Anthoxanthum odoratum L.
Sweet vernal grass
Kingdom Plantae Plants, but not fungi, lichens, or algae
Subkingdom Tracheobionta Vascular plants—plants with a “circulatory system” for delivering water and nutrients
Division Magnoliophyta Flowering plants, also known as angiosperms
Class Liliopsida Monocots (plants with a single seed leaf); includes the lily family
Subclass Commelinidae Dayflowers and spiderworts, and several others
Order Cyperales Flowering plants including grasses
Family Poaceae Grasses (but not sedges or rushes)
Genus Anthoxanthum Borrowed from New Latin (Linnaeus), Latinization of earlier anthoxanthon, from Greek antho- + xanthón, neuter of xanthós “yellow”; so named from the yellowish color of the spike and seed in Anthoxanthum odoratum
Species odoratum Fragrant, sweet-smelling
About plant names...
Sweet vernal grass is named for a distinctive sweet smell, reminiscent of vanilla, when it is mature.
It is a perennial native to Eurasia, but naturalized in North America. It favors
disturbed soils,
cliffs, balds, or ledges, forest edges, meadows and fields, and woodlands.
It is considered a pasture weed because it is not palatable to cows. It is not
poisonous, but it is borderline invasive.
Plants: Up to 1½′ (50 cm) tall.
Leaves: Most of the leaves are basal , up
to 1′ (30 cm) × ⅜″ (1 cm), and flat. Leaf surfaces usually have short white
hairs. Where the leaves attach to the stem is
a ligule , or sheaf, 1/16-¼″ (2-7 mm) long.
Flowers: Flowering spikes are ¾-2½″ (1.9-7.0 cm) ×
½-¾″ (1.3-1.9 cm), consisting of spikelets ⅛-¼″ (6-9 mm) long.
They flower between April and July.
Fruits: Seeds ripen from May to July.
Online References:
Minnesota Wildflowers
Gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org
Weedid.cals.vt.edu
The Bugwood Wiki
5/24/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (11 × 17 cm)
5/11/2013 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (12 × 18 cm)
6/2/2016 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts
7/16/2013 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 8″ (12 × 19 cm)
6/10/2021 · Otter Brook Preserve, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (11 × 17 cm)
5/18/2021 · Cathance River Nature Preserve, Topsham, Maine · ≈ 2½ × 4″ (7 × 10 cm)
6/20/2016 · Wildlife Pond Trail, Beaver Brook Conservation Area, Hollis, New Hampshire
6/16/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (17 × 11 cm)
5/24/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 3 × 4½″ (7.9 × 11 cm)
5/13/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
5/7/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 3½ × 5″ (9.2 × 13 cm)
5/6/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Massachusetts
Anthoxanthum odoratum description by Thomas H. Kent, last updated 5 Sep 2023.
© FloraFinder.org. All rights reserved.
5/11/2013 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (12 × 18 cm)
6/17/2012 · Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, Boothbay, Maine · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm)
6/11/2014 · Conservation Area near Potanipo Pond, Brookline, New Hampshire · ≈ 7 × 4½″ (18 × 12 cm)
5/9/2021 · Mitchell Field, Harpswell, Maine · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (12 × 18 cm)
5/7/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 4½ × 3″ (11 × 7.9 cm)
5/28/2015 · Bates Land and Blackman Land, Groton Conservation Trust, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 9 × 6″ (23 × 16 cm)
7/16/2013 · Townsend Wildlife Management Area, Townsend, Massachusetts · ≈ 15 × 10″ (37 × 25 cm)
5/7/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 12 × 17″ (29 × 44 cm)
5/7/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 6 × 9″ (14 × 22 cm)
6/16/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 8″ (13 × 19 cm)
6/1/2013 · Beaver Brook Assn Conservation Lands, Rte. 130, Hollis, New Hampshire · ≈ 4 × 6″ (10 × 16 cm)
5/13/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts
6/16/2010 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 5 × 3½″ (13 × 9.2 cm)
5/6/2016 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton, Groton, Massachusetts
5/7/2012 · Nashua River Rail Trail, Groton Center, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 8 × 5″ (19 × 13 cm)
Range:
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