126 FESTUCA. [CLASS in. ORDER II. 



capable of improvement ; it is true that a greater produce is obtained 

 when it is grown in a rich loamy soil, but not in proportion to the 

 quantity that can be produced from other grasses in the same situation. 

 Its value as a pasture grass is limited to the natural places of its 

 growth, to which it is admirably adapted by its long, penetrating, 

 fibrous roots, the close, tufted manner of its growth, and its narrow, 

 thread-like leaves. Mr. Curtis has pointed out the advantage of this 

 grass for making grass-plats, lawns, or bowling-greens : it doer not 

 require so frequent mowing, and keeps greener in dry weather, owing 

 to the length of its roots : for this purpose it will be found to answer 

 best in a light sandy soil. 



2. F. durius'cula, Linn. (Fig. 159.) hard Fescue-grass. Panicle 

 spreading ; spikelets mostly turned to one side, oblong, of about 

 six awned florets; stem round ; stem-leaves nearly flat, lower ones 

 bristle-shaped ; root fibrous. 



English Botany, t. 470. English Flora, vol. i. p. 141. Lindley, 

 Synopsis, p. 314. Hooker, British Flora, vol. i. p. 49. Sinclair, Hort. 

 Gram. Woburn. p. 156. 



Root fibrous, tufted. Stem erect, from one to two feet high, smooth, 

 striated, round. Upper leaves nearly flat, with long, close, smooth, 

 striated sheaths ; the lower leaves numerous, much longer, striated, 

 and keeled ; the margins closely rolled inwards, so as to appear bristle- 

 shaped ; their sheaths shorter, hairy or downy. Ligula very short, 

 obtuse. Inflorescence an erect, somewhat spreading, one-sided panicle; 

 its branches short, angular, rough. Spikelets oblong, green or pur- 

 plish, smooth, or sometimes roughish. Glumes unequal : the outer 

 valve shortest, keeled; the inner keeled and ribbed. Florets about 

 six, rather distant. Glumelles equal : the outer keeled, ribbed, and 

 awned, the awn not more than half the length of the valve ; the inner 

 valve with two lateral, roughish ribs, the apex bifid. Stigmas protru- 

 ding, feathery. Anthers yellow. 



This species is nearly allied to the above, from v.hich it is at once 

 distinguished by its greater size and stouter habit. 



Habitat. In pastures, meadows, and waste places ; plentiful. 



Perennial ; flowering in June and July. 



This is always found among the grasses of a natural pasture, espe- 

 cially where the soil is rather of a light rich nature. It is one of the 

 best grasses for sheep, springing early, and producing fine succulent 

 herbage, though not very abundant ; and its long fibrous roots enable 

 it to withstand the injurious effects of continued dry weather. Mr. 

 Sinclair remarks, that " it attains to the greatest perfection when com- 

 bined with the Festu'ca praten'sis and Po'a trivia'lis" and that it is 

 entitled " to a place in the composition of the best pastures, though iu 

 a small proportion." 



