112 



GRASSES OF IOWA. 



recognizes 13, of which 5 occur in Europe, 5 in Russia; North America 

 is credited with 5 by Heller, and Heal recognizes 5 ; one species is found 

 in Mexico, one in California, and one in the Rocky Mountains. 

 HIEROCHLOE BOREALIS. 



Hierochloe borealis Roem and Schultes Syst. 2: 513. 1817. Watson and 

 Coulter. Gray. Man. Bot. 639. pi. 13. 1890. (6th ed .). Vasey Contr. U. S. 

 Nat. Herb. 3: 43 



Holcus fragrans Willd. Sp. 4: 936. 1805. 



Holcus odoratus L. Sp. PI. 1048. 1753. 



Savastana odorata Scribn. Mem. Torr. Bot. Club. 5: 34. 1894. 



Savastana odorata (L.) Scribn. Beal. Grasses of N. A. 2: 186. 1896. 

 Nash in Britton and Brown, 111. Fl. 1: 132. /. 294. 1896. Scribtfer, Bull. 

 U S. Dept. Agrl. Div. Agros. 7: 83. f. 83. 1900. (3d ed.) 



DESCRIPTION. 



Vanilla Grass. A slen- 

 der, sweet-scented, stoloni- 

 ferous perennial, I to 2 

 feet (3-O dm.) high, with 

 short culm leaves, and 

 brownish, open panicles, I \ to 

 4 inches (4- 10 cm.) long, 

 branches in pairs. Spike- 

 lets yellowish - brown and 

 purple, 2 to 3 lines (4-6 

 mm.) long; the first and 

 second glumes thin,subequal, 

 glabrous; the third and 

 fourth hairj and awn-point- 

 ed, the fifth hairy at the apex 

 and enclosing a perfect 

 flower. The flat leaves of 

 the sterile shoots are 4 to 12 

 inches (1-3 dm.) long. May 

 to August. 



Hierochloe borealis is 

 common in low, marshy 

 grounds in northern Iowa, 

 nearly as far south as 

 Grinnell, northward and 

 Fig. 80. Hierochhie borealis,— «, spikelet with through Marshall County 

 nearly equal lower glumes; b, with lower glumes TI ., ,-, t 



remov.d, showing third and fourth scabrous t() Hamilton County , north- 

 glumes:o, palea with stamens; d, pistil. (Div. of west. The sweet odor of the 

 Agros. U. 8. Dept. of Agrl. ) fe (]ue tQ cumar j n . 



