192 ANTHOXANTIITJM ODORATUM. 



ate only, 3-androus, sessile, often awned on the mid- 

 dle of the back Or near the tip, the uppermost 

 (middle) one perfect, short pedicelled, scarcely as 

 long as the others, 2-androiis, awnless; glumes equal- 

 ling or exceeding the spikelet ; scarious— paletschar- 

 taceous. Perennials ; leaves flat. 



Name composed of ieros, sacred, and ehloa, grass, 

 these sweet-scented grasses being strewn before the 

 church doors on saints' days, in the north of 

 Europe. 



1. H. Borealis (Vanilla or Seneca grass). Moist 

 meadows ; of little value for cultivation. Flowers in 

 May. 



2. H. Alpina (Alpine Holy grass) Is found on 

 mountain tops in New England and New York, and 

 northward. 



55. ANTHOXANTHUM ODORATUM— Linn. 



Sweet Vernal G-eass. 



generic character. 



Spikelets spiked panicled, really 3-flowered, but 

 the lateral flowers neutral, consisting merely of one 

 palet, -which is hairy on the outside and awned on the 

 back, the central (terminal) flower perfect, small, or 

 2 awnless chartaceous palets, 2 androus ; glumes 

 very thin, acute, keeled, the upper about as long as 

 the flowers, twice the length of the lower ; squamu- 

 Ise none ; grain ovate, adherent. 



