Grasses List
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Grasses List
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Grasses Family [Poaceae] 
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category
status
flower
flower
inner
petals
type
stem
stem
smell
dried
new-mown haysex
| 15th May 2011, Ballykeeroge, Campile, Ireland. | Photo: © Paula O'Meara |
| Grows up to 1m high but usually much shorter at 50cm or so. |
_2014_04_26_RuncornEast_Woods_NortonPriory_Woods_circ_253p4.jpg)
| 26th April 2014, woods, Norton Priory, Runcorn. | Photo: © RWD |
| It is not called 'sweet' or 'odoratum' for nothing; it smells sweet, some say like dried new-mown hay whilst others say of vanilla. |
_2014_04_26_RuncornEast_Woods_NortonPriory_Woods_circ_253p77.jpg)
| 26th April 2014, woods, Norton Priory, Runcorn. | Photo: © RWD |
| The leaf sheaths do not have hairs with glands at their base. |
| 4th May 2019, near Fairy Glen, Appley Bridge, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| The leaf sheaths do not have hairs with glands at their base. |
_2014_04_26_RuncornEast_Woods_NortonPriory_Woods_circ_255p3.jpg)
| 26th April 2014, woods, Norton Priory, Runcorn. | Photo: © RWD |
| The spike before the florets have opened. The spikelets are between 6 to 10mm long. |
_2014_04_26_RuncornEast_Woods_NortonPriory_Woods_circ_257p6.jpg)
| 26th April 2014, woods, Norton Priory, Runcorn. | Photo: © RWD |
| The lowest sheaths are long-pointed at their tip (with a fairly blunt tip). |
_2017_06_03_Hartington_ReynardsLa_Biggin_Wolfscote_Beresford_Dales_circ_044p67.jpg)
| 3rd June 2017, Biggin Dale, Derbyshire. | Photo: © RWD |
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It's genus name is called 'Anthoxanthum' on account of its anthers being yellow coloured - but as the reader can see these are purple! But they are yellow at some earlier stage of their development.
This species is protogynous, which means the long feathery stigma grows out before the anthers, which considerably reduces the probability of self-fertilisation (see the flowers at the bottom). |
| 15th May 2011, Ballykeeroge, Campile, Ireland. | Photo: © Paula O'Meara |
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Each spikelet has two sterile flowers and just one fertile flower which has 2 stamens. The anthers (reddish here) are between 3 to 4.5mm long and here purple(ish) rather than the usual yellow (they probably change colour as they progress). The anthers, which are in pairs, are on long thin white filaments.
The stigmas, which are also in pairs, are white and branch into two. |
| 27th April 2011, Ballykeeroge, Campile, Ireland. | Photo: © Paula O'Meara |
| The stigmas are white and split into two. |
| 4th July 2015, lighthouse, Leasowe, The Wirral. | Photo: © RWD |
| An older specimen. |
| 4th July 2015, lighthouse, Leasowe, The Wirral. | Photo: © RWD |
| 4th May 2019, near Fairy Glen, Appley Bridge, Lancs. | Photo: © RWD |
| The stem is mostly hollow inside. |
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Could be confused with : Uniquely identifiable characteristics Distinguishing Feature : smells sweet and perhaps vanilla-like.
It is said to smell of
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 Anthoxanthum
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odoratum
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⇐ Global Aspect ⇒ |
Poaceae
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 Anthoxanthum (Vernal-Grasses) |
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Grasses Family [Poaceae]
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BSBI maps