Phalaris is a genus of flowering plants in the grass family. Species of Phalaris are distributed across all continents except Antarctica. They can be found in a broad range of habitats from below sea level to thousands of feet above sea level and from wet marshy areas to dry places. P. arundinacea and P. aquatica are sometimes invasive species in wetlands.
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Alkaloids
Several Phalaris species—notably Phalaris aquatica and Phalaris arundinacea—produce bioactive indole alkaloids, including DMT, 5-MeO-DMT, bufotenin, gramine, tyramines and trace β-carbolines.
Toxicity
Grazing on Phalaris-dominated pastures can cause livestock toxicoses:
Phalaris staggers: A chronic neurological condition associated with ruminants grazing Phalaris containing toxic alkaloids; appropriate cobalt supplementation can reduce the risk of the staggers syndrome.
Sudden death: Acute mortality caused by peracute ammonia toxicity from young shoot consumption; not preventable by cobalt.
Low-alkaloid cultivars are widely used to reduce grazing risk.
Uses
Phalaris species, particularly Phalaris aquatica and Phalaris arundinacea, are widely cultivated as forage and pasture fodder for livestock. Canary seed (Phalaris canariensis) is commercially grown as bird food and consumed as human food in certain regions. In non-clinical and in vitro research, seed extracts and biopeptides from P. canariensis have been investigated for potential antioxidant, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties.
Species
Species include:
Phalaris amethystina Trin.
Phalaris angusta – timothy canarygrass
Phalaris aquatica – bulbous canarygrass, Harding grass, Hardinggrass (syn. Phalaris tuberosa)
Phalaris arundinacea – reed canary grass, reed canarygrass
Phalaris brachystachys – shortspike canarygrass
Phalaris californica – California canarygrass
Phalaris canariensis – annual canarygrass, common canary grass, common canarygrass
Phalaris caroliniana – Carolina canarygrass, maygrass, see Eastern Agricultural Complex
Phalaris coerulescens – sunolgrass
Phalaris commutata
Phalaris elongata Braun-Blanq.
Phalaris lemmonii – Lemmon's canarygrass
Phalaris minor – canarygrass, littleseed canarygrass
Phalaris paradoxa – hood canarygrass
Phalaris platensis Henrard ex Wacht.
Phalaris truncata Guss. ex Bertol.