Reed Canary-grass - Phalaris arundinacea
Description
A tall grass to 200 cm, stout and smooth stemmed, reed-like. Forms dense stands by means of creeping rhizomes. Panicles 5 to 25 cm long, spikelets sometimes flushed purple.
Identification difficulty

ID guidance
The panicle is branched. Each spikelet contains only one fertile floret usually completely enclosed by its glumes. Many leaves are more than 1cm wide. Often growing by water
Habitat
Damp places, ditches, beside water etc.
When to see it
June to August.
Life History
Perennial.
UK Status
Widespread and common throughout Britain.
VC55 Status
Common in Leicestershire and Rutland. In the 1979 Flora survey of Leicestershire it was found in 491 of the 617 tetrads.
Leicestershire & Rutland Map
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MAP KEY:
Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015