Common name
Blue Canary Grass

Derivation
Phalaris L., Sp. Pl. 54 (1753); Phalaris: the name for members of this genus in both ancient and modern Greek. Perhaps via phalos (shining), referring to the glossy lemma, or more likely via the alternative sense of the word (the ridge of a helmet), this describing beautifully the glabrous, keel-winged glumes.

coerulescens- from the Latin coerulesco (become bluish). Foliage glaucous.

Published in
Fl. Atlant. 1: 56 (1798).

Habit
Perennial, tufted. Culms 100–150 cm tall. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 5–25 cm long, 1.5–4 mm wide.

Inflorescence
Inflorescence solid, a panicle. Panicle spiciform, linear or elliptic, 3–11 cm long, 1–2.3 cm wide.

Spikelets
Spikelets solitary or subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets at least 3-flowered, comprising 1 fertile floret, without rhachilla extension, obovate, 5.3–9 mm long, falling entire or breaking up at maturity, deciduous with accessory branch structures. Spikelets disarticulating below each fertile floret.

Glumes
Glumes persistent, similar, thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic, 5.3–9 mm long, equalling upper glume, chartaceous, 1-keeled, 3-nerved. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic, 4.3–9 mm long, 120–200% of length of adjacent fertile lemma, chartaceous, 1-keeled, 3-nerved. Upper glume surface glabrous or hairy. Upper glume apex acute.

Florets
Basal sterile florets 2 or more, similar. Fertile lemma elliptic, laterally compressed, 2.7–4.4 mm long, cartilaginous, glossy, 5-nerved. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous, 2-nerved, without keels. Grain 2.8–3.3 mm long. Hilum linear.

Continental Distribution:
Europe, Africa, Temperate Asia, Tropical Asia, Australasia.

Australian Distribution:
Western Australia, New South Wales, Victoria.

Western Australia: Dale. New South Wales: Northern Tablelands. Victoria: Victorian Volcanic Plain.

Classification. (GPWG 2001):
Pooideae: Aveneae

Notes
Introduced. Native to the Mediterranean. Flowers flowers Sept.–Dec.