/ a [ 1917 ]
F E S T U C A csesia.
Sea-green Heath Fescue-grass.
TRIANDRIA Digynia.
Gen. Char. Cal. of 2 valves. Spikelet oblong, somewhat
cylindrical, two-ranked, with sharp-pointed
glumes.
Spec. Char. Panicle pointing one way, close, glaucous.
Florets cylindrical, roughish, awned; inner
glume rough-edged. Straw quadrangular. Leaves
compressed, channelled, glaucous.
AN almost the last botanical excursion that I enjoyed with my
late friend Mr. Crowe, when we examined the country round
Bury, in June 1804, along with our experienced guide Sir
Thomas Cullum, we were much struck with the very glaucous
aspect of this grass on the dry barren heaths north of that
town. .We preserved both dry and living specimens; and
though the latter have been cultivated ever since in the rich
moist ground at Lakenham, and have consequently grown
very luxuriantly, their glaucous hue, and all the essential
characters above stated, by which they may be known from
F . ovina, t. 585, and duriuscula, t. 470, remain unchanged.
Mr. Dickson informed Mr. Crowe that he had long known
this plant on drv ground about Croydon, but could not find
any description of it. He thought it near F. pumila of Host.
Mr. Curtis used to call it glauca, but that name is now given
by Mr. Winch to another species.
Our plant forms broad perennial depressed tufts, so very
conspicuous for their blue-green hue, especially when moist
with dew, that they cannot be overlooked. Stems about a
span high,* naked above, with 4 angles, but the spaces between
them are convex. Leaves narrow, compressed, keeled,
smooth, marked with a shallow channel above. Stipula
minute. Panicle ovate, very glaucous, tinged with purple.
Florets 4 or 5 in each calyx, roughish, with short rough awns;
their inner glumes downy at the edge.'.... -It flowers in the
middle of June.