Common name: Blue Canary Grass
Phalaris coerulescens Desf. APNI* 
Description: Tufted bulbous-based perennial to 1.5 m high; culms terete, subsmooth.
Leaves with sheath striate, smooth, tight around the culm, the uppermost sometimes inflated about the base of the panicle; ligule membranous, oblique, acuminate, to 12 mm long; blade 2–7 mm wide, subsmooth to minutely scabrous, acuminate.
Panicle 3–12 cm long, cylindrical or ovate-oblong, at length exserted from the uppermost sheath. Spikelets falling singly or in groups of 6 or 7. Glumes 5–9 mm long, minutely aristate, winged upwards. Sterile florets obsolete or reduced to minute scales, sometimes represented only by a few hairs at the base of the fertile floret. Bisexual lemma 2.5–4.5 mm long, shining, obscurely 5-nerved, rather thin; palea similar and almost as long.
Flowering: spring.
Distribution and occurrence: Escape from cultivation; in the Armidale area. Native of Medit. region.
NSW subdivisions: *NT
Text by S. W. L. Jacobs & S. M. Hastings
Taxon concept: Flora of NSW 4 (1993)
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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