Lesser Canary-grass - introduced (*Phalaris minor)

Native to the Mediterranean region. Annual. C3.

Family. Poaceae (Grass family).

Identification:

• it is an annual
• the flower cluster is dense
• the glumes are longer than the lemmas and are conspicuously flattened to form wings
• the wings are toothed
• the leaves are flat
• the ligules are membranous 3-8 mm long, and becoming torn.

Ways in which Lesser Canary-grass differs from Phalaris are that it is an annual, the glumes are prominently toothed near the apex, it is lower growing (to about 0.7 metres), and the flower clusters are often oval in shape. It is also less common.

Ways in which Paradoxical Canary-grass (Phalaris paradoxa) differs from Phalaris is that the fertile spikelet is surrounded by infertile spikelets.

It is an environmental weed.

Phalaris (Phalaris aquatica) is has untoothed glumes. It is a perennial.

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