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- Anthoxanthum nitens
Anthoxanthum nitens — sweetgrass, vanilla sweet grass
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Facts
Vanilla sweetgrass is found in brackish and salt marshes, swamps and river shores in all New England states. This plant was traditionally used by many Native American tribes for medicinal purposes and for incense, perfume and in ceremonies. Members of the Iroquois Confederacy of Nations, especially the Mohawk and Seneca, continue to use this species for basketry.
Habitat
Alpine or subalpine zones, brackish or salt marshes and flats, fens (calcium-rich wetlands), grassland, marshes, meadows and fields, shores of rivers or lakes, swamps, wetland margins (edges of wetlands)
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
Found this plant? Take a photo and post a sighting.
Characteristics
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Leaf blade width
- 2–8 mm
- Inflorescence branches
- the flowers are attached to branches rather than to the main axis of the inflorescence
- Spikelet length
- 2.5–7.5 mm
- Glume relative length
- both glumes are as long or longer than all of the florets
- Awn on glume
- the glume has no awn
- One or more florets
- there is more than one floret per spikelet
- Lemma awn length
- 0–0.5 mm
- Leaf sheath hair type
-
- there are hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath, but the hairs do not have blisters at their bases
- there are no hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath
- Leaf ligule length
- 0.5–8 mm
- Anther length
- 1.2–1.6 mm
-
Flowers
- Anther length
- 1.2–1.6 mm
- Anther number
- 2–3
- Awn on glume
- the glume has no awn
- Bristles below spikelets
- no
- Floret lower bract texture
- the lemma is hard and firm
- Floret number
- 3
- Floret types within spikelet
- there are at least two distinct forms of florets within one spikelet
- Glume awn length
- 0 mm
- Glume keel
- the glume keels are smooth and hairless
- Glume relative length
- both glumes are as long or longer than all of the florets
- Glume shape
- the glume is V-shaped in cross-section
- Glume veins
-
- 3
- 5
- Glumes per spikelet
- 2
- Inflorescence arrangement
- the spikelets are uniform
- Inflorescence axis orientation
- the inflorescence axis is straight
- Inflorescence branch length
- 1–7 cm
- Inflorescence branches
- the flowers are attached to branches rather than to the main axis of the inflorescence
- Inflorescence crowding
- the panicle is somewhat to very spread out, with clearly-evident branches
- Inflorescence length
- 20–125 mm
- Inflorescence length to width ratio
- 1.3–1.8
- Inflorescence type (general)
- the spikelets are borne on stalks or on branches
- Inflorescence type (specific)
- the inflorescence is branched, and the branches do NOT both grow from the same side of the plant AND look like spikes
- Inflorescence width
- 15–70 mm
- Inforescence position
- the spikelets are mainly carried at the end of the stem
- Lemma awn base
- the awn is attached right at the tip of the lemma
- Lemma awn coiled
- the lemma awn is straight or twisted, but not coiled one half turn
- Lemma awn length
- 0–0.5 mm
- Lemma awn number
-
- the lemma has no awn
- the lemma has one awn on it
- Lemma awn orientation
- the awn of the lemma is straight
- Lemma cross-section
- the lemma is V-shaped if you cut across the midpoint
- Lemma hairs
- the lemma has fine hairs between the veins
- Lemma keel hairs
- the keel of the lemma is rough, or has fine hairs
- Lemma marginal vein hairs
- the marginal vein of the lemma has fine hairs on it
- Lemma surface
- the surface of the lemma is relatively smooth (not counting any longitudinal veins or hairs)
- Lemma tip
-
- the lemma tip is a simple point, with or without an awn (long narrow extension ending in a point)
- the lemma tip is split into two or more points
- Lemma tip shape
-
- the lemma tip is rounded off or truncate (ends abruptly in a more or less straight line as though cut off); it may or may not also have an awn or teeth at the tip
- the lemma tip tapers to a broad point (it may or may not also have an awn or teeth at the tip)
- the lemma tip tapers to a narrow point (it may or may not also have an awn or teeth at the tip)
- Lemma vein orientation
- the veins on the lemma stay roughly parallel throughout
- Lower glume length
