Weeds of Australia - Fact Sheet

Top Scientific Name Synonyms Family Common Names Origin Naturalised Distribution Notes

Scientific Name

Phalaris arundinacea L.

Synonyms

Phalaris arundinacea L. 'Picta'
Phalaris arundinacea L. forma variegata (Parnell) Druce
Phalaris arundinacea L. var. arundinacea
Phalaris arundinacea L. var. picta L.

Family

Gramineae (South Australia)
Poaceae (Queensland, New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria, Tasmania, Western Australia and the Northern Territory)

Common Names

gardener's garters, phalaris, reed canary grass, reed canary-grass, reed canarygrass, ribbon grass, ribbongrass, striped ribbon grass, swamp phalaris, variegated grass

Origin

Native to northern Africa (i.e. northern Algeria, Egypt and Tunisia), Europe, northern and central Asia (i.e. Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Mongolia, China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan) and possibly also North America (i.e. Canada, Alaska and the USA). This species is certainly native to Europe, but there is debate as to whether it is native to Asia and North America.

Naturalised Distribution

Widely naturalised in southern Australia (i.e. in many parts of eastern New South Wales, in the ACT, in Victoria and Tasmania, in south-eastern South Australia and in the coastal districts of south-western Western Australia).

Also naturalised overseas in southern Africa, tropical Asia, New Zealand, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribbean and Hawaii.

Notes

Reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) is regarded as an environmental weed in Victoria.