What is "phleum"

Phleum \Phle"um\, n. [NL., fr. Gr. ? a kind of marsh plant.] (Bot.) A genus of grasses, including the timothy ( Phleum pratense), which is highly valued for hay; cat's-tail grass.
--Gray.

Phleum (timothy) is a genus of annual and perennial plants in the grass family. The genus is native to Europe, Asia and north Africa, with one species (P. alpinum) also in North and South America.

They are tufted grasses growing to 20-150 cm tall, with cylindrical, spike-like panicles containing many densely packed spikelets.

numerous species now considered better suited to other genera: Aegilops Alopecurus Beckmannia Crypsis Cynodon Cynosurus Digitaria Elytrophorus Ischaemum Mnesithea Muhlenbergia Pennisetum Pentameris Phalaris Polypogon Polytrias Sesleria Tribolium