Biology:Phalaris caroliniana

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Short description: Species of flowering plant

Phalaris caroliniana
Scientific classification edit
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Pooideae
Genus: Phalaris
Species:
P. caroliniana
Binomial name
Phalaris caroliniana
Walter

Phalaris caroliniana is a species of grass known as Carolina canarygrass and maygrass.

Background

It is native to the southern United States,[1] and it can be found as a naturalized species along the west coast of the United States,[2] as well as northern Mexico, Europe, Australia, and Puerto Rico.[3] It is most often found in moist to wet habitats, such as marshy meadows, and it can thrive in disturbed areas. It is an annual grass reaching a maximum height between 1 and 1.5 m (3.3 and 4.9 ft). The hairy inflorescence is roughly oval in shape and up to 7 cm (2.8 in) long by 2 cm (0.79 in) wide.

This grass probably made up part of the Eastern Agricultural Complex of plants cultivated by pre-Columbian Native Americans in the United States. Its grains have been identified in archaeological sites from Texas to Indiana to Alabama which may be four millennia old.[4] Laboratory analysis of the grass seed indicates that it is quite nutritious, with a good amount of vitamins and minerals.[5]

References

  1. ↑ USDA Plants Profile: Phalaris caroliniana
  2. ↑ "Phalaris caroliniana". Calflora. https://www.calflora.org/cgi-bin/species_query.cgi?where-calrecnum=6421. Retrieved 1 October 2019. 
  3. ↑ Barkworth, Mary E.. "Phalaris caroliniana". https://oregonflora.org/taxa/index.php?taxon=7197. 
  4. ↑ "Phalaris caroliniana". Laboratory Guide To Archaeological Plant Remains From Eastern North America. Washington University in St. Louis. http://artsci.wustl.edu/~gjfritz/Phalaris_caroliniana_Walter.html. 
  5. ↑ Crites, G. D. & R. D. Terry. (1984). Nutritive value of maygrass, Phalaris caroliniana. Economic Botany 38:1 114-20.

Wikidata ☰ Q7180269 entry