- 
BULLETIN 772, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
The grass has no forage value. It is now common along roadsides 
and in grassland throughout the Eastern States. Like the species of 
Torresia it has an aromatic odor due to the 
WW presence of coumarin. Sweet vernal grass 
Wis an erect perennial, about a foot high. An- 
NW : 5 : + 
WA other species, A. aristatum Boiss. (A. puellii 
Wie 
Wt Pai 
Ws Lec. and Lam.), a low annual, is introduced 
Wa 
Wy ae 
Wig at a few localities. 
i 
i 101. PHaxaris L. 
Spikelets laterally compressed, with 1 
terminal perfect floret and 2 sterile lemmas 
below, disarticulating above the glumes, ar- — 
ranged in usually dense spikelike panicles; 
glumes equal, boat shaped, often winged on 
the keel; sterile lemmas reduced to 2 small 
scales (rarely only 1) ; fertile lemma coriace- 
ous, shorter than the glumes, 
inclosing the faintly 2-nerved 
palea. 
Annual or perennial erect 
grasses, with flat blades. 
Species about 20, in temper- 
ate regions of Europe and 
America. Nine species are 
found in the United States, 
four being introduced from 
Europe. 
Type species: Phalaris canari- 
ensis L. 
Phalaris L., Sp. Pl. 54, 1753; 
Gen. Pl., ed. 5, 29. 1754. Five 
species are described, P. eanari- 
Fic. 120.—Sweet vernal grass, Anthoranthum odoratum. Plant, < 4%; spikelet, two 
sterile lemmas, and fertile floret, X 5. 
