What is the meaning of canary grass?

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noun

any of various grasses of the genus Phalaris, as P. canariensis, native to the Canary Islands, bearing seed used as food for cage birds, or P. arundinacea(reed canary grass ), used throughout the Northern Hemisphere as fodder.

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Origin of canary grass

First recorded in 1660–70

Words nearby canary grass

Canarese, Canaries Current, canary, canarybird flower, canary creeper, canary grass, Canary Islands, canary seed, canary yellow, Canasa, canasta

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use canary grass in a sentence

  • The one caveat: Asprey advises only buying butter made from grass-fed or pastured cows.

  • A tugboat improbably sits high on the bank, obscured by tall grass, a broken oil rig hangs over the water nearby.

  • Thus far, the most talked-about Green Friday hotspot is Denver dispensary the Grass Station.

  • I really turned on in particular to James Joyce, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, and Günter Grass.

  • As they passed the runway, bullets shot up from the tall grass, puncturing a fuel tank.

  • The grass had a delightful fragrance, like new-mown hay, and was neatly wound around the tunnel, like the inside of a bird's-nest.

  • She threw out her arms as if swimming when she walked, beating the tall grass as one strikes out in the water.

  • The weed growing over every water, and at the bank of the river, shall be pulled up before all grass.

  • Everywhere cattle were being sold for a trifle, as there was no grass upon which they could feed.

  • We squatted in the long grass and buck-brush, listening, and a few seconds later heard a horse snort distinctly.

British Dictionary definitions for canary grass


noun

any of various grasses of the genus Phalaris, esp P. canariensis, that is native to Europe and N Africa and has straw-coloured seeds used as birdseed

reed canary grassa related plant, Phalaris arundinacea, used as fodder throughout the N hemisphere

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Canary-grass definition

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Any of several grasses of the genus Phalaris, especially the annual P. canariensis of the Mediterranean region and the Canary Islands, widely grown for its seed, used as food for cage birds.

noun

An annual European grass (Phalaris canariensis) with thimble-shaped heads of seeds (canary seed) used as food for cage birds.

noun

Alternative Forms

Alternative Form of canary-grass - canarygrass

Other Word Forms

Noun

Canary-grass Sentence Examples

  • They also decrease the specific gravity, so that the grain is more readily carried by the wind, especially when, as in Briza, the glume has a large surface compared with the size of the grain, or when, as in H olcus, empty glumes also take part; in Canary grass (Phalaris) the large empty glumes bear a membranous wing on the keel.

  • Where grazing has been limited the number of species is higher, with reed canary-grass and stone bramble.

  • They can be planted with clumps of reed, reed canary grass or other marginal vegetation.

  • Fens around lough margins may have common reed or reed canary grass.

Canary grass
What is the meaning of canary grass?
Rightmost illustration is Phalaris canariensis
Scientific classification
What is the meaning of canary grass?
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Pooideae
Genus: Phalaris
Species:

P. canariensis

Binomial name
Phalaris canariensis

L.

Canary grass is a plant, Phalaris canariensis, belonging to the family Poaceae. Originally a native of the Mediterranean region, it is now grown commercially in several parts of the world for birdseed.

Description[edit]

Phalaris canariensis resembles Phalaris arundinacea (reed canary grass), a perennial forage crop and a wild grass. Although heads of both crops are panicles, Phalaris canariensis heads resemble club wheat. This large, coarse grass has erect, hairless stems, usually from 2 to 6 feet (0.61 to 1.83 m) tall. The ligule is prominent and membranous, 14 inch (0.64 cm) long and rounded at the apex. The gradually tapering leaf blades are 3+12 to 10 inches (8.9 to 25.4 cm) long, 14 to 34 inch (0.64 to 1.91 cm) wide, flat, and often harsh on both surfaces. The compact panicles are erect or sometimes slightly spreading and range from 3 to 16 inches (7.6 to 40.6 cm) long with branches 12 to 1+12 inches (1.3 to 3.8 cm) long. Single flowers occur in dense clusters in May to mid-June or August. Inflorescences are green or slightly purple at first, then become tan.

Seeds[edit]

Canary seed output in 2006

The seeds are shiny brown. The seed is used as bird food and is generally mixed with rapeseed and other seeds that cheapen it. It should be kept in a dry place and away from vermin. Industrially, a flour made from seed is employed in the manufacture of fine cotton goods and silk stuffs.

In the Canary Islands, Italy and North Africa, Phalaris canariensis is used as food. In certain parts of Mexico, such as Valle de Bravo, it is prepared and sold by street food vendors as a much appreciated form of atole. However, the seed hulls appear to contain silica fibers, which are linked to esophageal cancer.[1] In 2013, a new hull-less or glabrous variety was announced as a gluten-free food for humans.[2]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Valda M. Craddock (1993). Cancer of the Esophagus: Approaches to the Etiology. Cambridge University Press. p. 202. ISBN 978-0-521-37393-7.
  2. ^ Joyce Irene Boye, Alloua Achouri, Nancy Raymond, Chantal Cleroux, Dorcas Weber, Terence B. Koerner, Pierre Hucl, Carol Ann Patterson, "Analysis of Glabrous Canary Seeds by ELISA, Mass Spectrometry, and Western Blotting for the Absence of Cross-Reactivity with Major Food Plant Allergens", Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 2013, 130617150432002 DOI: 10.1021/jf305500t .

  • What is the meaning of canary grass?
     This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Ward, Artemas (1911). "Canary grass". The Grocer's Encyclopedia. p. 95.
  • Alternative Field Crops Manual
  • Silica fibers in canary seed linked to oesophageal cancer
  • Silica fibers in canary seed linked to cancer in Iran

What is canary grass used for?

Originally a native of the Mediterranean region, it has been cultivated for many years for its yellowish seed and more recently to provide cover for game birds. This grass is used in game cover and is good for pheasants and partridges as well as being beneficial to farmland birds like Linnets and Wrens.

What is the botanical name of canary grass?

Phalaris canariensisCanary grass / Scientific namenull

Can you eat canary grass?

It can be sprinkled like sesame seed and can also be used in energy, meal replacement, and fortified bars; granola and cereal bars; pasta; and snack foods. IT'S NUTRITIOUS: With about 20 per cent protein, it's one of the higher protein cereal grains grown in Canada.

What plant is canary seed from?

Canaryseed (Phalaris canariensis), also known as canary grass, is a cool season annual crop, originating in the Mediterranean region. It has a growth cycle similar to wheat and oats, and has been grown over a limited area within southeastern Australia.