FLORA OF ICELAND elements: Phalaris arundinacea, Reed Canary Grass, Strandreyr

Phalaris arundinacea; The Reed Canary Grass is a tall introduced species. It can grow up to 2 meter tall
  - The perennial plant spreads through thick rootstocks. The leaves of this grass are both long (up to 40cm) and relatively broad (up to 20mm). The ligules are membranous, up to 7mm long.
  - The inflorescences are large plumes. At first they are green and very contracted along the main axis, but spread later. Then they are often pink to purple-brown tainted. The glumes are keeled. The spikelets are 1-flowered.
  - It naturally prefers to grow on riparian grounds but on Iceland it is often planted on other soils, especially the ornamental variety (see below).   - The Reed Canary Grass (Phalaris arundinacea) is a member of the grass family (Poaceae, formerly known as Graminea). The Icelandic name of this species is Strandreyr.

There is an ornamental variety often planted in gardens. This variety has white (occasionally pink) stripes on their leaves.