SWEET SCENTED VERNAL GRASS. 155 



than the others, the two intermediate glumes much shorter, 

 empty, narrow, keeled, with an awn on the back or very near the 

 base, the two upper glumes much shorter, hyaline, obtuse, awn- 

 less, of which the fifth is very broad, including the narrow 

 1-nerved sixth (or palea ?) and the flower; other palea 0. 

 Stamens, 2. Styles, distinct, with long, feathery stigmas. Cary- 

 opsis oblong, included by the inner glumes, free. 



Aromatic or sweet scented annuals or perennials, with flat 

 leaves. The terminal panicle spike-like, pedunculate, dense or 

 rather, loose, with many very short dense branches. 



Species, four or five, European. 



A. odoratum, L. Sweet Scented Vernal Grass. A rather 

 slender, erect perennial, 1-2^ ft. high. Leaves slightly hairy, 

 ligule oblong, obtuse, blade of upper leaf about 1 in. long? 

 sheath slightly inflated. Spike-like panicle, 1^-3 in. long, 

 Spikelets -J in. long, linear, oblong. First glume ovate, acute, 

 1-nerved, half as long as the second which is 3-nerved, elliptical 

 when spread out. The third and fourth empty glumes emargi- 

 nate, obscurely 5-nerved below the apex; the straight awn of the 

 former above the middle, projecting \ its length., The twisted 

 awn of the latter below the middle, projecting twice the length 

 of the glume. 



Native of Europe, widely dispersed in temperate Asia, North 

 America, Australia, often sown for pastures and lawns. 



Sweet scented vernal grass is a pretty name, and suggestive of 

 something agreeable, and is one of a very small number of grasses 

 which possess this peculiar odor. The grass is perennial, with a 

 culm one to two feet high. It starts very early in spring and 

 soon flowers. It has often been recommended for lawns and 

 pastures, but for the latter purpose some of the best farmers of 



PIG. 73.- -Anthoxanthum odoratum, L. (Sweet Vernal Grass); 1. plant; a, spikelet; 

 h, the same with the outer glumes removed ; c, the same as b with the empty glumes 

 removed ; d, the stamens and pistil ; e, the pistil with one style removed ; f, one of the 

 hairs from the stigma. (e, /, from Kunth, the others by Scribner.) 



