ANTHÖXANTHUM odoratunL
Sweet-fcented Vernal Grafs.
DlANDRlA Digynia.
G en. C har. Cal. a hulk of 2 valves, fingle-flowered
Cor. of 2 valves, awned. Seed i.
Spe c. C har. Spike ovato-oblong.' Flowers longer'
than their awns, Handing on fhort ftalks.
Syn . Anthoxanthum odoratum. Linn. Sfi. PI. 40*
Sm. FI. Brit. 3 1 . Hudf. 1 1 . With. 58 . Hull. 7*
Relb. x i . Sibih. 18 , Abbot. 8. Curt. Lond.
fajc. si t. 4 . Mart. FI. Ruß. t. 2 3 ,
Gramen vernum, fpicâ brevi laxâ. Rail Syin. 39®-
T H I S . is th e o n ly B r it ifh g ra fs , e x c ep t Bromus diandrus an d
Car ex atrata, th a t h a s few e r th a n 3 f lam in a , b y w h ic h m a rk
i t i s th e r e fo r e e a fily k n o w n . I t g row s fr e q u e n tly and p le n t ifu
l ly in p a ftu re s , flow e r in g in M a y and J u n e , and is lupp ofeth
to h a v e a p r in c ip a l fh a re in e a u fln g th a t d e lig h t fu l fra g ran c e fo
w e l l k n o w n in a h a y - f ie ld ; fo r w h e n p a r t ia lly dried i t e xh a le s
a v e r y fw e e t odour* a n d , e v en in a re c en t fta te , its fla lk s i f
c h ew e d a re fo u n d h ig h ly a rom a t ic , t a i l in g n o t u n lik e th o fe o f
fre fh la v e n d e r . I t is efte emed a go od fo od fo r ca ttle in g e n e ra l,
b u t w e k n o w o f n o p a r t icu la r e xp e r im en ts th a t h a v e b e en m ad e
u p o n it .
Root fibrous, perennial. Stems a foot high, ereft, Ample*
with one or two joints, which are often bent, leafy below.
Leaves fhort, flat, pointed, bright-green, a little hairy. Sheath-
long, fwelling. Stipula lanceolate, ereft, white, membranous.
Spike terminal, ereft, fblitary, lanceolate, many-flowered, compound,
yellowifh in decay, Bra&eae fmall, lanceolate. Flowers-
lanceolate, generally elofed. Calyx of 3 unequal hulks, rough
on the back, fometimes hairy. Petals nearly equal, brownifh,
briflly, each bearing an awn on its back, of which the longeft
is jointed. NeHary of 3 fmall green leaves. Stamina capillary
and very long. Antherse linear, purplifh, fplitting at each
end. Styles long, downy.