Irish wildflowers Sitemap More: Grasses

Reed Sweet-grass, Glyceria maxima

Reed Sweet-grass
Glyceria maxima
Milseán mór
Family: Poaceae

Flowering July-August. Perennial. Native. Identified by Paul Green

Erect, much-branched and spreading flowerheads with narrowly-oval spikelets. Glumes are pointed, lemmas yellowish-green rough, blunt, oval. Flat, +/- folded leaves with rough sheaths and ligules. A tall, erect grass spreading by rhizomes and forming dense stands in suitable habitats. Height 60-200cm.

Found in and beside lakes, rivers, ditches and ponds, where it can form floating rafts. Most frequently recorded from the eastern half of Ireland.

Similar: Reed Canary-grass, Phalaris arundinaceae


Reed Sweet-grass, Glyceria maxima       Reed Sweet-grass, Glyceria maxima


Reed Sweet-grass, Glyceria maxima
Reed Sweet-grass. Co. Wexford. September 2010

Please Contact me if you find mistakes. All images used are copyright.