oe x. 
Varieties. 
Name. 
Agricultural 
value. 
Geographical 
distribution. 
Habitat. 
Limits 
of altitude. 
Climate. 
Soil. 
100 
of the outer surface, at the angles, lie isolated bundles of hard bast (the dark parts in fig. 9). On 
the culms, the blades unfold and, accordingly, lose their setaceous character, becoming flat, and 
2 to 3 mm. broad. The upper surface is hairy, and has from 5 to 17 well marked ribs. The furrows 
are occupied by »bulliform cells« (fig. 10). Each of the vascular bundles corresponding to the broader 
ribs is surrounded by a ring of hard bast which is extended both to the upper and lower surfaces of 
the blade, — To each of the smaller and narrower ribs corresponds a small vascular bundle; directly 
above and below these, but quite separate from them, lie small bundles of hard bast (fig. 10). The 
ligule is reduced to a mere border, which is almost earless (fig. 11). 
The panicle is large and loose, often nodding at the apex; its length varies from 2 to 6 inches 
(fig. A). The spikelet is three- to nine-flowered, and varies in length from 8 to 10 mm. The awns are half 
as long, or, at times, as long as the pales which bear them, and upwards rough (figs. 1 to 5). The 
ovary is covered with soft hairs. 
The false fruit is slender and 4.5 to 5.5 mm. Jong, not including the awn. The stalk is downy 
and almost half as long as the fruit (figs. 3 to 5). The flat caryopsis is 3.5 to 4.5 mm. long; it has 
a shallow groove and a long hilum on the ventral surface (figs. 6 to 8). 
Varieties. Several varieties of this plant are in cultivation in England. The following deserve 
mention: 1. precox (an early variely); 2. purpurata (a purple variety); 3. serratifolia (a variety with 
serrated leaf-blades); and 4. glabra (a hairless variety). Speaking of various-leaved fescue, Hackel states 
that it does not grow further north than 52° north latitude; as he does not mention it as indigenous 
lo England, it is' very probable that the four varieties mentioned above are in reality forms of tufted 
red fescue (Festuca rubra. fallax, Hackel), The tufted red fescues are often regarded as varieties of 
various-leaved fescue. 
Linneus, in the twelfth edition of his »Systema nature«, 1767, designated various-leaved fescue 
as Festuca duriuscula. In the tenth edition, 1759, and in the second edition of his » Species plantarum«, 
he designated hard sheep’s fescue as Festuca duriuscula. This change of name has led to much confusion 
and error. To avoid mistakes the name duriuscula should not be applied to various-leaved fescue (Festuca 
heterophylla, Lam.). 
Sprengels attention was early directed to this grass and he experimentally determined 
some of its properties. Trials have also been made upon it at the Swiss station, and the 
results have proved very satisfactory. Several authorities state that it grows better 
on shady than on exposed situations. In the latter case, it continues to live, but, as 
Langethal has pointed out, its produce gradually diminishes. 
Occurrence, climate, soil, manure. YVarious-leaved fescue is, in the main, a southern plant. 
It does not extend further than 52° north latitude. In France. it occurs as far north as Paris. It also 
occurs throughout Italy, Western and Southern Germany. The northern limit, according to Hackel, is 
the Palatinate, Bonn, Kyffhiuser, Brunswick, Sondershausen, Halle, Spandau, Strehlen. It is rare in 
the Swiss plains, also in Austria, Bosnia, Servia and Macedonia. In Asia, it occurs in the Caucasus 
and the Himalayan regions, 
It is met with in woods, usually on their borders, or on spots to which light has access, 
The limits of altitude correspond to the geographical distribution in a northern direction. Cul- 
tivation al high altitudes does not give good results. In such districts, its place can be taken by 
tufted red fescue. 
On suitable soil, it is little affected by climatic influences, and it can withstand 
extreme drought. 
It thrives best on low-lying land which is moist and contains humus, on loamy sands, and 
on sandy loams. On poor sands it does not thrive, but on good moorlands it does better. 