- 4–6 mm
- Lower glume relative length
- the lower glume is nearly as long, or as long as, the upper glume
- One or more florets
- there is more than one floret per spikelet
- Palea relative length
- palea is one half to fully as long as lemma
- Reproductive system
- some flowers on the plant have both carpels and stamens, while other flowers have only one type of reproductive organ (polygamous)
- Spikelet axis tip
- there is no extension of the spikelet axis beyond the tip of the spikelet
- Spikelet disintegration
- the spikelet breaks off above the glumes, so that after the florets fall off, the glumes remain
- Spikelet length
- 2.5–7.5 mm
- Spikelet number per node
- 0
- Spikelet pedicel
- the spikelets have pedicels
- Spikelets per panicle branch
- At least 3
- Spikelets spiny
- the spikelets do not appear spiny
- Tip of glume
- the tip of the glume is not divided (though it may have an awn on it)
- Upper glume length
- 4–6 mm
- Upper glume relative length
- the upper glume is more than one half as long as the lowest lemma
- Upper glume shape
- the upper glume is widest at or below the middle
-
Growth form
- Horizontal rooting stem
- no
- Lifespan
- the plant lives more than two years
- Rhizomes
- yes
- Roots
- the plant has rhizomes (horizontal underground stem with roots growing from it)
-
Leaves
- Basal leaves
- the plant has few or no leaves coming from the base of the flowering stem
- Leaf auricles
- the leaves do not have auricles
- Leaf basal lobe hairy
- NA
- Leaf blade cross-section
-
- the leaf blade is clearly folded or rolled inwards
- the leaf blade is more or less flat in cross-section, or slightly folded or rolled inwards
- Leaf blade hairs
-
- the leaf blade is hairless, but it may have tiny prickles that give it a sand-papery feel
- the leaf blade is hairy
- Leaf blade length
- 10–30 cm
- Leaf blade texture
- the leaf blade is smooth, or it may have soft hairs
- Leaf blade width
- 2–8 mm
- Leaf ligule length
- 0.5–8 mm
- Leaf ligule type
- the leaf ligule is in the form of a membrane
- Leaf margin glands
- there are no glands along the edges of the leaf blade
- Leaf sheath closed around stem
- the margins of the leaf sheath are overlapping and not fused together except in the basal half (or less)
- Leaf sheath color and persistence
- the leaf sheathes are reddish-brown and disintegrate or become shredded in older leaves
- Leaf sheath hair type
-
- there are hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath, but the hairs do not have blisters at their bases
- there are no hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath
- Leaf sheath hairs
-
- there are hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath
- there are no hairs on the surface of the leaf sheath
-
Place
- Habitat
-
- terrestrial
- wetlands
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- alpine or subalpine zones
- brackish or salt marshes and flats
- edges of wetlands
- fens (calcium-rich wetlands)
- grasslands
- marshes
- meadows or fields
- shores of rivers or lakes
- swamps
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Plant height
- 5–90 cm
- Stem hairs
- the stem is nearly to completely hairless
- Stem orientation
- the stems are upright
- Stem spacing
-
- the stems grow close together in compact clusters or tufts
- the stems grow singly or a few together (they may form diffuse colonies)
Wetland status
Usually occurs in wetlands, but occasionally in non-wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACW)
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- unranked (S-rank: SNR)
ssp. odorata
- Massachusetts
- unranked (S-rank: SNR)
Subspecies and varieties
Our subspecies is Anthoxanthum nitens (Weber) Y. Schouten & Veldkamp ssp. nitens.
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
3. Anthoxanthum nitens (Weber) Y. Schouten & Veldkamp ssp. nitens N
vanilla sweet grass. Hierochloe odorata (L.) Beauv.; H. odorata (L.) Beauv. var. fragrans (Willd.) Richter; Holcus odoratus L.; Savastana odorata (L.) Scribn. • CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Brackish and saline marshes, swamps, river shores, rarely ascending to subalpine habitats.
Native to North America?
Yes
Synonyms
- Hierochloe odorata (L.) Beauv.
- Hierochloe odorata (L.) Beauv. var. fragrans (Willd.) Richter
- Holcus odoratus L.
- Savastana odorata (L.) Scribn.