Common name: Canary Grass
Phalaris canariensis L. APNI* 
Description: Tufted annual or short-lived perennial to 1.2 m high; culms erect or geniculate at the base, slender to moderately stout, stiff, smooth.
Leaves with sheath smooth or slightly scabrous, rounded on the back, the uppermost inflated; ligule membranous, 3–8 mm long; blade 4–12 mm wide, glabrous, scabrous.
Panicle spike-like, 1.5–7 cm long, erect, dense, whitish except for the green nerves. Spikelets strongly laterally compressed, imbricate, 6–10 mm long, deciduous above the glumes at maturity. Glumes persistent, abruptly acute, equal, 6–10 mm long, similar, 3–5-nerved. Sterile florets 2, subequal, 2.5–4.5 mm long. Fertile lemma 4.8–6.8 mm long, 5-nerved, tough; palea 2-nerved.
Flowering: spring.
Distribution and occurrence: Cultivated for grain for caged birds, naturalized on disturbed and sandy soils; widespread. Native of Medit. region.
NSW subdivisions: *NC, *CC, *SC, *CT, *CWS, *SWS, *NWP, *SWP, *LHI
Other Australian states: *Qld *Vic. *Tas. *W.A. *S.A.
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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