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Phragmites (Greek, growing in hedges, apparently from its hedge-like growth along ditches). Gramineae. Large grasses, useful for planting in wet places.

Phragmites (Greek, growing in hedges, apparently from its hedge-like growth along ditches). Gramineae. Large grasses, useful for planting in wet places.

Tall stout perennials with long running rootstocks, strong culms and terminal panicles with the aspect of Arundp: spikelets 3-7-fld. Differs from Arundo chiefly in having glabrous sharp-pointed not bifid lemmas, the long hairs confined to the rachilla-joints, and in that the lowest floret is staminate.—Species 3, 1 in Trop. Asia, 1 in S. Amer. and 1, our species, cosmopolitan.

Tall stout perennials with long running rootstocks, strong culms and terminal panicles with the aspect of Arundp: spikelets 3-7-fld. Differs from Arundo chiefly in having glabrous sharp-pointed not bifid lemmas, the long hairs confined to the rachilla-joints, and in that the lowest floret is staminate.—Species 3, 1 in Trop. Asia, 1 in S. Amer. and 1, our species, cosmopolitan.

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==Cultivation==

{{edit-cult}}<!--- Type cultivation info below this line, then delete this entire line -->

| name = ''Phragmites''

| image = Phragmites australis Schilfrohr.jpg

| image_caption = ''Phragmites australis'' seed head in winter

| regnum = [[Plant]]ae

}}

 

It commonly forms extensive stands, up to a square kilometre or more (known as [[reedbed]]s); where conditions are suitable, it can spread at up to 5&nbsp;m or more per year by horizontal '[[runner (botany)|runner]]' stems, which put down [[root]]s at regular intervals. The erect stems grow to 2&ndash;6&nbsp;m tall, with the taller plants growing in areas with hot summers and fertile growing conditions. The [[leaf|leaves]] are broad for a grass, 20&ndash;50&nbsp;cm long and 2&ndash;3&nbsp;cm broad. The [[flower]]s are produced in a dense, dark purple [[panicle]] 20&ndash;50&nbsp;cm long.

The Common Reed is a very important plant for wildlife and conservation, particularly in [[Europe]] and [[Asia]], where several species of [[bird]]s are strongly tied to large ''Phragmites'' stands, notably:-

{{edit-prop}}<!--- Type propagation info below this line, then delete this entire line -->

In [[North America]], the species' status was misunderstood.  It was commonly considered to be an [[exotic species]], not native but introduced from Europe; however, there is clear evidence of the existence of ''Phragmites'' native in North America long before European colonisation of the continent. It is now known that the North American native forms of ''Phragmites'' are markedly less vigorous than European forms; the recent marked increase in ''Phragmites'' in North America may be due to a vigorous, but otherwise almost indistinguishable European form of the species, best detectable by [[genetics|genetic]] analysis. This is causing serious problems for many other North American wetland plants, including the local form of the species.<ref>http://www.issg.org/database/species/ecology.asp?si=301&fr=1&sts=</ref>

===Pests and diseases===

{{edit-pests}}<!--- Type pest/disease info below this line, then delete this entire line -->

Recent studies have characterised morphological variation among the introduced and native stands of ''Phragmites'' in North America. The Eurasian genotype can be distinguished from the North American genotype by its shorter ligules (up to 0.9&nbsp;mm vs. over 1.0&nbsp;mm), shorter glumes (under 3.2&nbsp;mm vs. over 3.2&nbsp;mm, although there is some overlap in this character), and culm characteristics.  Recently, the North American genotype has been described as a distinct subspecies, ''Phragmites australis'' subsp. ''americanus'' Saltonstall, Peterson, and Soreng; the Eurasian genotype is referred to as ''Phragmites australis'' subsp. ''australis''. Rhizomes of the plant are rich in [[dimethyltryptamine|N,N-DMT]] alkaloids (Wassel et al. 1985).

 

<!--  This section should be renamed Cultivars if it appears on a page for a species (rather than genus), or perhaps Varieties if there is a mix of cultivars, species, hybrids, etc    -->

 

[[Image:Reedbeach_edit1.JPG|thumb|left|600 px| A previously sandy beach invaded by reeds.]] {{-}}

 

 

[[Moses]] was "drawn out of the water where his mother had placed him in a reed basket to save him from the death that had been decreed by the Pharaoh against the firstborn of all of the children of Israel in Egypt (Exodus 2:10)."<ref> [http://cc.usu.edu/~fath6/Moses.htm usu.edu]</ref>

 

 

<gallery>

<gallery>

Image:Phragmites australis1.jpg|Reed stems in flower, in [[France]]

Image:Phragmites australis1.jpg|Reed stems in flower, in [[France]]

</gallery>

</gallery>

== References ==

==References==

 

{{Reflist}}

{{stub}}

[[Category:Grasses]]

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[[Category:Herbal and fungal hallucinogens]]