GRASSES OF OHIO 309 



Tribe, Phalarideae. Canary-grass Tribe. 



Grasses with laterally compressed s pikelets jointed above the empty 

 glumes, arranged in panicles or racemes; spikelets with one perfect 

 Hower and 2 staminate or vestigial flowers below, the vestiges sometimes 

 reduced to mere scale-like or bristle-like lemmas or obsolete. 



50. Savastana Schrank. Vanilla-grass. 



Fragrant perennial grasses with flat leaves and terminal panicles. 

 Spikelets 3-flowered, the terminal flower bisporangiate, the others 

 staminate or vestigial ; empty glumes subequal, acute, glabrous, and 

 shining; lemmas of the staminate flowers boat-shaped, indurated, 

 and hairy, each enclosing a 2-nerved palet and 3 stamens ; lemma of 

 the perfect flower similar but enclosing a 1-nerved palet and 2 

 stamens ; grain free, enclosed in the flowering glumes. 



1. Savastana odorata (L.) Scrib. Vanilla-grass. A glabrous 

 grass with simple erect stems, 1-2 ft. high, from a creeping rhizome, 

 and with a pyramidal, usually compact panicle with slender droop- 

 ing branches. Spikelets brownish; staminate lemmas hispid-ciliate on 

 the margins and below the apex on the keel, awnless ; fertile lemma 

 hairy at the apex. 



This sweet-scented grass is often strewn before churches in 

 northern Europe, whence it is often called holy-grass. In moist 

 meadows. May-July. Trumbull, Madison, Pickaway. 



51. Phalaris L. Canary-grass. 



Annuals or perennials with flat leaves and dense spike-like or 

 capitate panicles. Spikelets 1-flowered, laterally flattened; empty 

 glumes equal, boat-shaped, strongly compressed and usually wing- 

 keeled; sterile lemmas minute; fertile lemma indurated and shining; 

 palet faintly 2-nerved ; grain oblong, free, enclosed in the flowering 

 glumes. 



1. Empty glumes not winged on the back; panicle narrow, branched. 



P. arundinacea. 

 1. Empty glumes broadly wing-keeled on the back; panicle very dense, appear- 

 ing like a short spike. P. canariensis. 



1. Phalaris arundinacea L. Reed Canary-grass. A glabrous 

 perennial with simple erect stems, 2-5 ft. high, and a dense panicle 

 with erect or slightly spreading branches. Spikelets lanceolate; 

 sterile lemmas reduced to minute hairv scales: fertile lemma char- 



