Prepare to step into the world of grasses and sedges, a world that is perhaps easily overlooked. Yet surprisingly, did you know that grassland habitat covers up to 20% of the vegetation cover of our planet. Next time you are out and about, why not look down and explore the world below your feet. For the next 12 weeks, I will let you reed the clues and wander through the maize of possible answers. Enjoy! MYSTERY GRASS & SEDGE QUIZ #8 Clue: Points to the read letters.
Congratulations to all of you who guessed Red fescue grass (Festuca rubra). Let’s start with the clues! First clue: Points to the read letters. Other than a grass, a fescue is stick used to point at letters to help children read. Read here is pronounced ‘red’ as in the colour. The second clue: Curb aura fest. This is simply an anagram of the Latin for Red fescue; Festuca rubra.
Red fescue is a perennial grass that can grow up to 200mm in height. It is often found in both acidic and neutral grasslands as well as in sand dunes and saltmarsh. It is also a common grass used in parks and gardens. Red fescue leaves are bright green in colour and are narrow and pointed, as are the spikelets, which can grow up to 15mm in length. There can anything from 4 to 10 groups of spikelets on the panicles.
A picture of Red fescue is found here.
Did you know that: Red fescue was first recorded in Worcestershire in 1827.
Keep an eye out for next week’s Mystery Grass & Sedge quiz here soon!
Take care,
ClaireP.S Wendy - Will get an up-to-date photo of said dawg over the weekend :)
Well done BW I might get one of these right some day.
Pete
Birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,enjoy it while you can
Will look forward to it MrsT!
2013 photos & vids here
eff37 on Flickr
Congratulations BW, that was brilliant. I didn't even get to first base with this one.
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Tony
My Flickr Photostream