166 THE TRUE GRASSES. 



above, usually awiied from the point, rarely below it, 

 chartaceous to membranaceous, 

 five-nerved ; style almost wanting; 

 fruit long, usually furrowed on the 

 inner side, often grown to the palea. 

 Species about eighty, scattered 

 over all countries, especially the 

 It 4 temperate ones. 

 FiG.88.-FetucaovinaL,.Di, Sub-genus I. Eufestuca. Spike- 

 8 tta ?Af? Nees? 8 ^: lets in panicles, rarely in racemes, 

 distinctly pedicellate; anthers and 



stigmas projecting from the glumes at the time of flower- 

 ing. Perennial species, separable into several sections. 

 To this sub-genus belongs F. ovina L., " Sheep's Fescue," 

 with involute, usually filiform leaves, the ligules of which 

 are auriculate. It is distributed in numerous varie- 

 ties over all the temperate countries of the northern 

 hemisphere, preferring sandy soils and dry mountain 

 slopes ; a valuable pasture-grass, especially for sheep, in 

 places where nothing better will thrive. F. rubra L., 

 usually with runners, and ligule not auriculate, is also a 

 good pasture-grass. F. datior L. (F. pratensis Huds., 

 Schedonorus elatior Beauv.), " Meadow Fescue," has flat 

 leaves with two small, falcate auricles at the base. This 

 is a very valuable meadow- and pasture-grass, especially 

 for the moister places, and also for lawns. Leucopoa 

 Griseb. is a species of the section Varies. Whether F. 

 quadrideniata Kunth with four-toothed flowering glumes 

 belongs here is doubtful. This tall (3-4 m.) species of 

 the Ecuador Andes is deadly to all cattle, but serves for 

 covering roofs. 



Sub-genus II. Vulpia Gmelin (as a genus). Spikelets 

 in panicles or racemes ; pedicels often thickened above ; 

 stamens and stigmas usually remaining between the 

 glumes during the time of flowering. Mostly annuals. 

 Ctenopsis De Not. (Fest. pectinella Del.), with much 

 crowded one-sided racemes, from North Africa, belongs 

 here. It is sometimes cultivated as an ornamental grass. 

 Sub-genus III. Nardurus Eeichenb. (as a genus,) 

 (Micropyrum and Festucaria Link, Castdlia Tin.). Spike- 



