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Northeast Wetland Flora

Field Office Guide to Plant Species

Nodding Fescue
Festuca obtusa Biehler

JPG -- Species Photo JPG -- Distribution Map

Family: Grass (Gramineae)
Flowering: May-July
Field Marks: This fescue differs from all others by its flat leaf blades, lemmas less than 1/6 inch long, and inflorescences that are spreading or nodding at maturity.
Habitat: Moist woods.
Habit: Tufted perennial herb with fibrous roots.
Stems: Upright, unbranched, to 3 feet tall, smooth or very short-hairy.
Leaves: Elongated, flat, 1/8-1/2 inch wide, smooth except for the rough veins; sheaths smooth or short-hairy; ligules membranous, short, jagged along the top edge.
Flowers: Borne in spikelets in a branched, spreading or nodding inflorescence 5-10 inches long; spikelets 2- to 5-flowered, 1/6-1/3 inch long; awns none.
Sepals: 0.
Petals: 0.
Stamens: 3.
Pistils: Ovary superior, smooth.
Fruits: Ellipsoid, smooth.
Notes: According to Gleason and Cronquist the name of this plant is F. subverticillata in the Poaceae.

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U.S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
URL: http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/plants/florane/species/2/festobtu.htm
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Page Last Modified: Saturday, 02-Feb-2013 06:13:06 EST
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