Phragmites

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Phragmites
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Phragmites, what are they?

• A wetland species found across the United States
• It is also known as a common reed

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Phragmites Characteristics

• It can grow up to six meters high
• This plant is very long lived

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Phragmites Leaves

• The leaves are defined as lanceolet lanceolet
  means that they are longer than they are wide
• They are 20-40 cm long and 1-4 cm wide

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Phragmites Flowers

• The flowers develop by mid summer
• They are arranges in spikelets
• Spikelets are very flat and very wide
• These flowers aid in reproduction

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Phragmites
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Phragmites - Types

• Native
• -Phragmites australis
• Non-Native
• -Phragmites communis

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Phragmites australis
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Phragmites Communis
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• Differences
• Between
• Native
• Non-Native
• Species

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Differences Between Native and Non-NativeLocation

• Native Common across the U.S.
• Non-Native Very common in the eastern states
  along the Atlantic Ocean and spreading across
  much of the Midwest and in parts of the Pacific
  Northwest

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Differences Between Native and Non-NativeLeave
Sheaths

• Native fall off in the fall and they are very
  easily removed if they do stay on the stem
• Non-Native the leaf sheaths stay on the plant.
  They are difficult to remove. But can be by
  using a twisting motion.

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Differences Between Native and Non-NativeStem
color at base(spring/summer)

• Native Appears to be red to chestnut in color
• Non-Native Appears to be tan or brownish in
  color

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Phragmite NativeStem During Spring/Summer
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Differences Between Native and Non-NativeStem
color at base(winter)

• Native light chestnut to light brown or gray

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Differences Between Native and Non-NativeStem
color at base(winter)

• Non-Native Tan in color

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Differences Between Native and Non-NativeStem
Texture

• Native Smooth and shiny, it looks polished
• Non-Native Rough and dull, the stems are
  ribbed, the ridges are visible with the naked eye

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Native Stem Texture
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Differences Between Native and Non-NativeStem
Density

• Native Low
• Non- Native - High

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Stem DensityNative
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Stem Density Non-Native
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Differences Between Native and Non-NativeLeaf
Color

• Native Yellow-green
• Non-Native Dark green/gray

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Differences Between Native and Non-NativeRhizome
Density

• Native Low
• Non-Native - High

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Differences Between Native and Non-NativeRhizome
Density Native
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Differences Between Native and Non-NativeRhizome
Color

• Native Yellowish
• Non-Native White to light yellow

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Reproduction in Phragmites
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Reproduction in Phragmites

• Can reproduce by seeds
• Can reproduce asexually by means of rhizomes

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Reproduction in Phragmites

• What are rhizomes?
• - horizontal, usually underground stem of a
  plant that often sends out roots and shoots from
  its nodes

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Reproduction in Phragmites

• Temperature, Salinity and water levels can affect
  seed germination
• Germination means to cause to grow or sprout
• Germination will increase with increasing
  temperature between 16oC to 25oC

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Reproduction in Phragmites
Phragmites - Reproduction
G T U E Y M C R S H B S Y C X Q G M F M P C S N G
A E L V D H D N E U D O R I W H V Y Y Q N H D T J
K C R G X U C V M K T D G Z X B K B E D A Y O W D
U V A M D Q V T O B W L G W W P M F W R F M D A E
W G U S I Z X A Z N J T Z O O J T M H Y A A X Q F
T E T S F N A N I O D Y X H X K V V H L L B P T A
F W U I W J A J H N T K E T M G U M T O A U I S D
A E S S S D P T R W J L A X N A K D U L A P T R I
T G R X N R O F I C S F J Q S J P G B D J S J J S
D B T J B X N L X O M S E E N T U J Q K G F B T Q
C J X A F J O F F M N C X O C P R T D K R W S Q L
L P I R F I I L U X J U B T R F E K H N N A C H S
E S P T P F T F C L A K Q Z M M I Y A O S S X V I
C E E C R A C D D L Z A R D P I G K V U A O P Z H
F L R C N M U P L I S F P E W W O U Z L R Y O Z X
W L X S T R D Y N F Q L R I F L I M I H V O U J V
A F B X L D O A N N J A E Z P N B N L F I B C H A
H A C D R U R T Y V T O K V G J I Z N E C O X C O
Y P N P A C P C Y U U K M I E T O V N N D S A X U
O F D W K A E C R A E F B Q Y L V X G M F J M M L
Z Z B N P X R E I C Z L U R P U R I T R X E O I Y
M V F K V V H C E U T Z Y K J J O E P X J Z S D G
D N I F X P H G N W K D N F P D X D T M P K H Q W
U Q G H X J D O M T U H N K U U U Q K A G M G P B
L L Y H G C H O S C G D W C B I S O V X W S U V A

• Germination is not affected by salinities below
  10 parts per million (1) but it does decline at
  higher salinities
• Water depths of more than 5 cm and salinities
  above 20 parts per million (2) prevent
  germination

ASEXUALLY GERMINATION REPRODUCTION
RHIZOMES SALINITY TEMPERATURE
WATER-LEVELS

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• History
• of
• Phragmites

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History of Phragmites

• During the 1900s rapidly spread and invaded
  fresh and brackish wetlands.
• These plants altered the landscape of the
  marsh-estuary system

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History of Phragmites

• The expansion may have been caused by human
  activity
• These human activities may have led to habitat
  destruction, sedimentation and decreased oxygen
  levels in water and sediment in marsh areas

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History of PhragmitesHow These Plants Can Be Used

• Feed for cattle and horses
• Building dwellings, lattice, fences
• Arrows by Indians
• Weaving for mats and carrying nets
• Pulps for rayon and paper
• Pens for writing on parchment
• Rope Making

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History of PhragmitesHow These Plants Can Be Used

• Thatching, making baskets and sandals
• Brooms
• Medicine

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History of PhragmitesHow These Plants Can Be
Used in Medicine

• This plant has been used in folk remedies for
• Leukemia
• Bronchitis
• Cancer
• Cough
• Diabetes

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History of PhragmitesHow These Plants Can Be
Used in Medicine

• Fever
• Hiccup
• Nausea
• Sore
• Stomach