FESTUCE^ 



231 



Festuca elatior L. (Fig. 55). Meadow fescue. 

 Perennial, sometimes with short rootstocks; 

 culms erect, smooth, 1 to 4 feet high; sheaths 

 smooth, or sUghtly scabrous toward the apex; 

 hgule a membrane 3^ mm. or less long; blades 

 elongated, 2 to 5 mm. wide, scabrous on the 

 upper surface, the base bearing on each side a 

 more or less well-developed auricle; panicle erect 

 or nodding at the apex, 4 to 8 inches long, rather 

 loose, contracted, but spreading in flower, the 

 branches mostly singly disposed, bearing few 

 spikelets; spikelets oblong or lanceolate, about 

 3^ inch long, smooth, green, usually 7- or 8-flow- 

 ered; glumes lanceolate, about haK as long as 

 the first floret; lemma rounded on the back, 

 faintly nerved, the scarious apex acute. 



256. Sheep's fescue {F. ovina L.). — 

 A densely tufted erect perennial 6 inches 

 to 2 feet high with numerous slender 

 firm involute basal leaves and narrow 

 panicles 2 to 4 inches long, spreading in 

 flower; spikelets short-awned. Common 

 in Europe in many forms or closely allied 

 species. Used in this country in pasture 

 mixtures for sterile soil. Var. capillata 

 (Lam.) Hack, has long slender rather 

 soft blades. Var. duriuscula (L.) Koch, 

 hard fescue, has harsh blades about 1 

 mm. thick. 



257. Red fescue (F. rubra L.).-— This 

 differs from F. ovina in having less closely 

 tufted culms, the bases somewhat de- 

 cumbent or creeping. This species is also 

 cultivated in meadows. Var. heterophylla 

 (Lam.) Hack., various-leaved fescue, has 



Fig. 55. Festuca 

 elatior. Inflorescence, 

 XH; spikelet, X4. 



