Common name: Reed Canary Grass
Phalaris arundinacea L. APNI* 
Description: Robust tufted and rhizomatous perennial to 2 m high.
Leaves with sheath smooth, rounded on the back; ligule membranous, 2.5–16 mm long; blade flat, 6–25 mm wide, glabrous, scabrid in the upper part.
Panicle erect, dense and spike-like or often somewhat loose, 5–40 cm long. Spikelets densely crowded, 3.5–7.5 mm long, laterally compressed. Glumes persistent, subequal, 3.5–7.5 mm long, acute to acuminate, 3-nerved, wingless or with a narrow obscure wing. Sterile florets equal, 1.2–2.3 mm long, subulate. Fertile lemma 2.7–4.5 mm long, 5-nerved, with appressed hairs above, smooth and glossy below; palea c. as long as lemma, 2-nerved.
Flowering: spring.
Distribution and occurrence: Native of Afr., Amer., Asia, Eur.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *SC, *NT, *CT, *ST, *NWS
Other Australian states: *Vic. *Tas. *W.A.
Text by S. W. L. Jacobs & S. M. Hastings
Taxon concept:
| | Key to the varieties | |
| 1 | Blades green with a pale midrib | var. arundinacea |
| Blades longitudinally striped green and cream | var. picta |
APNI* Provides a link to the Australian Plant Name Index (hosted by the Australian National Botanic Gardens) for comprehensive bibliographic data
***The AVH map option provides a detailed interactive Australia wide distribution map drawn from collections held by all major Australian herbaria participating in the Australian Virtual Herbarium project.
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