Japanese name: ハルガヤ（春茅） Scientific name:Anthoxanthum odoratum subsp. odoratum
[Overview]
A short-lived perennial about 20–50 cm tall.
The whole plant has the sweet scent of coumarin, which becomes stronger when it dries.
There is almost no rhizome, and the stem is erect.
The stems and leaves usually have sparse hairs.
The leaves are linear, about 3–10 cm long and 0.3–0.6 cm wide.
The spikelets are densely borne on an erect spike-like to paniculate inflorescence 4–10 cm long.
The spikelets consist of 3 florets, are lanceolate, 0.7–1 cm long, and glossy yellowish brown.
Of the 3 florets, the lower 2 are reduced to only the lemma, with dense brown hairs on the outside.
The awn of the first floret is short, and that of the second floret is long.
The third floret is bisexual with 2 stamens, and its lemma and palea are hairless.
During flowering, the white stigmas and anthers emerge.
[History]
It was introduced as a forage grass in the early Meiji period and has become wild in various regions.
