HOW TO KNOW THE GRASSES 



TRIBE VIII. PHALARIDEAE 



la. Lower florets less than half as long as the fertUe floret and closely 

 oppressed to it, sterile; glumes usually winged 2 



lb. Lower florets as long as the fertile floret or longer 3 



2a. Plants producing rhizomes; panicles cylindrical and often lobed. 



Fig. 272. 



REED CANARY GRASS Phalaris arundinacea L. 



Perennial; plants 60 — 150 cm. tall, 

 with pale or purplish panicles, 7 — 16 

 cm. long. The tall, broad-leaved plants 

 furnish considerable forage and are of- 

 ten cut for hay. They form dense col- 

 onies in marshes and along ditches. 

 Reed canary grass is now planted for 

 erosion control on farm waterways. 

 May — August. Forms with white-striped 

 leaves are sometimes grown for orna- 

 ment, under the name of "gardeners 

 garters." 



—6? 



Figure 272 



2b. Plants tufted, lacking rhizomes; panicle dense, thimble-shaped. 

 Fig. 273. 



CANARY GRASS Phalaris canaziensis L. 



Annual; tufted; culms 30 — 60 cm. tall; pani- 

 cles 1 — 4 cm. long. The strongly winged 

 glumes are striped with green and white 

 hnes. This is the species which furnishes 

 the "canary seed" which is fed to caged birds. 

 The plants are found occasionally growing 

 on trash heaps where the sweepings from 

 bird cages are deposited, but this species ap- 

 parently does not grow as a truly wild plant 

 in this country. Introduced from Europe. June 

 — August. 



Figure 273 



144 



