Festuca ovina

{{Short description|Species of flowering plant}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2023}} {{Speciesbox | image = Illustration Festuca ovina0.jpg | image_caption = ''Festuca ovina'' on left | status = GNR | status_system = TNC | genus = Festuca | species = ovina | authority = L. | synonyms = {{hidden begin|title = List}} * ''Bromus ovinus'' (L.) Scop. * ''Gnomonia ovina'' (L.) Lunell * ''Avena ovina'' Salisb. * ''Festuca agrestis'' Wulfen ex Steud. * ''Festuca baumgarteniana'' Schur * ''Festuca capillaris'' Wulfen * ''Festuca centroapenninica'' (Markgr.-Dann.) Foggi, F.Conti & Pignatti * ''Festuca chiisanensis'' (Ohwi) E.B.Alexeev * ''Festuca cinerea'' var. ''scabrifolia'' (Hack.) M.Toman * ''Festuca diffusa'' V.N.Vassil. * ''Festuca eskia'' Lej. * ''Festuca filifolia'' Link * ''Festuca fontqueriana'' (St.-Yves) Romo * ''Festuca glauca'' var. ''scabrifolia'' Hack. * ''Festuca glaucantha'' Blocki * ''Festuca glaucoidea'' (J.Vetter) E.B.Alexeev * ''Festuca guestphalica'' Boenn. ex Rchb. * ''Festuca guinochetii'' (Bidault) S.Arndt * ''Festuca hallerioides'' Schur * ''Festuca heterophylla'' Wahlenb. * ''Festuca jumpeiana'' (Ohwi) Kitag. * ''Festuca lasiantha'' Schur * ''Festuca leucantha'' Schur * ''Festuca livida'' Schur * ''Festuca malzevii'' (Litv.) Reverd. * ''Festuca mariettana'' E.B.Alexeev * ''Festuca maskerensis'' (Litard.) Romo * ''Festuca multiflora'' Suter * ''Festuca nigra'' Gilib. * ''Festuca oligosantha'' Schur * ''Festuca pallens'' subsp. ''scabrifolia'' (Hack.) Zielonk. * ''Festuca pauciflora'' Schleich. * ''Festuca pietrosii'' Zapal. * ''Festuca pratensis'' Honck. * ''Festuca pumila'' Willk. * ''Festuca purpusiana'' (St.-Yves) Tzvelev * ''Festuca rupicola'' var. ''sulcatiformis'' (Markgr.-Dann.) Markgr.-Dann. ex Stohr * ''Festuca ruprechtii'' (Boiss.) V.I.Krecz. & Bobrov * ''Festuca sauvagei'' Romo * ''Festuca saximontana'' subsp. ''purpusiana'' (St.-Yves) Tzvelev * ''Festuca scabrifolia'' (Hack.) Patzke & G.H.Loos * ''Festuca sciaphila'' Schur * ''Festuca serpentinica'' (Krajina) M.Toman * ''Festuca sphagnicola'' B.Keller * ''Festuca sulcatiformis'' (Markgr.-Dann.) Patzke & G.H.Loos * ''Festuca trachyphylla'' var. ''pubescens'' (Hack.) Tzvelev * ''Festuca verguinii'' Sennen * ''Festuca vorobievii'' Prob. * ''Festuca vulgaris'' (Wallr.) Hayek * ''Festuca vylzaniae'' (Vylzan ex E.B.Alexeev) Tzvelev * ''Festuca weilleri'' (Litard.) Romo * ''Festuca yarochenkoi'' (St.-Yves) E.B.Alexeev * ''Poa setacea'' Koeler {{hidden end}} }}

'''''Festuca ovina''''', '''sheep's fescue''' or '''sheep fescue''', is a species of grass. It is sometimes confused with hard fescue (''Festuca trachyphylla'').

