102 



Botanical Section 



[PT I 



Rachilla cylindrical, rough or smooth, out- 

 tenuifolia, Sibthorp. (Fine-leaved 



length of the palea. 

 standing. (Fig. 102.) 



Festuca ovina, L., var. 

 Sheep's Fescue.) (Fig. 101.) 



In this variety the leaves are still finer and more needle-like 

 than in the normal form, and the flowering culms are only from 

 4 to 6 inches high. The "seeds" are from 2 to 4 mm. long, and of 

 a light golden-brown colour. The outer palea is simply acute — 

 usually having no awn-point. In other respects the "seeds" 

 are similar to those of the var. vulgaris. (Fig. 103.) 



Festuca ovina L., var. duriuscula, Koch. 

 (Hard Fescue.) (Fig. 105.) See p. 150. 

 This may be considered as a robust 

 variety of Sheep's Fescue. It is more 

 commonly met with on richer and moister 

 soils, and is either tufted or slightly 

 creeping. Its basal leaves are perma- 

 nently folded, dark-green in colour and 

 rather fleshy. The leaves of the flowering 

 stems tend to remain open and flat. 



Flowers early in June. The culms 

 reach a height of 1 or 2 feet, and the 

 panicle is more spreading than in F. 

 ovina vulgaris. The stem is also smooth 

 just beneath the panicle. The spikelets 

 are from five- to seven-flowered. Empty 

 glumes unequal, the upper and larger 

 one three-nerved. 



"Seed." The outer palea is round- 

 backed (without a keel), about 4-5 mm. 

 long (in some forms 6 mm. long), and terminates in an awn-point 

 generally about half as long as itself. Rachilla cylindrical and 

 outstanding. The outer palea and rachilla may be either smooth 

 or rough, or even hairy. (Fig. 106.) 



Festuca rubra, L. (Red Fescue.) (Figs. 96 and 104.) Common 

 in Britain. See p. 151. 



Sub-species eu-rubra, Hackel. Ovary glabrous. 

 Var. 1, genuina — with rhizomes. 



Fig. 102 



Fig. 102. "Seed" of Fes- 

 tuca ovina var. vulgaris. 

 xlO. 



Fig. 103. "Seed" of Festuca 

 ovina var. tenuifolia. x 10. 



