See also: Reed (homonymy)

One calls reed various plants of the wet grounds of rather big size, with hollow and rigid stem, more or less woody. It is in general about Graminée S, belonging particularly to the kinds Arundo or Phragmites .

A planted place of reeds is a Roselière, biotope very rich in particular for avian fauna.

The common Reed or small reed

Scientific name: Reeds australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud.

Family of the Poacée S (or Graminaceous S) subfamily of the Arundinoideae tribe of the Arundineae .

Also called reed with brushes, this plant is very common on all planet, in the fresh and wet grounds, at the pond and lake, river banks. She likes the muddy grounds and resists the stagnation in water, but is sensitive to salt.

Description: hardy perennial, with drawn up stems, a height from 1,5 to 3 meters, 10 mms in diameter, breaking easily, carrying lengthened, broad sheets from 1 to 3 cm, a glaucous green. The inflorescences group in brown top of the stems of the panicles of épillets of color purplished. This plant multiplies by many rejections resulting from the underground stems traçantes.

Use: the inflorescences were used to make small brushes. the plant can be used for to stabilize the zones prone to erosion, it is also regarded as an invading plant.

The large reed or Cane of Provence

Scientific name: Arundo donax L.

Family of the Poacée S (or Graminaceous S) subfamily of the Arundinoideae tribe of the Arundineae .

It is called also reed with stopper rods. It is a Hardy perennial, originating in the wetlands of the Mediterranean regions, the Middle East and north of Africa, naturalized in the greatest part of the world. She likes the fresh grounds but does not resist the stay in water.

Description: plants with stem woody, from 2 to 3 cm in diameter, very robust, a height from 2 to 5 meters, with frayed, broad sheets from 3 to 5 cm. The inflorescences are made of bunches of épillets of color white green with purplished.

The plant multiplies by rejections resulting from crawling underground stems.

Use: the stems are very much used for the manufacture of fishing cane, of fences, tutors. Adits, they are used for basket making, the manufacture of packing… In the wood of the stems sheers of wind instruments are cut: Cogolin, in Provence in the gulf of the Moors, had been made a speciality of it (and always has it). The canes of Provence are also used to make palisades (canisses) to attenuate the wind (in the orchards and truck farming of Rhone-native Provence, in complement of the cypresses). The plant itself is often planted to constitute quickset hedges (baragnes), or to stabilize banks against erosion, to retain sand on the littoral. The starts-up constitute a rather good fodder for the cattle. This reed can also feed the industry of the Pulp paper.

Certain variety with mixed foliage, are decorative. The underground stems have properties Diurétique S.

The false reed or canary seed reed

Scientific name: Canary grass arundinacea L.

Family of the Poacée S (or Graminaceous S) subfamily of the Pooideae , tribe of the Aveneae .

Hardy perennial of the wetlands, commune in Europe, Asia and in the north of Africa, from 0,75 to 1,5 m in height, with spread out enough final inflorescence. The very ramified rhizomes produce rejections which multiply the plant.

They is used especially as litter, or like basic quality forages. A decorative variety is known under the name of mixed reed.

This species is also recognized to be one of only kind Phalaris to contain DMT, substance hallucinogen powerful.

Other reeds

the aromatic reed

Scientific name: Acorus calamus L. Family of the Acoracée.

It is the sweet flag calame or odorous sweet flag, also called odorous reed. Hardy perennial, originating in moderated Asia, introduced in Europe towards XVIe century, which pushes in the rivers and the ponds.

Used sometimes for the ornamentation of the water parts, it is a poisonous plant.

the reed with feathers

Scientific name: Cortaderia selloana (Schult. & Schult.f.) Asch. & Graebn.

Family of the Poacée S, subfamily of the Danthonioideae , tribe of the Danthonieae .

Decorative plant originating in South America, more known under the name of grass of the Pampa. The reeds and sweet flags are used in lagunage for their cleansing capacities.

the reed of wood

Scientific name: Calamagrostis epigejos (L.) Roth

Family of the Poaceae, subfamily of the Pooideae , tribe of the Aveneae .

Hardy perennials, of wet wood and pastures, with tracing rhizome, from 0,7 to 1,2 m height, also called terrestrial reed or reed of the hills, spread in Europe and Asia.

the calamagrostide false-reed or reed of the mountains

Scientific name: Calamagrostis arundinacea (L.) Roth

Family of the Poaceae, subfamily of the Pooideae , tribe of the Aveneae .

Hardy perennial of the wood of mountain, spontaneous in Europe and Asia, 1,2 height m approximately.

the reed of sands

Scientific name: Ammophila arenaria (L.) Link

Family of the Poaceae, subfamily of the Pooideae , tribe of the Aveneae .

It is the Oyat, hardy perennial from 0,4 to 1 m from top, with very long underground stems, traçantes which perpetuate the plant. The stiff and frayed sheets are rolled up on themselves by the edge of the limb. This plant is very much used to fix the dune S. the stems are used for to make the thatched roofs or to manufacture plaits.

the reed of the ponds

Scientific name: Typha latifolia L. Family of the Typhacée . Also called two-handed hammer , mass of water , stopper rod , reed-of-the-passion , this plant is very common on all planet, in the wetlands. It reaches 1 to 2 meters in height and presents a remarkable inflorescence in form of two ears carried consequently stem, the staminate ear (male) more reduced surmounting pistillate ear (female), brown 15 cm length noirâtre and 2 cm diameter approximately. In winter, one can draw a cotoneuse matter from these ears, which for example in North America was used to produce kinds of layers absorbing for the Amerindian babies.

It is a hardy perennial which, by its Rhizome S, give many rejections. The underground growth of the plant contributes to décolmater and to air the vases, allowing a work of purification of water, even in winter, when the vegetation is at rest, by the bacteria living on the roots.

The large roselières of typhas shelter many birds, of which the Butor, but it is a habitat which has regressed much for 3 centuries with the drainage and the setting in culture of the wetlands.

Uses: ornament of the water parts; clothes industry of roofs, plaits…

Work of the reed

The reed is used to manufacture Anche S intended for the Musical instruments. Is also used it to braid Vannerie S, or to produce brushes. It was formerly also used as carpets posed on the grounds to return circulable of the very muddy zones. In the the Andes, and in particular on and around the Lake Titicaca, certain people have used for 5000 years a local reed (will totora) to make of them boats (caballitos), houses, veils and many daily objects.

The reed in literature

• One of the famous thoughts of Blaise Pascal: “The man is a thinking reed”;
• “”, fable of Jean of the Fountain.
• “the Reed and Olivier”, fable of Esope

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