Arundo donax

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Distribution Map: Based on vouchered plant specimens only. View county names by placing the mouse cursor over a particular county.

Species Distribution Map
Family:POACEAE
Species:Arundo donax L.
Common Name:Giant Reed
Habitat:**
Associated Ecological Communities:**
Growth Habit:Herb
Duration:Perennial
Category:Vascular
USDA Symbol:**
Plant Notes:Giant Reed is an introduced herbaceous perennial in the Grass family (Poaceae). It is native to tropical and subtropical areas of the Old World, including the Tigris and Euphrates River valleys in Iraq. It Alabama it has been planted as a windbreak, as an ornamental, and for erosion control. It has persisted or escaped to roadsides, fields, vacant lots, and along streams. Giant Reed is a perennial from thick rhizomes. The plant forms large clumps, excluding most other vegetation. Stems are from three to thirty feet in height, and are hollow. Leaves are alternate, linear in outline, glabrous, with minutely serrate margins. The leaves have a distinct light tan colored wedge at the base of the blades. Flowers are produced in large, dense panicles at the tops of the stems. The panicles are at first tinged with purple and become tan as they mature. The fruit is a grain. Giant Reed is one of the species referred to as ‘reeds” in the Bible. It has been used for thousands of years to construct houses, boats, screens, mats, animal pens, fish traps, and to make woodwind instruments, walking stinks, fishing poles, and arrows. The Marsh Arab culture of the Tigris and Euphrates river deltas depended heavily on this species. In Alabama variegated forms with white or yellowish striped leaves are often cultivated and known as “Fortune Grass”. Supposedly the more white or yellow on the leaves indicated better fortunes for the owners. Giant Reed is listed on the Alabama Invasive Plant Council's 2012 List of Alabama's Invasive Plants.--A. Diamond
Taxonomic Notes:**
Status:Not Native, FACW (NWI)
References:**
Specimen: View specimen details in the Alabama Herbarium Consortium Specimen Database

** Not applicable or data not available.

Classification

FamilyPOACEAE - Grass family
Genus Arundo
Species Arundo donax L. - Giant Reed

Citation

Citation Arundo donax Linnaeus, Sp. Pl. 1: 81. 1753.
Basionym: **
Type: Without data, Herb. van Royen s.n. (lectotype: L 912.356-93). Lectotypified by Renvoize, in C.E. Jarvis et al., Regnum Veg. 127: 21. 1993.

** Not applicable or data not available.

Synonyms

SynonymFull CitationBasionymType
Amphidonax benghalensis Amphidonax benghalensis (Retzius) Roxburgh ex Nees von Esenbeck, in Lindley, Intr. Nat. Syst. Bot., ed. 2. 449. 1836.Arundo benghalensis Retzius 1788. 
Arundo benghalensis Arundo benghalensis Retzius, Observ. Bot. 5: 20. 1788 ("1789"). INDIA
Arundo bifaria Arundo bifaria Retzius, Observ. Bot. 4: 21. 1786. INDIA
Arundo donax var. angustifolia Arundo donax Linnaeus, var. angustifolia Doell, in Martius, Fl. Bras. 2(3): 48. 1878. BRAZIL: Minas Gerais: Estrema, s.d., Pohl 3189 (holotype: W?).
Arundo donax var. lanceolata Arundo donax Linnaeus, var. lanceolata Doell, in Martius, Fl. Bras. 2(3): 48. 1878. BRAZIL: Rio de Janeiro: Quinto near Rio de Janeiro, s.d., Glaziou 4334 (holotype: P?).
Arundo donax var. variegata Arundo donax Linnaeus, var. variegata Vilmorin, Fl. Pl. Terre 90. 1863. FRANCE
Arundo glauca Arundo glauca Bubani, Fl. Pyren. 4: 303. 1901, nom. illegit. et non Marschall von Bieberstein 1808, nec Hornemann 1813.Arundo donax Linnaeus 1753. 
Arundo latifolia Arundo latifolia Salisbury, Prodr. Stirp. Chap. Allerton 24. 1796, nom. illegit.Arundo donax Linnaeus 1753. 
Arundo sativa Arundo sativa Lamarck, Fl. Franc. 3: 616. 1779 ("1778"), nom. illegit.Arundo donax Linnaeus 1753. 
Arundo versicolor Arundo versicolor Miller, Gard. Dict., ed. 8. 1768. INDIA
Cynodon donax Cynodon donax (Linnaeus) Raspail, Ann. Sci. Nat. (Paris) 5: 302. 1825.Arundo donax Linnaeus 1753. 
Donax donax Donax donax (Linnaeus) Ascherson & Graebner, Fl. Nordostdeut. Flachl. 101. 1898, nom. inadmiss.Arundo donax Linnaeus 1753. 
Donax sativa Donax sativa C. Presl, Cyper. Gramin. Sicul. 32. 1820, nom. illegit.Donax arundinaceus Palisot de Beauvois 1812; Arundo donax Linnaeus 1753. 
Donax arundinaceus Donax arundinaceus Palisot de Beauvois, Ess. Agrostogr. 78, 152, 161. 1812.Arundo donax Linnaeus 1753. 
Scolochloa donax Scolochloa donax (Linnaeus) Gaudin, Fl. Helv. 1: 202. 1828.Arundo donax Linnaeus 1753. 
Scolochloa arundinacea Scolochloa arundinacea (Palisot de Beauvois) Mertens & W. D. J. Koch, in Röhling, Deutschl. Fl., ed. 3. 1(2): 530. 1823, nom. illegit.Donax arundinaceus Palisot de Beauvois 1812; Arundo donax Linnaeus 1753. 
Arundo donax var. versicolor Arundo donax Linnaeus, var. versicolor (Miller) Stokes, Bot. Mat. Med. 1: 160. 1812.Arundo versicolor Miller 1768. 

