CLASS ni. oRDEan.] FESTUCA. 129 



*** Glumes unequal ; glumelles acute, scarcely awned. 



7. F. calama'ria, Smith, (Fig. 164.) Reed Fescue-grass. Panicle 

 nearly erect, much branched, spreading ; spikelets oblong ; florets 

 from three to five ; leaves linear, lanceolate. 



English Botany, t. 1005. — English Flora, vol. i. p. 146.— Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 50. — Schedon'orus sylvat'icus, Beauvis, Lind- 

 ]ey, Sj-nopsis, p. 313. 



/S. mi'nor, Hook.; smaller, with scarcely more than two perfect 

 florets. — Festu'ca decid'tia. Smith, English Botany, t. 2266. 



Root fibrous. Stem erect, several from the same root, from two to 

 three feet high, round, and smooth. Leaves large, broad, linear, lance- 

 olate, from six to eighteen inches long, ribbed and striated, the edges 

 I'ough, and sometimes the whole leaf. Sheaths close, striated, rough- 

 ish. Ligula short, torn, sometimes pointed. Infiorescence a nearly 

 erect, sj)reading panicle ; its branches angular, repeatedly divided, 

 and generally roughish towards the extremity. Spikelets oblong, 

 mostly purplish or brown. Glumes unequal, narrow, lanceolate : the 

 outer valve keeled ; the inner keeled, and with two lateral ribs. Flo- 

 rets rather distant. Glumelles equal : the outer valve lanceolate, with 

 an elongated membranous point, keeled and remotely ribbed, roughish; 

 inner thin, membranous, with two lateral smooth or roughish ribs, 

 bifid at the extremity. Stigmas feathery. Fruit small. 



Habitat. — Mountainous woods, not unfrequent. 



Perennial ; flowering in June and July. 



8. F. praten'sis, Hudson, (Fig. \65.) Meadow Fescue-grass. Panicle 

 nearly erect, branched, spreading; spikelets linear, compressed ; 

 florets numerous ; leaves linear ; root fibrous. 



English Botany, t. 1592. — English Flora, vol. i. p. 148. — Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 50. — Sinclair, Hort. Gram. Woburn. p. 149. — 

 Schedon'orus praten'sis, Beauvis, Lindley, Synopsis, p. 312. 



Root fibrous, tufted. Stems erect, numerous, from one to two feet 

 high, smooth, leafy. Leaves linear, flat, pointed, spreading, rough on 

 the edges, and frequently on both sides of the upper ones. Sheaths 

 close, smooth, and striated. Ligula short, obtuse, generally torn, In- 

 Jlorescence an erect, spreading, roughish, angular, branched panicle. 

 Spikelets linear-oblong, compressed. Glumes unequal, acute, smooth : 

 the outer smallest, keeled ; the iyiner lanceolate acute, keeled, and two 

 or four ribbed. Florets about eight. Glumelles equal : the outer 

 valve ovate-lanceolate, acute, keeled and obscurely ribbed, and roughish 

 towards the apex, which is membranous, sometimes cloven, and the 

 Iceel elongated into a short roughish awn ; inner valve with two mar- 

 ginal, roughish, green ribs, bifid at the apex. Glumellules " with four 

 divaricated points." Stigmas feathery. Fruit small, lanceolate, 



VOL. X. s 



