Anthoxanthum odoratum L. var. odoratum
(on the left) and var. majus Lange (on the right) (Finland, Lohja,
Isoteutari, 1987).
– Image: Harri Harmaja (scanned from dried specimens).
– A. odoratum var. majus (Poaceae) is a rather
infrequent and poorly known taxon. It differs from typical A. odoratum: (i)
the plant is more robust, (ii) the green colour is somewhat deeper, (iii) anthocyanin pigment is usually absent (in open habitats, var. odoratum
usually has violet colour in the stem apex and the spike), (iv) stem apex, and
the rachis and branches of the spike are distinctly grooved, (v) the
spike is thicker and denser, and (vi) the glumes
have a broader green area (resulting to a green-whitish striped spike while the
dominant tints of the spike of var.
odoratum in open habitats are usually violet and
brownish). The pollen grains of the plants in the image are well-developed and
of roughly the same size: mostly 40-45
µm in
diameter.
The plants in the image grew in a rocky hill (Munkkikallio)
where I have found also other interesting species: Arabidopsis suecica,
Botrychium matricariifolium, Luzula cf. divulgata and
Sorbus hybrida (escaped); moreover, an older report gives Viscaria alpina
from this rock.
A. odoratum var. majus occurs in places in
southern Finland, usually in rock outcrops accompanied by var. odoratum. Infrequently,
intermediates are observed, some of them possessing good pollen, others having undehisced anthers.
Created March 17, 2004.