SWEET VEBNAL CANABY. 313 



The Sweet Vernal-grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum), is tlie 

 only British representative of the first family in this extensive 

 tribe. It is distinguished from all other families by having 

 two stamens only, and this throws it into a different class from 

 the other Grasses in the Linnsean system. Our Sweet Vernal- 

 grass is a small annual plant, bearing its flowers in short heads, 

 not very compact, and broader at the bottom than at the top ; 

 it has two sharp-pointed unequal glumes, and two dark brown 

 hairy palese, with awns on their back. This Grass is of little 

 importance to the farmer, its nutritive qualities being very 

 small ; but it is esteemed for its aroma, which imparts the 

 well-known fragrance to new-mown hay, and it is interesting 

 as being one of the earliest-flowering Grasses. 



Our one British Mat-grass is very common on the Yorkshire 

 moors, and I see that Fanny has specimens from near the 

 Cheese Wring, in Cornwall. The leaves are narrow and 

 plentiful, the spike about a span high, with one row of florets ; 

 their anthers generally hanging to one side. The glumes and 

 palese are violet colour, and the anthers sulphur ; the foliage is 

 dark green. This Grass forms thick tufts upon moist waste 

 land ; it is most fitly named Mat-grass (JNardus stricta, j%. 14). 

 There is only one stigma to each flower. 



The Canary-grass is familiar on account of its furnishing bird 

 seed. The species thus useful flowers in a round head. 



In both the common Canary-grass and in the Reed Canary- 

 grass there are two glumes and three or four palea?. 



The so-called common Canary-grass (Phalaris canariensis, 

 fig. 1), is a rare plant, but Fanny has met with specimens from 

 ^Potato fields near East Looe, Cornwall. It is a native of the 

 Canary Islands. 



The Eeed Canary-grass (P. arundinacea), I have found fre- 

 quently ; it grows by the side of the Ouse, near Little Ouse- 

 burn, in the York district. Unlike its brother, its flowers are 

 arranged in a handsome panicle. 



A variety of this plant, with yellow-striped leaves, is the 



