Any of about 100 species of grasses that make up the genus Festuca (family Poaceae, or Gramineae), native to temperate and cold regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
Several species are important pasture and fodder grasses, and a few are used in lawn mixtures. One variety, blue fescue \(F. ovina ‘glauca'), has smooth, silvery leaves and is planted in ornamental borders.