GEOLOGICAL SURVEY; 

 FESTUCA. 



Glumes two, unequal, many flowered. Palese two lanceo- 

 late ; outer one accuminate, or awned. Panicle usually com- 

 pound. 



FESTUCA OVINA SHEEP FESCUE. (Fig. 14:.) 



Stem slender, surmounted by 

 small panicale, with spikelets from 

 two to six flowered ; awn inconsid- 

 erable ; leaves, bristle shaped, red- 

 dish or greenish. It grows from 6 

 to 10 inches high, in dense peren- 

 nial rooted tufts. 1 1 flowers in June 

 and July ; grows in dry pastures, 

 and makes an excellent pasturage 

 for sheep. 



FESTUCA PRATENSIS MEADOW FESCUE. 



(Fig. 15.) 



Its panicle is branching, nearly 

 erect, slightly one-sided, and with 

 linear spikelets, and with from five 

 to ten cylindrical flowers ; color of 

 the leaves of a glossy green, lower 

 ones broad and pointed and with 

 roughish edges, root creeping per- 

 ennial. Flowers early in June. It 

 grows in rather wet open grounds 

 to the height of two or three feet. 



The qualities of this grass giveit a 

 tolerable high rank among the pas- 

 ture grasses. It has long tender 

 leaves, which are relished by cattle. 

 It sometimes forms a good turf in 

 old pastures. When sown, it should 

 be mixed with orchard grass, June 

 grass, or common spear-grass. 

 (FIG. 14.) The figure was taken from a spe- 



cimen near its maturity, and past flowering. 



