110 



GRASSES OF IOWA. 



Anthoxanthum odoratum. — 

 a, spikelet ; b, same with outer glumes 

 removed ; c, flowering glumes enclosing the 

 stamens and pistil. (Dii*. of Agros. U. S. 

 Dept. AgrL) 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sweet Vernal Grass.. A 

 sweet-scented grass, with slender, 

 erect,- tufted culms, Hat leaf- 

 blades,' and narrow, spiir*;-like, ter- 

 minal panicles,^ to 4 indies (2-10 

 cm.) long. Spikelets 3 to 4 lines 

 (6-8 mm.) long, the vi'y unequal 

 outer glumes enclosing the two- 

 lobed ami awned inner fl lir, which 

 exceed the broadly trvrcate and 

 short, flowering glume. Abundant- 

 ly naturalized in lawns, fields 

 and waysides. May to J-'eptember. 



All the specimens we i" ave found 

 in Iowa are referable to the 

 variety. This species may, how- 

 ever, occasionally occur in lawns. 

 Very fragrant in drying. 



ANTHOXANTHUM ODORATUM, 

 VAR. PUELII. 



Anthoxanthum odoratum L. var. 

 pue/ii. Lecoq. and LamotteCat. PI. 

 Auver. 385. 



Atithoxanthum odoratum L. var. 

 puelii. Beal. Grasses of N. A. 2: 185. 

 1896. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Sweet Vernal Grass. An annual, j\ to 20 inches I 1 v-p> cm.) 

 high. Smaller and more slender than the species, with shorter leaves. 

 Spikes 1 I inches (2I cm.) long ; second, lower, empty glume, when 

 closed, linear-lanceolate, when spread, about two-thirds as wide as the 

 corresponding glume of A. odoratum; third and fourth glumes narrower, 

 darker and closed ; lower part of the twisted awn almost black. June to 

 August. 