==General description== It is a perennial plant sometimes found in acidic ground, and in 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://linnaeus.nrm.se/flora/mono/poa/festu/festoviv.jpg |title=Distribution map for ''Festuca ovina'' |publisher=Naturhistoriska riksmuseet, Stockholm |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20060615090519/http://linnaeus.nrm.se/flora/mono/poa/festu/festoviv.jpg |archivedate=2006-06-15}}</ref>

It is one of the defining species of the British NVC community CG2, i.e. ''Festuca ovina'' – ''Avenula pratensis'' grassland, one of the alkaline grassland communities. However, the species has a wide ecological tolerance in the UK, occurring on both basic and acid soils, as well as old mining sites and spoil heaps that are contaminated with heavy metals.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Wilkinson|first1=M. J.|title=A new taxonomic treatment of the Festuca ovina L. aggregate (Poaceae)in the British Isles|journal=Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society|date=1991|volume=106|issue=4|pages=347–397|doi=10.1111/j.1095-8339.1991.tb02298.x|url=https://academic.oup.com/botlinnean/article/106/4/347/2631094|url-access=subscription}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Bradshaw|first1=A. D.|title=Population differentiation within plant species in response to soil factors|journal=Nature|date=1959|volume=83|issue=4654|pages=129–130|doi=10.1038/183129b0|bibcode=1959Natur.183R.129B|s2cid=4275021}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last1=Wilkins|first1=D. A.|title=The measurement and genetical analysis of lead tolerance in Festuca ovina|journal=Report of the Scottish Plant Breeding Station|date=1960|pages=85–98}}</ref>

Sheep's fescue is a densely tufted perennial grass.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Fårsvingel, Festuca ovina L. |url=http://linnaeus.nrm.se:80/flora/mono/poa/festu/festovi.html |date=2004-09-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506070704/http://linnaeus.nrm.se:80/flora/mono/poa/festu/festovi.html |archive-date=2021-05-06 |publisher=Naturhistoriska riksmuseet}}</ref> 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. It has no rhizomes.

Sheep's fescue is a drought-resistant grass, commonly found on poor, well-drained mineral soil. It is sometimes used as a drought-tolerant lawn grass.<ref>{{cite web|last=Fuller |first=Sherry |title=Choosing the right drought-tolerant lawn can save water |publisher=SWColoradohome.com |url=http://www.swcoloradohome.com/articles/gardening/greenthumb35.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061118162933/http://www.swcoloradohome.com/articles/gardening/greenthumb35.asp |archive-date=18 November 2006 }}</ref> The great ability to adapt to poor soils is due to mycorrhizal fungi,<ref>{{cite journal |author=Marcel G. A. van der Heijden |author2=Thomas Boller |author3=Andres Wiemken |author4=Ian R. Sanders |s2cid=43420426 |name-list-style=amp|title=Different Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Species are Potential Determinants of Plant Community Structure|volume=79 |issue=6 |pages=2082–2091 |journal= Ecology|doi=10.1890/0012-9658(1998)079[2082:DAMFSA]2.0.CO;2 |year=1998 |issn=0012-9658 }}</ref> which increase the absorption of water and nutrients and also are potential determinants of plant community structure. The symbiosis with fungi increases mineral, nitrogen and phosphate absorption, thanks to fungal hyphae that expand deeply in the soil and cover plant roots, increasing the exchange surface. The symbiosis also makes every plant interconnected with the surrounding plants, making possible the exchange of nutrients between plants far from each other.

More colourful garden varieties with blue-grey foliage are available.

==Wildlife value== {{unsourced|section|date=June 2024}} 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''.

==Photos== <gallery> Image:Ruig schapengras plant (Festuca ovina subsp. hirtula).jpg|''Festuca ovina'' subsp. ''hirtula'' plants Image:Ruig schapengras bloeiwijze (Festuca ovina subsp. hirtula).jpg|''Festuca ovina'' subsp. ''hirtula'' inflorescens Image:Ruig schapengras aartjes (Festuca ovina subsp. hirtula).jpg|''Festuca ovina'' subsp. ''hirtula'' spikelets Image:Ruig schapengras ligula (Festuca ovina subsp. hirtula).jpg|''Festuca ovina'' subsp. ''hirtula'' ligula Image:Sheep fescue.jpg|Showing its tufted nature </gallery>

==Illustrations== <gallery> Image:Illustration_Festuca_ovina0.jpg Image:Festuca spp Sturm42.jpg </gallery>

==References== {{Reflist}} {{Commons category|position=left|Festuca ovina}} {{Taxonbar|from=Q157885}}

ovina Category:Grasses of Asia Category:Grasses of Europe Category:Grasses of China Category:Grasses of Russia Category:Flora of Central Asia Category:Flora of Eastern Europe Category:Flora of Northeast Asia Category:Flora of Western Asia Category:Plants described in 1753 Category:Botanical taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Category:Fodder Category:Garden plants of Asia Category:Garden plants of Europe Category:Lawn grasses Category:Groundcovers Category:Ornamental grass

Festuca ovina

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