Phalaris caroliniana
Encyclopedia
Phalaris caroliniana is a species of grass
known by the common names Carolina canarygrass and maygrass. It is native to the southeastern United States, and it can be found as a naturalized species
along the southern half of the United States to the west coast, as well as northern Mexico and parts of Europe and Australia. It is most often found in moist to wet habitat, 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 meters. The hairy inflorescence
is roughly oval in shape and up to 7 centimeters long by 2 wide.
This grass probably made up part of the diet of prehistoric natives of the eastern United States, its grains having been identified in archaeological site
s from Texas
to Indiana
to Alabama
which may be four millennia old. Laboratory analysis of the grass seed indicates that it is quite nutritious, with a good amount of vitamins and minerals.
Poaceae
The Poaceae is a large and nearly ubiquitous family of flowering plants. Members of this family are commonly called grasses, although the term "grass" is also applied to plants that are not in the Poaceae lineage, including the rushes and sedges...
known by the common names Carolina canarygrass and maygrass. It is native to the southeastern United States, and it can be found as a naturalized species
Introduced species
An introduced species — or neozoon, alien, exotic, non-indigenous, or non-native species, or simply an introduction, is a species living outside its indigenous or native distributional range, and has arrived in an ecosystem or plant community by human activity, either deliberate or accidental...
along the southern half of the United States to the west coast, as well as northern Mexico and parts of Europe and Australia. It is most often found in moist to wet habitat, 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 meters. The hairy inflorescence
Inflorescence
An inflorescence is a group or cluster of flowers arranged on a stem that is composed of a main branch or a complicated arrangement of branches. Strictly, it is the part of the shoot of seed plants where flowers are formed and which is accordingly modified...
is roughly oval in shape and up to 7 centimeters long by 2 wide.
This grass probably made up part of the diet of prehistoric natives of the eastern United States, its grains having been identified in archaeological site
Archaeological site
An archaeological site is a place in which evidence of past activity is preserved , and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and represents a part of the archaeological record.Beyond this, the definition and geographical extent of a 'site' can vary widely,...
s from Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
to Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
to Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
which may be four millennia old. Laboratory analysis of the grass seed indicates that it is quite nutritious, with a good amount of vitamins and minerals.