Identifier: bookofgrassesill00franuoft (find matches)
Title: The book of grasses : an illustrated guide to the common grasses, and the most common of the rushes and sedges
Year: 1912 (1910s)
Authors: Francis, Mary Evans, 1876-1941
Subjects: Cyperaceae Grasses -- United States Juncaceae
Publisher: Garden City, N.Y. : Doubleday, Page
Contributing Library: Gerstein - University of Toronto
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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the two tpreceding species it has aprofusion of involute basal leaves, but unlikethem it springs from extensively creeping root-stocks and so is one of the useful soil-binderson drier slopes. This species is variable andis perhaps most easily recognized by the tuftsof bristle-like, dark leaves which surround thebase of the stems. The most common of the genus is theMeadow Fescue, which was introduced fromEurope many years ago. For so tall a grass thesmooth stems are quite slender, and with theirtapering, shining leaves are a wide contrast toTimothy, which begins to bloom before theMeadow Fescue has faded, and is so often asso-ciated with it in the fields. The long spikeletsof Meadow Fescue are green, frequently tingedwith reddish purple, and in bloom the flowersfor a short time are broadly open, givingdelicacy to the one-sided, drooping panicle,which after flowering is narrow and closelycontracted. Rocky woodlands in nearly all the statesshelter the Nodding Fescue (Fesiuca nutans),218
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iMKADOW FESCUE (l-esluca elalior). Ont- half natural size. Spikclcts enlarged by three Illustrated Descriptions of the Grasses a slender, dark green grass with loose, few-flowered panicles.The spikelets are small, and as they are borne only at the endsof the panicle branches theplant should not be con-fused with other shade-loving grasses. The plants of this genusare very variable underdifferent conditions of soiland climate, and a numberof varieties are listed underthe species given. Slender Fescue. Festuca odoflora Walt. Root annual, often tufted. Stem 4-2o tall, slender, erect, wiry. Ligule very short. Leaves bristle-like, i-^ long, in-volute, occasionally downy. Panicle i-6 long, narrow, contracted, often i-sided,branches short. Spikelets 5-13-flowered, 3-5long. Outer scales very acute, slightly unequal,smooth; flowering scales rough, bearing a term-inal awn I-3 long; palets nearly as long asflowering scales. Stamens 2. Dry sterile soil. May to August. New Brunswick to Florida, we

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