Flowering Reed (Phragmites australis) is a cosmopolitan herb found on every continent except Antarctica and is considered the most common angiosperm.
It is believed to be native to South America, Central America, North America, Europe, Africa, North and West Asia, and most of North and East Australia. Common names include reed grass, phragmites, native reed, giant reedgrass, ditch reed, cane grass, and bamboo reed.
The reed belongs to the Panicoideae. Currently, only one variety and subspecies[1] is recognized: Phragmites australis var. berlandieri and Phragmites australis subsp. americanus.
Reed is a robust, upright, aquatic, or underwater perennial herb, up to 4 m high (sometimes 6 m), very shrubby, with an extensive rhizome system.
There may also be Stolons. The rigid stems have many nodes and hollow internodes. Alternate leaves, up to 70 cm long, with a ligule up to 1.5 mm long (similar to short eyelashes); flat-leaf, up to 60 cm long and 8-60 mm wide, tapered, rigid, hairless, or often covered with whitish flowers.
The inflorescence is a pinnate and drooping panicle 15 to 50 cm long, often yellowish-brown to purple in color.
