Not to be semantically confused with : Sweet Vernal-Grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum) Small Sweet-grass (Glyceria declinata), Floating Sweet-grass (Glyceria fluitans), Plicate Sweet-grass (Glyceria notata), Small Sweet-grass (Glyceria declinata), Sweet-Nancy (Achillea ageratum), Sweet-flag (Acorus calamus), Slender Sweet Flag (Acorus gramineus), Sweet Pepper (Capsicum annuum), Sweet Chestnut (Castanea sativa), Sweet William (Dianthus barbatus), Sweet Spurge (Euphorbia dulcis), Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria), Sweet-potato (Ipomoea batatas), Sweet Pea (Lathyrus odoratus), Sweet Alison (Lobularia maritima), Sweet Clover (Melilotus messanensis), Sweet Cicely (Myrrhis odorata), Sweet Tobacco (Nicotiana alata), Sweet Box (Sarcococca hookeriana), Sweet Scabious (Scabiosa atropurpurea), Sweet-William Catchfly (Silene armeria), Bittersweet (Solanum dulcamara) nor with Sweet Violet (Viola odorata) [plants with similar names belonging to differing families]
Some similarities to : Common Reed (Phragmites australis) which grows taller, up to 3.5m and occupies the edges of canals and other wet places but has a reddish-purple inflorescence (not green like Reed Sweet-grass). There is also Reed Canary-grass (Phalaris arundinacea), another plant which likes to grow beside water or in damp places, and that grows to a similar 2m height of Reed Sweet-grass but has a green to reddish-brown tinged inflorescence.
It derives the 'sweet' part of the common name from the fact that it smells sweet which is due to the presence of the benzopyran Coumarin, which smells of freshly mown hay. Coumarin is used as a perfume.
It also contains toxic levels of Cyanogenic Glycosides which can cause poisoning of livestock unaccustomed to its presence.
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