Anthoxanthum nitens (Weber) Y.Schouten & Veldkamp syn. Hierochloe odorata (L.) P. Beauv.;  Hierochloe borealis; Holcus odoratus L. - Poaceae \\
sweet grass, holy grass, vanilla grass, **Duftendes Mariengras**, Bisongras, Waldmeistergras

Perennial fragrant grass, up to 60cm tall, native to North America, Europe, temperate Asia; basal leaves up to 30cm long; spikelets elliptic, light brown, shining, 3.5-6 mm; lower florets slightly shorter than glumes; panicle 4-10cm. \\
[[https://npgsweb.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxonomydetail.aspx?id=452388]] \\
[[http://flora.huh.harvard.edu/china/PDF/PDF22/Anthoxanthum.pdf]]

"Sweet grass is widely used by North American indigenous peoples from many different Nations. Among many of the Plains Indians is considered one of the 'four sacred medicines'. Though being used for many purposes, its main purpose for many tribes is to attract good spirits. It is also known as the 'Hair of Mother Earth'... In Europe, the species Hierochloe alpina is frequently substituted or used interchangeably. In Russia, it was used to flavor tea. It is still used in flavored vodka, the most notable example being Polish Żubrówka." [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hierochloe_odorata]]

"o-Coumaryl glucoside and coumarin are thus both metabolic intermediates rather than end products, and the glucoside is formed first... The specific activity of coumarin liberated by emulsin hydrolysis from the glucoside was consistently lower than that of "free" coumarin. This is irreconcilable with the proposed formation of free coumarin from coumarinic acid glucoside as a major pathway in vivo unless separate pools of the glucoside exist in the plant. Indirect evidence is presented that free coumarin can exist in Hierochloe." \\
[Brown, Stewart A. "Biosynthesis of the coumarins: III. The role of glycosides in the formation of coumarin by Hierochloe odorata." Canadian journal of biochemistry and physiology 40.5 (1962): 607-618]

{{:coumarin.jpg|}} coumarin

"The volatile constituents obtained from ethanol extracts of the root and the aerial parts of Hierochloe odorata L. var. pubescens Kryl. growing in the east of China were examined by a combination of GC, GC‐MS and HPLC techniques. A total of 169 volatile compounds were identified. This volatile oil was rich in coumarin, which accounted for 10.3 % of the root oil and 24.9% of the aerial part oil. Quantitative analysis by HPLC showed that ethanol extract of the roots to contain 3.57% (m/m) of coumarin and that of the aerial parts 3.72% (m/m)." \\
[Ueyama, Yoshitaka, Toshiyuki Arai, and Seiji Hashimoto. "Volatile constituents of ethanol extracts of Hierochloe odorata L. var. Pubescens kryl." Flavour and Fragrance Journal 6.1 (1991): 63-68]
 
{{hierochloe_orodata.jpg?600}} \\
Hierochloe odorata (L.) P. Beauv. \\
C.A.M. Lindman, Bilder ur Nordens Flora, vol.3 t.475 (1922-1926) \\
[[http://botanicalillustrations.org/species.php?id_species=531685]]