A taxonomic revision of the Italian species ofPhalarisL. has been carried out. Evidence and information were obtained from the study of living and dried plants, including type material. The attention was focused on the vegetative, floral characters, frequently disregarded, and on the chromosome number. 10 species have been recognized in Italy against the 8 reported in the main italian Floras:P arundinaceaL.,P. rotgesii(Husnot) Baldini, stat. nov.,P. aquaticaL.,P. hirtiglumis(Trabut) Baldini, stat. nov.,P. minorRetz.,P. coerulescensDesf.,P. paradoxaL.,P. truncataGuss. ex Bert.,P. canariensisL.,P. brachystachysLink. Each taxon is accompanied by a description, drawings, distribution maps, nomenclatural and systematics comments.