Festuca (fescue) is a genus of flowering plants belonging to the grass family Poaceae (subfamily Pooideae).

They are evergreen or herbaceous perennial tufted grasses with a height range of 10–200 cm (4–79 in) and a cosmopolitan distribution, occurring on every continent except Antarctica.

Because the taxonomy is complex, scientists have not determined how many true species belong to the genus, but estimates range from more than 400[4] to over 640.

The ancient group has produced various segregates that possess more advanced characteristics than Festuca, including racemose inflorescences and more annual habits.

[2] The word Festuca first appears to describe grasses in Dodoens' "Stirpium historiae pemptades sex, sive libri XXX" in 1583.

[10] The taxonomy of the genus is ultimately problematic and controversial, as evidenced by the large number of small genera closely related to Festuca.

Often distinguishing species within the genus requires the analysis of highly specific morphological differences on characters such as ovary pubescence or leaf sclerenchyma patterns.

The abaxial sclerenchyma tissue forms longitudinal strands that vary in presence from the margins and opposite of the midvein to adjacent to some or every lateral vein.

[2] The inflorescences of species are open or contracted panicles, occasionally racemes, with one to two (rarely three) branches at their lower node.

[2] Some fescues are used as ornamental and turf grasses and as pasture and hay for livestock, being a highly nutritious stock feed.

commutata are used as lawn grasses, and these species, F. arundinacea, and F. trachyphylla are used in parks, deforested areas, and sports fields for land stabilization.

F. saximontana and F. idahoensis are used as rangeland grasses for livestock, and fescues often provide good forage for native wildlife.

Historically used in soil erosion control programs, Tall fescue (F. arundinacea) particularly, 'Kentucky 31', a cultivar species, was used in land reclamation during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s in the US [11], trigged by the removal of deep root systems for row crop cultivation.

However, fescue poisoning, caused by ergot alkaloids produced by the endophytic fungus Epichloë coenophiala, is a risk for pregnant mares.