It is one of the defining species of the British NVC community CG2, i.e. Festuca ovina – Avenula pratensisgrassland, one of the calcicolous 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.[2][3][4]
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. 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-tolerantlawn grass.[5]
The great ability to adapt to poor soils is due to mycorrhizal fungi,[6] 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.
^Wilkinson, M. J. (1991). "A new taxonomic treatment of the Festuca ovina L. aggregate (Poaceae)in the British Isles". Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. 106 (4): 347–397. doi:10.1111/j.1095-8339.1991.tb02298.x.
^Bradshaw, A. D. (1959). "Population differentiation within plant species in response to soil factors". Nature. 83 (4654): 129–130. Bibcode:1959Natur.183R.129B. doi:10.1038/183129b0. S2CID 4275021.
^Wilkins, D. A. (1960). "The measurement and genetical analysis of lead tolerance in Festuca ovina". Report of the Scottish Plant Breeding Station: 85–98.
^Fuller, Sherry. . SWColoradohome.com. Archived from the original on 18 November 2006.
^Marcel G. A. van der Heijden; Thomas Boller; Andres Wiemken & Ian R. Sanders (1998). "Different Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Species are Potential Determinants of Plant Community Structure". Ecology. 79 (6): 2082–2091. doi:10.1890/0012-9658(1998)079[2082:DAMFSA]2.0.CO;2. ISSN 0012-9658. S2CID 43420426.
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festuca, ovina, sheep, fescue, sheep, fescue, species, grass, sometimes, confused, with, hard, fescue, festuca, trachyphylla, sheep, fescue, leftscientific, classificationkingdom, plantaeclade, tracheophytesclade, angiospermsclade, monocotsclade, commelinidsor. Festuca ovina sheep s fescue or sheep fescue is a species of grass It is sometimes confused with hard fescue Festuca trachyphylla Sheep s fescueFestuca ovina on leftScientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade MonocotsClade CommelinidsOrder PoalesFamily PoaceaeSubfamily PooideaeGenus FestucaSpecies F ovinaBinomial nameFestuca ovinaL SynonymsListBromus 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 amp 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 amp Bobrov Festuca sauvagei Romo Festuca saximontana subsp purpusiana St Yves Tzvelev Festuca scabrifolia Hack Patzke amp G H Loos Festuca sciaphila Schur Festuca serpentinica Krajina M Toman Festuca sphagnicola B Keller Festuca sulcatiformis Markgr Dann Patzke amp 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 Contents 1 General description 2 Wildlife value 3 Photos 4 Illustrations 5 ReferencesGeneral description EditIt 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 1 It is one of the defining species of the British NVC community CG2 i e Festuca ovina Avenula pratensis grassland one of the calcicolous 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 2 3 4 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 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 5 The great ability to adapt to poor soils is due to mycorrhizal fungi 6 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 EditSee also List of Lepidoptera that feed on grassesThis 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 Edit nbsp Festuca ovina subsp hirtula plants nbsp Festuca ovina subsp hirtula inflorescens nbsp Festuca ovina subsp hirtula spikelets nbsp Festuca ovina subsp hirtula ligula nbsp Showing its tufted natureIllustrations Edit nbsp nbsp References Edit Distribution map for Festuca ovina Naturhistoriska riksmuseet Stockholm Wilkinson M J 1991 A new taxonomic treatment of the Festuca ovina L aggregate Poaceae in the British Isles Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 106 4 347 397 doi 10 1111 j 1095 8339 1991 tb02298 x Bradshaw A D 1959 Population differentiation within plant species in response to soil factors Nature 83 4654 129 130 Bibcode 1959Natur 183R 129B doi 10 1038 183129b0 S2CID 4275021 Wilkins D A 1960 The measurement and genetical analysis of lead tolerance in Festuca ovina Report of the Scottish Plant Breeding Station 85 98 Fuller Sherry Choosing the right drought tolerant lawn can save water SWColoradohome com Archived from the original on 18 November 2006 Marcel G A van der Heijden Thomas Boller Andres Wiemken amp Ian R Sanders 1998 Different Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungal Species are Potential Determinants of Plant Community Structure Ecology 79 6 2082 2091 doi 10 1890 0012 9658 1998 079 2082 DAMFSA 2 0 CO 2 ISSN 0012 9658 S2CID 43420426 nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Festuca ovina This Pooideae article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Festuca ovina amp oldid 1179299743, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
