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Tufted red fescue. 
Festuca fallax, Thuill. Lestuca rubra, subsp. eu-rubra, var. fallax, Hackel. 
(Lestuca heterophylla, Hencke). 
This fescue is, as its name indicates, distinguished from creeping red fescue by its mode of growth. In 
both cases, the extravaginal shoots are more numerous than the intravaginal and in this respect, creeping and 
tufted fescues differ from Festuca heterophylla, The shoots do not creep, but ascend directly above ground, 
accordingly all the aerial branches stand close alongside one-another, and form a compact. tuft. This 
fescue cannot therefore make a complete sward, as bare spaces must occur between the tufts, Although 
closely allied to creeping red fescue, it should, from an agricultural standpoint, be classed with various- 
leaved fescue, as its cultivation is much the same. In distribution it agrees wilh creeping red fescue, 
but is much rarer. 
An alpine variety (nigrescens, Lam.) occurs on the Pyrennees, Alps (Wollerau 1970 ft., 
/ St. Bernardine 5800—6880 ft., Rothhorn of Parpan 6880 ft, Ralligstécke, Engstlenalp, Stockhorn, Gemmi), 
Jura, Central France and Calabria. It is more suitable for exposed situations than various-leaved fescue. 
In commerce, the seed is sold either as creeping red fescue or as various-leayed fescue. 
— 
Alpine red fescue”). 
Festuca violacea, Gaudin. 
Festuca rubra, subspecies violacea, Hackel. 
In its tufted growth and pubescent ovary this agrees with various-leaved fescue. It is distinguished 
by the predominance of the extra-vaginal shoots, by the culm leaves which are permanently fulded and 
bristle-like, and by the spikelets which are larger and have a violet tint (hence the name). It is 
found on the Alps and Jura. Nothing is known concerning its agricultural value*). 
Explanation Fig. A. The 
of plate. 5 3B. The 
Aas adi 
» 2 The 
3. The 
» & The 
| » o The 
: ,» 6. The 
fa lds sal te 
XIX. Alpine meadow- grass. 
Poa alpina, L. 
common variety. Entire plant in flower. 
viviparous variely. The panicle. ° 
common variety. <A six-flowered spikelet. 
same. <A pair of pales, ; 
same. The upper pale detached. 
same. The false-fruit, side-view. 
same. The false-fruit, ventral view. 
same. The caryopsis, side-view. 
viviparous variety. A spikelet; the two glumes and the lower pale of the first flower 
are unchanged, the lower pale of the second flower is partially metamorphosed; the lower 
pales of the third, fourth and fifth flowers are completely metamorphosed into the foliage 
leaves of a bulbil and conceal the terminal bud and other smaller leaves. 
, 8. The 
basal part of the same spikelet with two glumes and the lower pale of the first 
flower removed, To the left, the metamorphosed lower pale of the second flower is 
shewn, the apical part has been cut away and the remainder pulled down so as to lay bare 
the upper pale and flower which are situated in its axil. 
*) See Stebler’s and Schréter’s work on Alpine fodder-plants. 
