PHALARIDEM 



panicle; spikelets brown and shining; lateral 

 florets (often awned) with 3 stamens, the 

 central perfect floret with 2 stamens. The 

 best known species is S. odorata (L.) Scribn., 

 or vanilla-grass, a native of northern Europe 

 and America. The name vanilla-grass refers 

 to the fragrant odor of the foliage. Fragrant 

 baskets, boxes and mats are woven of the 

 long leaves of the sterile shoots, by the 

 American Indians. Commonly called 

 holy -grass in Europe. (Hierochloe 

 R. Br.) 



227. Anthoxanthum L. Inflores- 

 cence a bronze-green spike-like panicle. 

 One species, A. odoratum (Fig. 32), 

 sweet vernal grass, a native of Europe, 

 introduced in the cooler parts of the 

 United States. Like vanilla-grass, it 

 is fragrant, for which reason it is 

 sometimes cultivated as a constitu- 

 ent of meadow-grasses to impart a 

 pleasant odor to the hay. Sweet ver- 

 nal grass is useless as a forage-grass. 



A. aristatum Boiss. (A. Puelii 

 Lecoq & Lamotte), an annual species 

 is sometimes cultivated in the west 

 and southwest. 



Anthoxanthum odoratum L. Sweet vernal 

 grass. Perennial; culms in tufts, without 

 rhizomes, erect, slender, smooth, 1 to 2 feet 

 high; sheaths smooth or somewhat pubescent; 

 ligule membranaceous, 2 to 5 mm. long; 

 blades flat, thin, scabrous, 1 to 3 inches long, 



193 



FIG. 33. Phalaris arun- 

 dinacea. Inflorescence, 

 XH; spikelet and fertile 

 floret, X5. 



