Publication: Sp. Pl. 1: 73. 1753.

Origin: Introduced

Herbarium search: CPNWH

Notes: FNA24: "Festuca ovina was introduced from Europe as a turf grass. It is not presently used in the North American seed trade. The sporadic occurrences are mostly from old lawns and cemeteries, or sites seeded for soil stabilization.

Festuca ovina used to be interpreted very broadly in North America, including almost any fine-leaved fescue that lacked rhizomes. Consequently, much of the information reported for F. ovina, and many of the specimens identified as such, belong to other species. The only confirmed recent reports are from Ontario (Dore & McNeill 1980); Piatt County, Illinois; and Okanogan County, Washington. Species in this treatment that have frequently been included in F. ovina are F. arizonica, F. auriculata, F. baffinensis, F. brachyphylla, F. brevissima, F. calligera, F. edlundiae, F. frederikseniae, F. hyperborea, F. idahoensis, F. lenensis, F. minutiflora, F. saximontana, F. trachyphylla, and F. viviparoidea."

Last updated 12/10/2023 by David Giblin.