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Phragmites mauritianus
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Photo: Petra Ballings
Near solar pannels, Ngepi Camp, Kavango River
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| Synonyms: |
Phragmites communis var. mauritianus (Kunth) Bak. Phragmites communis var. mossambicensis Anderss. Phragmites laxiflorus Steud. Phragmites pungens Hack. Phragmites vulgaris var. mauritianus (Bak.) Dur. & Schinz Phragmites vulgaris var. mossambicensis (Anderss.) Dur. & Schinz |
| Common names: | Reed grass (English) |
| Frequency: | |
| Status: | Native |
| Description: |
Robust perennial with long rhizomes. Culms to 7 m, up to 4 cm. in diam., near the base, 0·3-0·9 cm. beneath the panicle, almost bamboo-like, many-noded, terete, erect or sometimes floating, simple or more rarely branched, glabrous, smooth, sheathed. Leaf-sheaths longer than the internodes, imbricate and tight at first, later slipping off the culm, dorsally rounded, striate, glabrous or pilose towards the mouth. Ligule c. 1 mm. long. Leaves: lamina15–100 cm, linear-lanceolate, somewhat auriculate at the base, green, rough beneath (at least towards the apex); apex attenuate, somewhat stiff to ± pungent. Panicle 15–60 cm, green or tinged with purple. Branches usually bare of spikelets for some distance from their base. Pedicels 0·5-10 mm. long, filiform. Spikelets 8–16 mm, usually with 4–8 florets; lower glume 2–4 mm, upper 3–5 mm, ovate to ovate-oblong. Florets 4-8(-11)-flowered. Lower lemma 6–8 mm., lanceolate-oblong to oblong; succeeding lemmas 6–11 mm; callus hairs 4–7 mm. Paleas 2-6 mm. long. Anthers 1·5-2·25 mm. long. |
| Notes: | |
| Derivation of specific name: | mauritianus: from Mauritius |
| Habitat: | Along rivers, lakes and dams and in swamps, floodplains and vleis, often growing partially submerged. |
| Flowering time: | |
| Worldwide distribution: | Throughout tropical Africa and the Mascarene Is; also in South Africa |
| Growth form(s): | |
| Endemic status: | |
| Red data list status: | |
| Insects associated with this species: | |
| Spot characters: | Display spot characters for this species |
| Content last updated: | Wednesday 29 May 2019 |
| Literature: |
Burrows, J.E. & Willis, C.K. (eds) (2005). Plants of the Nyika Plateau Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 31 SABONET, Pretoria Page 358. (Includes a picture). Chapano, C. & Mamuto, M. (2003). Plants of the Chimanimani District National Herbarium and Botanic Garden, Zimbabwe Page 44. Fanshawe, D.B. (1972). The Biology of the Reed - Phragmites mauritianus Kunth Kirkia 8(2) Pages 147 - 150. (Includes a picture). Jackson, G. & Wiehe, P.O. (1958). An Annotated Check List of Nyasaland Grasses The Government Printer, Zomba, Nyasaland Page 54. Launert, E. (1971). Poaceae Flora Zambesiaca 10(1) Pages 92 - 94. (Includes a picture). Mapaura, A. & Timberlake, J. (eds) (2004). A checklist of Zimbabwean vascular plants Southern African Botanical Diversity Network Report No. 33 Sabonet, Pretoria and Harare Page 108. Pickering, H. & Roe, E. (2009). Wild Flowers of the Victoria Falls Area Helen Pickering, London Page 97. (Includes a picture). Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 143. Strugnell, A.M. (2006). A Checklist of the Spermatophytes of Mount Mulanje, Malawi Scripta Botanica Belgica 34 National Botanic Garden of Belgium Page 152. Timberlake, J.R. & Childes, S.L. (2004). Biodiversity of the Four Corners Area: Technical Reviews Volume Two (Chapter 5-15) Appendix 5-1: Plant Checklist Occasional Publications in Biodiversity 15 Page 191. |
Other sources of information about Phragmites mauritianus:
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Flora of Botswana: Phragmites mauritianusFlora of Malawi: Phragmites mauritianus
Flora of Mozambique: Phragmites mauritianus
Flora of Zambia: Phragmites mauritianus
Flora of Zimbabwe: Phragmites mauritianus
External websites:
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Phragmites mauritianusAfrican Plant Database: Phragmites mauritianus
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Phragmites mauritianus
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Phragmites mauritianus
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Phragmites mauritianus
Google: Web - Images - Scholar
iNaturalist: Phragmites mauritianus
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Phragmites mauritianus
JSTOR Plant Science: Phragmites mauritianus
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Phragmites mauritianus
Plants of the World Online: Phragmites mauritianus
Tropicos: Phragmites mauritianus
Wikipedia: Phragmites mauritianus
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