Festuca rubra, L. (Fig. [78]).
"Seed" pale brown with rosy tinge, 3-5 mm. long without the awn, smooth, or slightly hairy upwards. Caryopsis 2-3·5 mm., compressed, with a shallow broad flat furrow on the ventral face and a median long “hilum." Rachilla cylindrical, smooth, dilated above.
| Fig. 78. Festuca ovina, var. rubra. a, “seed," nat. size; b and c, ditto, × about 7. Nobbe. Cf. Fig. [59]. | Fig. 79. Festuca ovina, var. heterophylla. a, spikelet, × about 3-1/2; b, “seed," and c, caryopsis, nat. size; d and e, “seed," and f, caryopsis, × 7. Nobbe. |
The variety F. heterophylla has narrower and longer "seeds," and a hispid rachilla. Palea 5-6 mm.: caryopsis 3·5-4·5 mm. (Fig. [79]).
Perhaps Bromus sterilis should also come here (see p. [165]).
With regard to these Fescues the student may note that F. ovina, var. tenuifolia, has the smallest (4-5 mm.) and most ovoid “seeds," usually golden brown in colour. F. rubra is darker and larger (5-6 mm.), as is also F. duriuscula (6-7 mm.): the latter is also narrower, with toothed palea, tapering suddenly at the base and more awned. F. heterophylla is much like F. duriuscula, but the palea less toothed, and it tapers gradually at the base. The whole group is very difficult, and needs attention.
| Fig. 80. Festuca Myurus. a, "seed," nat. size; b and c, ditto, × about 6. Compare Fig. [50]. Nobbe. | Fig. 81. Nardus stricta. Type of cylindrical “seed" with a terminal stiff awn, here serrulate; c, “seed," nat. size; a and b, ditto, × 8. Compare Fig. [50]. Nobbe. |
Nardus stricta, L. (Fig. [81]).
Outer palea tough and fused, 10-12 mm. long, narrow, lanceolate and tapering gradually into the stiff, serrulate, terminal awn shorter than itself. Inner palea minutely toothed at the apex and without awn, loosely enclosing the red-brownish yellow to bluish grey fruit which has no groove. “Seed" 4-6 mm. × 0·6 × 0·5 (without the awn), more or less triangular in section and serrulate on angles above.