Fe ee A ee ee ea eaters 
. 
GRASS FAMILY. 385 
with the culm of a bluish-green or glaucous hue ; —— = T loose, striate ; ligule 
short, obtuse. Panicle contracted, at first almost spicate Bir sae secund, finally a 
little expanding ; the branches by twos and threes, short, somewhat flexuose and ‘scabrous. 
u generally 5-6-flowered, ahead. Glu nearly equal, acute, serrulate on 
‘the keel. Lower minutely pube scent, often pee purple near the - apex, with a nar- 
row white scarious margin ; upper palea scabrous on the two keels, Caryopsis oblong, 
reddish-brown. 
Upland fields and pastures. Fl. June. Fr. July. 
Obs. This species—which, toe = rely if ever cultivated, yet finds 
its way into soi pastures— t held in so high estimation, by our 
farmers, as the one next preceding — th ecttain nly falls far sh of it, 
opinion, even nutritio Cows which feed on it, yiel 
milk, and finest butter. The ing roots (or r! as) are remarkably 
tenacious of life,—and in c nce, are sometimes ra 
in cultivated grounds, among other crops; but, on the whole, it is an 
excellent pie Csbeates in dairy am oeike ip wee ae seems rather 
nN in 
14. FESTU’CA, ZL. Ferscur-Grass. - 
[The ancient Latin name.] 
awned ; the upper oe aeeng +f to the grain i in most of the species, but 
free in 'the one mentioned here. Stam mostly 3. 
nicle aye & before and after flowering, 
* 
tion, L. Pa 
a: spikelets owe 5 —10-flowered ; the florets rather re- 
awnless 
br nches ses 
mote, oblong- lanceolate, 
Tatter Fesrvca. Tall Velema. Meadow Fescue. 
Plant glabrous. Root perennial. Culm 2-3 feet high. Leaves 4- 6 or 8 wenn ee 
(the — eaves 1 numerous and longe’ saegecd erg me al acuminate, nerved, shining be- — 
heath, so nm the margin ; sheaths nerved ; ligule very short or obsolete. Panicle 
4-6 or 8 i tne ches lo somewhat, secund, cas "erect, the generally single, but 
pr atbenatephicc E+ bout 7-fi owered, racemose on the branches, often purplish, a 
a, ie lew d, the upper one : ; Scarious on the 
obscurely Snare: ® ——_ acute ut not acuminate tn mucro- 
nate white, with ke an ‘margins ‘olded 
ees ;Toad’sides, &. : introduced. Native of 
tobe eet rich pasture | 
1 
