SLBNDEB SPIKED FESCUE. 



101 



growing naturally in shady woods, and moist, stiflF soils. 

 Cattle are very fond of it. Said by some to be iden- 

 tical with the meadow fescue. 



The Slender Spiked Fes- 

 cue {Festuca loliacea), Fig. 

 76, is a species nearly allied 

 to the tall fescue, and pos- 

 sesses much the same qual- 

 ities. It grows naturally 

 in moist, rich meadows, 

 forming a good, permanent 

 pasture grass ; but it is met 

 with only very rarely among 

 American grasses, and is of 

 little value for cultivation. 

 Fig. 77 shows a magnified 

 flower of it. 



The Nodding Fescue 

 {Festuca nutans) is also 

 rarely met with in rocky 

 woods. Panicle diffuse, 

 composed of several long, 

 slender branches, generally* 

 in pairs, nodding when ripe. 

 Flowers close together ; 

 leaves dark green, often 

 hairy ; stem two to four feet 

 high. From 

 New England 

 to Wisconsin 

 and Minneso- 

 ta, and thence 

 northward and 



westward. 



rig. 11. 



Hg. 1i. Slender 

 9* 



Pesisue. 



