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• Dichotomous Key
• Poaceae
• Poaceae Group 3
• Anthoxanthum
• Anthoxanthum ovatum

Anthoxanthum ovatum — small sweet grass

Facts

Small sweet grass is an annual, morphologically variable species, that is native to southern Europe, and introduced to North America. It has been collected in Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire in fields, roadsides and disturbed areas.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), meadows and fields

Characteristics

• Flowers

  Anther length

  2.8–4.1 mm

  Anther number

  2

  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

  all the florets within a spikelet are similar

  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

  • 1
  • 3
  • 5

  Glumes per spikelet

  2

  Inflorescence arrangement

  • the plant has two types of spikelets with different reproductive structures
  • the spikelets are uniform

  Inflorescence axis orientation

  the inflorescence axis is straight

  Inflorescence branch length

  0.8–1.5 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 congested (crowded), and the branches may not be clearly seen without close inspection

  Inflorescence length

  10–40 mm

  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

  Inforescence position

  the spikelets are mainly carried at the end of the stem

  Lemma awn base

  • the awn is attached at the lower half of the lemma (it emerges from near the base of the lemma)
  • the awn is attached at the upper half of the lemma

  Lemma awn coiled

  the lemma awn is straight or twisted, but not coiled one half turn

  Lemma awn length

  3.5–10 mm

  Lemma awn number

  the lemma has one awn on it

  Lemma awn orientation

  the awn of the lemma on dried or older plants is curved or bent outwards

  Lemma cross-section

  • the lemma is V-shaped if you cut across the midpoint
  • the lemma is flat or rounded 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

  Lower glume length

  3–5 mm

  Lower glume relative length

  the lower glume is one third to three quarters 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

  all the flowers on the plant have both carpels and stamens (synoecious)

  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

  5–7 mm

  Spikelet number per node

  0

  Spikelet pedicel

  the spikelets have pedicels

  Spikelet pedicel length

  0.1–0.3 mm

  Spikelets spiny

  the spikelets do not appear spiny

  Upper glume length

  5–7 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 only a single year or less

  Rhizomes

  no

  Roots

  there are only slender roots on the plant

• Leaves

  Leaf auricles

  • the leaves do not have auricles
  • the leaves have auricles

  Leaf blade length

  0.8–6 cm

  Leaf blade width

  1–2 mm

  Leaf ligule length

  1–3 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)

• Place

  Habitat

  terrestrial

  New England state

  • Maine
  • New Hampshire
  • Vermont

  Specific habitat

  • man-made or disturbed habitats
  • meadows or fields

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Plant height

  5–60 cm

  Stem orientation

  the stems trail at the base, but turn upwards at the tips

  Stem spacing

  the stems grow close together in compact clusters or tufts

Wetland status

Not classified

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae