Grass identification please

[Johnny81]

An escape probably, has amassed in large unusual patches in areas on a wayside within an industrial site. A mixture of grassland and wetland species in the area (rushes, willow,ragwort etc).
Thinking it maybe a Phalaris species - unsure, could be something more exotic. Only was able to get a quick few snaps (in the wind) and has gone over which doesn't help. Large some to waist height, some to head height like reeds.

[artdemole]

Could be Phalaris arundinacea...

[Johnny81]

Phalaris arundinacea was my first thought, but appeared in random large circles in the middle of a field (although it does see some water inundation). Vast amounts of Cornus alba there too. A strange site - but reed canary is probably right! Like an idiot I forgot to check the ligules - but I left my grass ID back in August

[Dorts]

Possibly Phalaris, but the flower-heads look much to 'full' for me fo P. arundinacea. Maybe a Calamagrostis sp. or Phragmites sp. ? Worth a look, there's plenty of them.
Dorts

[Johnny81]

Originally Posted by Dorts

Possibly Phalaris, but the flower-heads look much to 'full' for me fo P. arundinacea. Maybe a Calamagrostis sp. or Phragmites sp. ? Worth a look, there's plenty of them.
Dorts

Yes, probably an exotic - struggling with this and I really need to go back in the summer and it may become much clearer then!

I would expect a Phalaris to look like this gone over:

[King Edward]

Looks like ordinary Phragmites australis.

[Johnny81]

Originally Posted by King Edward

Looks like ordinary Phragmites australis.

It does from the pictures but they are deceiving (which doesn't help), many were shorter about waist height and had something non-native about them and no water in site! But has some inundation . You kind of need to see it - I need to go back in the summer or find another Northants recorder who may have already surveyed the area.

[King Edward]

Low height isn't a very good guide - if they're growing in dry, poor soil then they might well be quite short.