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FESTUCA. 243 



different strata. It is specially suited for good loams 

 and clayey soils, and all rich and rather moist land, but 

 it will also flourish on dry loams. It is very good for 

 permanent pasturage or meadow, producing a large 

 quantity of hay if cut in flower, and very good after- 

 math if grazed. Mr. Sinclair values it next to Alope- 

 curas pratensis ; taking it for the whole season for a hay 

 crop merely, it is superior to the Meadow Fox-tail. 

 Cattle are very fond of it. 



It flowers at the end of June or beginning of July, 

 and ripens its seeds three or four weeks later. 



The slender manner of growth, narrow spikelets, com- 

 pound panicle, and short, almost invisible awns, distin- 

 guish the species. 



It is general throughout Britain. Its foreign homes 

 are Lapland, Norway, Sweden, Germany, France, Swit- 

 zerland, Italy, and North America. 



F. elatior, var. loliacea. Spiked Meadow Fescue. 

 This has generally been accounted a distinct species, but 

 Mr. Bentham considers it but a variety. It has a per- 

 ennial, fibrous root ; erect, round, striated stems ; lan- 

 ceolate, acute leaves; and a slightly decurrent ligule. 

 The spike, or rather raceme, occupies a third of the 

 stem, the rachis leans to one side, and the slender 

 spikelets stand on minute footstalks, and contain each 

 from six to ten florets ; the outer glumes are small and 

 unequal; the flowering one longer, five-ribbed; the 

 palese narrow, acute, membranaceous, with green ribs 

 on the margin. 



This Fescue resembles the Lolium perenne in the form 

 of its spike, though the spikelets are more tapering and 

 elegant. The presence of tw T o outer glumes to each 

 spikelet distinguish it from the Lolium. There is a 



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