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Anthoxanthum odoratum
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
(unranked):	Angiosperms
(unranked):	Monocots
(unranked):	Commelinids
Order:	Poales
Family:	Poaceae
Genus:	Anthoxanthum
Species:	A. odoratum
Binomial name
Anthoxanthum odoratum L.

Anthoxanthum odoratum.

Anthoxanthum odoratum, known as sweet vernal grass, holy grass, vanilla grass or buffalo grass, is a perennial grass found wild in acidic grassland in Eurasia. It is also grown as a lawn grass and a house plant, due to its sweet scent.

It has become a weed in bushland areas of S.E Australia.^{[citation needed]}

The stems are 25–40 centimetres (9.8–16 in) tall, with short leaves 3–5 millimetres (0.12–0.20 in) wide. It flowers from April until June, with flower spikes of 4–6 centimetres (1.6–2.4 in) long and crowded spikelets of 6–10 millimetres (0.24–0.39 in).

The scent is particularly strong when dried, and is due to coumarin, a glycoside, and benzoic acid – it smells like fresh hay with a hint of vanilla.^{[citation needed]}

Cultivation

It is grown by scattering seed on tilled ground in the spring through fall, germinating in 4 to 5 days. It prefers sandy loam and acidic conditions (a low pH).

As an agricultural grass it has a low yield, but can grow on land too acidic for other grasses.

Gallery

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External links

• Skye Flora

References

• Pink, A. (2004). Gardening for the Million.. Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. 

From Wikispecies

Illustration of Anthoxanthum odoratum from Prof. Dr. Otto Wilhelm Thomés Flora von Deutschland, Österreich und der Schweiz, 1885

Taxonavigation

Classification System: APG II (down to family level)

Main Page
Cladus: Eukaryota
Regnum: Plantae
Cladus: Angiospermae
Cladus: Monocots
Cladus: Commelinids
Ordo: Poales
Familia: Poaceae
Subfamilia: Pooideae
Tribus: Aveneae
Genus Anthoxanthum
Species: Anthoxanthum odoratum

Name

Anthoxanthum odoratum, L.

Vernacular names

References

• USDA, NRCS. 2006. The PLANTS Database, 6 March 2006 (http://plants.usda.gov).

Data compiled from various sources by Mark W. Skinner. National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA.

• Species Plantarum 1:28. 1753
• USDA, ARS, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network - (GRIN) [Online Database]. [1]

For more multimedia, look at Anthoxanthum odoratum on Wikimedia Commons.