Festuca ovina
| Sheep's Fescue | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Festuca ovina on left | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| (unranked): | Angiosperms |
| (unranked): | Monocots |
| (unranked): | Commelinids |
| Order: | Poales |
| Family: | Poaceae |
| Genus: | Festuca |
| Species: | F. ovina |
| Binomial name | |
| Festuca ovina L. |
|
Sheep's Fescue or Sheep Fescue (Festuca ovina) is a species of grass.
Contents |
[edit] General Description
It is a perennial plant sometimes found in acidic ground, for example in the Portlethen Moss, Scotland and mountain pasture, throughout Europe (with the exception of some Mediterranean areas) and eastwards across much of Asia; it has also been introduced to North America [1].
It is classified under the British NVC community CG2, i.e. Festuca ovina - Avenula pratensis grassland, one of the calcicolous grassland communities.
It is sometimes used as a drought-tolerant lawn grass.[2]
Sheep's fescue is a densely tufted perennial grass. Its greyish green leaves are short and bristle-like. The panicles are both slightly feathery and a bit one-sided. It flowers from May until June, and is wind pollinated.
This is one of the food plants for the caterpillars of several butterflies and moths, including the Gatekeeper and the Meadow Brown, the Small Heath, and the grass moth Agriphila inquinatella.
Sheep's fescue is a drought-resistant grass, commonly found on poor, well-drained mineral soil. More colourful garden varieties with blue-grey foliage are available.
[edit] Wildlife Value
The Gatekeeper Butterfly feeds on it.
[edit] Photos
-
Festuca ovina subsp. hirtula plants
-
Festuca ovina subsp. hirtula inflorescens
-
Festuca ovina subsp. hirtula spikelets
-
Festuca ovina subsp. hirtula ligula
-
showing its tufted nature
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
[edit] Illustrations
[edit] See also
- Festuca duriuscula (syn. Festuca ovina L. var. duriuscula Macloskie)
- Festuca tenuifolia — Fine-leaved Sheep's Fescue
[edit] References
- ^ "Distribution map for Festuca ovina". Naturhistoriska riksmuseet, Stockholm. http://linnaeus.nrm.se/flora/mono/poa/festu/festoviv.jpg.
- ^ Fuller, Sherry. "Choosing the right drought-tolerant lawn can save water". SWColoradohome.com. http://www.swcoloradohome.com/articles/gardening/greenthumb35.asp.
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Festuca ovina |
| This Pooideae article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
