184 
TRIANDRIA. DIGYNIA. Festuca. 
Stems numerous, one to two feet high, smooth, leafy. Leaves spreading, 
strap-shaped, acuminate ; those of the stem rough on both sides. Panicle 
inclining one way. Spikets compressed, not very numerous. Inner 
valves of the blossom pubescent at the margin ; outer purplish. 
Mearow Fescue Grass. F. pratensis. Huds. Curt. Sm. Hook. Grev. 
Sine. F. elatior. Linn. FI. Suec. Schreb. Leers. F. elatior , var. 2. 
With, to Ed. 7. Rich pastures and irrigated meadows. P. June. E.)* 
(F. ela'tiqr. Panicle diffuse, very much branched; spikets egg- 
spear-shaped, many-flowered; florets cylindrical, scarcely awned; 
leaves strap-spear-shaped; root creeping. 
Curt. — E. Bot. 1593— Schreb. 2— Scheuch. 5. 18 —Villars 4. 
T wice or thrice as large as the preceding; in habit much resembling it. 
Outer valve of the blossom invariably sharp-pointed, sometimes having 
a short awn inserted below the point. 
Tall Fescue Grass. Dover Grass. Sherard. . Welsh: Peisg-weUt 
hydwf. F. elatior. Linn. Sp. PI. Curt. With, to Ed. 7. Sm. Hook. Grev. 
Sine. F. arundinacea. Schreb. Villars. Bromus littoreus. Willd. In 
moist meadows, sides of ditches and ponds, or in osier-holts, but not so 
common as F. pratensis. P. June—July. E.)t 
(F. calama'ria. Panicle pointed one way, upright, very much 
branched, compact: florets oblong, angular, awnless: leaves 
sword-shaped, scored. Sm. 
E. Bot. t. 1005. 
Straws numerous, upright, three feet high, reed-like, stiff, cylindrical, 
striated, very smooth, leafy; contracted, and purplish at the joints. 
Sheath-scales rather short, blunt, as if bitten. Panicle , for the size of 
the plant, small, many-flowered. Florets three to five, two-rowed, dis¬ 
tant; husks nearly equal, convex, spear-shaped, sharp-pointed, awnless, 
membranous, compressed and keeled; keel slightly rough. Anthers 
strap-shaped, yellow. The outer valve of the florets largest and keeled; 
the inner with two ribs often folded together, so as to look like a simple 
keel, which gives them a peculiar appearance. FI. Brit. 
Var. 2. Minor. A smaller plant, with much narrower leaves, and scarcely 
more than two perfect florets, the upper ones falling off prematurely. 
* (Mr. Salisbury observes, “ no plant deserves so much the attention of the grazier 
as this grass. It will grow in almost any soil, and all descriptions of cattle are nou¬ 
rished by it. It is of easy culture, yielding abundant seed. Nothing can be better 
than to lay down meadow-land with one bushel of this seed, ditto of Alopecurus pratensis, 
three pounds of Anthoxanthum , and a little Bromus mollis, with clover. It has been 
ascertained, that at the time of flowering it is of greater value than at the time the seed 
is ripe, proportionally^ as three to one. The nutritive matter, lost by leaving the crop 
till the seed be ripe, thus appears to be unusually great. In point of early produce in 
the spring, this grass stands next to Alopecurus pratensis , and is superior in this respect 
to the Cock’s-foot. Though essential for permanent pasture, it is not by itself well 
adapted for alternate husband^ 7 , but should be combined. Hort. Gram. E.) 
t It makes an excellent pasture, but requires a rich soil. Linn. Horses, cows, 
sheep, and goats eat it. (“ I know of no grass of this class adapted for clays, that 
holds out such fair promises to repay the farmer. It is early, nutritive, and very pro¬ 
ductive. If too coarse for particular purposes, it may be reduced to chaff and mixed 
with clover-hay. It should be propagated by parting and planting the roots. The 
seed is rendered abortive by the disease termed clavus, which Mr. Taunton conceives 
may be occasioned by extreme richness of soil. Hort. Gram. E.) 
