Poaceae
Phalaris

Phalaris coerulescens Desf.

First published in Fl. Atlant. 1: 56 (1798)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Macaronesia, Medit. It is a perennial and grows primarily in the subtropical biome.

Descriptions

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Morphology General Habit
Perennial; caespitose. Culms 100-150 cm long; swollen at the base; forming an ovoid corm. Ligule an eciliate membrane. Leaf-blades 5-25 cm long; 1.5-4 mm wide.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle. Panicle spiciform; linear, or oblong; 3-11 cm long; 1-2.3 cm wide. Panicle axis bearing persistent branches, or deciduous spikelet clusters. Spikelets solitary, or subtended by an involucre. Fertile spikelets pedicelled; 1-2 in the cluster. Companion sterile spikelets pedicelled; 5-6 in the cluster. Involucre composed of imperfect spikelets.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; oblong; laterally compressed; as long as fertile; deciduous with the fertile. Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 5.3-9 mm long; breaking up at maturity, or falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Sterile
Companion sterile spikelets well-developed; male; oblong; laterally compressed; as long as fertile; deciduous with the fertile.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 2 basal sterile florets; 1 fertile florets; without rhachilla extension. Spikelets obovate; laterally compressed; compressed strongly; 5.3-9 mm long; breaking up at maturity, or falling entire; deciduous with accessory branch structures; disarticulating below each fertile floret.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; exceeding apex of florets; thinner than fertile lemma. Lower glume elliptic; 5.3-9 mm long; 1 length of upper glume; chartaceous; 1-keeled; winged on keel; winged above; 3 -veined. Lower glume surface glabrous, or pilose. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 4.3-9 mm long; 1.2-2 length of adjacent fertile lemma; chartaceous; 1-keeled; winged on keel; winged above; 3 -veined. Upper glume surface glabrous, or pilose. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets similar; both vestigial; attached to and deciduous with the fertile. Fertile lemma elliptic; laterally compressed; 2.7-4.4 mm long; cartilaginous; shiny; keeled; 5 -veined. Lemma surface glabrous. Lemma apex acute. Palea cartilaginous; 2 -veined; without keels. Palea surface glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Anthers 3. Ovary glabrous.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp; 2.8-3.3 mm long. Hilum linear.
Distribution
Europe: southwestern and southeastern. Africa: north and Macaronesia. Asia-temperate: western Asia. Australasia: Australia. South America: southern South America.
Reference
Aveneae. Anderson.
[GB]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Science Photographs

    • Copyright applied to individual images