Family
Poaceae
Distribution in Canada
Found in YT, BC, ON, QC, NB, NS, PE, NL
Duration of life cycle
Perennial
Seed/Fruit type
- grain, enclosed by a palea and lemma
- floret may be enclosed in sterile florets with awns (long bristles)
Seed identification features
Size
- floret length: 2.0 mm
- floret width: 1.0 mm
- enclosed floret length: 3.0–3.5 mm
- enclosed floret width: 1.0–1.2 mm
- awn length: 5.0–9.0 mm
Shape
- in outline: elongated oval
- in cross-section: elliptical
Surface texture
- enclosing (sterile) floret surface is papery and slightly roughened like sandpaper
- short, stiff hairs surround base and cover enclosing floret, obscuring surface
- (fertile) floret has a smooth, glossy surface, and is slightly 2-lobed at top
Colour
- medium reddish-brown, becoming pale at tip
Other structures
- long, bent awn extends straight from tip of 2 papery, sterile florets surrounding fertile, plump floret
Similar species
Annual vernal grass (Anthoxanthum aristatum)
- found only in BC
- similar to sweet vernal grass in size, elliptical shape, reddish-brown colour, bent awn-tipped enclosing florets, and dense bristles
- florets are similar to sweet vernal grass; plants are easily distinguishable by their duration and vegetative features
- florets are slightly (~0.5 mm) smaller than sweet vernal grass
- hairs are in vertical lines (outer, sterile, florets of sweet vernal grass are densely covered by stiff hairs)
Photos
Similar species
