202 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 
presence of coumarin. Sweet vernal grass 
is an erect perennial, about a foot high. An- 
other species, A. aristatum Boiss. (^4. puellii 
Lec. and Lam.), a low annual, is introduced 
at a few localities. 
101. Phalaris 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 thai. 1 e 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. PI., ed. 5, 29. 1754. Five 
species are described, P. canaH- 
Fig. 120. — Sweet vernal grass, Anthoxcmthum odoratum. Plant, X I ; spikelet, two 
sterile lemmas, and fertile floret, X 5. 
