Bulbous Canarygrass

This species is widely cultivated as a pasture and forage grass in many parts of the world. It is best suited to upland areas with high rainfall.

Phalaris aquatica is based on two specimens, an Egyptian plant collected by Hasselquist, which is the same as Linnaeus’ own Phalaris tuberosa, and an Italian plant illustrated by Barrelier (1714) which is almost certainly Phalaris tuberosa. An illustration by Buxbaum (1728) of a plant from the Bosphorus is also cited by Linnaeus under Phalaris aquatica. The base of this plant is not illustrated, however, so its identity must remain a mystery. It may be Phalaris aquatica (or Phalaris tuberose) although Bor (in Fl. Iran. 349) was quite certain that it is not. Despite repeated misuse of the name Phalaris aquatica in the earlier literature, its identity is quite clear and Bor was not justified in rejecting it as a nomen confusum.

Bulb Canary Grass is introduced in Pakistan and is a valuable fodder grass.

Perennial, tufted. Culms 50–150 cm tall, often bulbously thickened at base. Uppermost leaf sheaths not inflated; leaf blades 3–8 mm wide; ligule 3–7 mm. Panicle spikelike, cylindrical, 1.5–11 cm, sometimes lobed at base. Spikelets elliptic-oblong; glumes 5–7 mm, winged, wing margin entire, apex acute; sterile lemma 1(–2), subulate, 0.2–2.2 mm, pubescent, second lemma (when present) up to 0.5 mm; fertile lemma lanceolate, 3–4.6 mm, densely pubescent. Anthers 3–3.5 mm. 2n = 28.

Tufted perennial. Culms up to 150 cm high, often bulbous at the base. Panicle 1.5-11 cm long, 1-2.5 cm wide, spiciform and cylindrical or occasionally lobed at the base. Glumes 4.4-7.5 mm long, acute, broadly winged, the wing margin entire; sterile floret 1, subulate, 0.2-2.2 mm long, pubescent (sometimes with a short second floret up to 0.5 mm long); fertile floret lanceolate, 3.1-4.6 mm long, light brown, densely pubescent.

Distribution: Pakistan (Baluchistan: introduced); native to the Mediterranean region, but widely introduced elsewhere.

Fl. & Fr. Per.: June-August.

Introduced for grazing; Yunnan [Pakistan (introduced); N Africa, SW Asia, S Europe].

Perennials, Terrestrial, not aquatic, Rhizomes present, Rhizome short and compact, stems close, Stems nodes swollen or brittle, Stems erect or ascending, Stems caespitose, tufted, or clustered, Stems terete, round in cross section, or polygonal, Stem internodes hollow, Stems with inflorescence less than 1 m tall, Stems with inflorescence 1-2 m tall, Stems, culms, or scapes exceeding basal leaves, Leaves mostly cauline, Leaves conspicuously 2-ranked, distichous, Leaves sheathing at base, Leaf sheath mostly open, or loose, Leaf sheath smooth, glabrous, Leaf sheath and blade differentiated, Leaf blades linear, Leaf blades 2-10 mm wide, Leaf blades mostly flat, Leaf blades mostly glabrous, Ligule present, Ligule an unfringed eciliate membrane, Inflorescence terminal, Inflorescence a dense slender spike-like panicle or raceme, branches contracted, Inflorescence solitary, with 1 spike, fascicle, glomerule, head, or cluster per stem or culm, Inflorescence spike linear or cylindric, several times longer than wide, Inflorescence single raceme, fascicle or spike, Flowers bisexual, Spikelets pedicellate, Spikelets laterally compressed, Spikelet less than 3 mm wide, Spikelets with 3-7 florets, Spikelet with 1 fertile floret and 1-2 sterile florets, Spikelets solitary at rachis nodes , Spikelets all alike and fertille, Spikelets bisexual, Spikelets disarticulating above the glumes, glumes persistent, Rachilla or pedicel glabrous, Glumes present, empty bracts, Glumes 2 clearly present, Glumes equal or subequal, Glumes equal to or longer than adjacent lemma, Glume equal to or longer than spikelet, Glumes keeled or winged, Glumes 1 nerved, Glumes 3 nerved, Glumes 4-7 nerved, Lemma coriaceous, firmer or thicker in texture than the glumes, Lemma becoming indurate, enclosing palea and caryopsis, Lemma 5-7 nerved, Lemma glabrous, Lemma body or surface hairy, Lemma apex acute or acuminate, Lemma awnless, Lemma margins thin, lying flat, Lemma straight, Palea present, well developed, Palea longer than lemma, Palea 2 nerved or 2 keeled, Stamens 3, Styles 2-fid, deeply 2-branched, Stigmas 2, Fruit - caryopsis, Caryopsis ellipsoid, longitudinally grooved, hilum long-linear.

Phalaris aquatica, known by the common names bulbous canary-grass and Harding grass, is a species of grass in the genus Phalaris of the family Poaceae.