark green, often 

 hairy ; stem two to four feet 

 high. From 

 New England 

 to Wisconsin 

 and Minneso- 

 ta, and thence 

 northward and 

 westward. 



Fig. 76. Slender Spiked Fescue. Fig. 77. 



