58 MISC. PUBLICATION 200, U. S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 



grass, is an outstanding grass in subalpine regions of the Northwestern States, 

 and F. thurberi, Thurber fescue, is important in similar regions from Colorado 

 to Montana. F. ovina, sheep fescue, is a good grazing grass though not abun- 

 dant, but its variety brachyphylla, alpine fescue, furnishes much of the forage 

 above timber line from the Rocky Mountains westward. F. occidentalis, 

 western fescue, in open woods up to 10,000 feet in the Northwest, and F. rubra, 

 red fescue, widely distributed at various altitudes in the West, are valuable in 

 proportion to their abundance. 



The most important cultivated species is F. elatior, meadow fescue, a native 

 of Europe, used for hay and pasture in the humid region, especially in Ten- 

 nessee, Missouri, and Kansas. F. ovina, and its allies, and F. rubra, are culti- 

 vated to a limited extent in the Eastern States as lawn or pasture grasses, 

 usually in mixtures. 



Plants annual Section 1. Vulpia. 



Plants perennial Section 2. Eufestuca. 



Section 1. Vulpia 



la. Spikelets mostly more than 5-flowered. Lowest lemma 4 to 5 mm. long, the margin in- 

 rolled, not scarious. 1. F. octoflora. 



lb. Spikelets mostly less than 5-flowered (sometimes 6-flowered in F. dertonensis and F. 

 sciurea). Lemmas usually scarious-margined. 

 2a. Panicle narrow, the branches appressed. 



Lemmas appressed-pubescent over the back, about 3 mm. long.... 2. F. sciurea. 



Lemmas glabrous, scabrous or ciliate, not pubescent over the back. 



Lemmas ciliate toward the apex 3. F. megalura. 



Lemmas not ciliate. 



First glume two-thirds to three-fourths as long as the second. 



4. F. DERTONENSIS. 



First glume much shorter than the second, 1 to 2 mm. long 5. F. myuros. 



2b. Panicle rather short, the branches and often the spikelets spreading (scarcely spread- 

 ing in F. arida). 

 3a. Spikelets glabrous. 



Pedicels appressed; lower branches of the panicle usually finally reflexed; spikelets 



usually 3- to 5-flowered 6. F. pacifica. 



Pedicels or nearly all of them finally reflexed, notably those of the upper part of the 

 main axis; branches of the panicle reflexed; spikelets mostly 1- or 2-flowered. 



10. F. REFLEXA. 

 3b. Spikelets pubescent, the pubescence on glumes or lemmas or on both. 



4a. Pedicels appressed or slightly spreading ; lower branches of panicle usually spread- 

 ing or reflexed. 



Lemmas glabrous; glumes pubescent 7. F. confusa. 



Lemmas pubescent. 



Lemmas hirsute ; glumes glabrous or pubescent; lower branches of panicle spread- 

 ing or reflexed 8. F. grayi. 



Lemmas woolly-pubescent; glumes glabrous; panicle nearly simple, the 



branches scarcely spreading 9. F. arida. 



4b. Pedicels and panicle branches all finally spreading or reflexed. 



Glumes glabrous; lemmas pubescent 11. F. microstachys. 



Glumes pubescent; lemmas pubescent 12. F. eastwoodae. 



Glumes pubescent; lemmas glabrous 13. F. tracyi. 



Section 2. Eufestuca 



la. Blades flat, rather soft and lax, mostly more than 3 mm. wide. 

 Lemmas awned, the awn usually more than 2 mm. long. 



Floret long-stipitate, the rachilla appearing to be jointed a short distance below the 



floret 14. F. subuliflora. 



Floret not stipitate. 



Lemmas indistinctly nerved; awn terminal; blades 3 to 10 mm. wide. 



15. F. SUBULATA. 

 Lemmas distinctly 5-nerved; awn from between 2 short teeth; blades 2 to 4 mm. wide. 



16. F. ELMERI. 