Specimens and Distribution

This species has been reported in the following counties by the herbaria listed. An overview of the individual specimens are provided in the table that follows. Click on the accession number to view details; click on column headers to sort; choose a county or herbaria to filter the specimen data.

Counties included on distribution map: Autauga, Baldwin, Blount, Bullock, Butler, Calhoun, Coffee, Colbert, Conecuh, Covington, Crenshaw, Dale, DeKalb, Etowah, Geneva, Greene, Hale, Houston, Jackson, Jefferson, Lee, Lowndes, Marengo, Marshall, Mobile, Montgomery, Morgan, Pike, Randolph, Russell, Sumter, Winston

Counties represented by specimen data listed below:

Herbaria represented by specimen data listed below: ALNHS, AUA, JSU, SAMF, TROY, UNA, UWAL

Range of years during which specimens were collected: -

Barcode / Accession No. County Coll. Date Collector &
Collection No.		 Herbarium &
Herbarium Name Used		 Image
AUA000015307 Randolph 21 Sep 1986 Nixon, C.F.
3137		 AUA
Arundo Donax L.
JSU156367 Calhoun 05 Oct 1986 Lawler, Carol L.
1378		 JSU
Arundo donax Linnaeus
UWAL0036580 Mobile 23 Sep 2017 Horne, Howard E.
4224		 UWAL
Arundo donax Linnaeus
TROY000011659 Pike 30 Sep 1999 Mims, Melinda
5-99		 TROY
Arundo donax Linnaeus
UNA00065441 Russell 12 Sep 2004 Spaulding, Daniel D.
12166		 UNA
Arundo donax L.
AUA000024450 Russell 12 Sep 2004 Spaulding, Daniel D.
12166		 AUA
Arundo Donax L.
AUA000015306 Pike 10 Sep 1994 Diamond, Alvin R.
9371		 AUA
Arundo Donax L.
UWAL0047080 Autauga 16 Nov 2017 Parker, Matthew R.
1466		 UWAL
Arundo donax Linnaeus
UWAL0036568 Morgan 17 Jul 2017 England, J. Kevin
8211		 UWAL
Arundo donax Linnaeus
UWAL0014688 Bullock 14 Sep 2012 Dykes, Bailee
1289		 UWAL
Arundo donax Linnaeus
UWAL0039901 Geneva 20 Oct 2016 Byrd, Cameron
394		 UWAL
Arundo donax Linnaeus
ALNHS00003629 Greene 22 May 2013 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#1020		 ALNHS
Arundo donax L.
UWAL0010023 Winston 02 Oct 2010 Spaulding, Daniel D.
13289		 UWAL
Arundo donax L.
AUA000015308 Randolph 21 Sep 1986 Nixon, C.F.
3137		 AUA
Arundo Donax L.
TROY000033997 Conecuh 09 Oct 2011 Diamond, Alvin R.
22626		 TROY
Arundo donax Linnaeus
JSU106518 Jackson 27 Jun 1998 Brodeur, Kristin R.
882		 JSU
Arundo donax Linnaeus
TROY000026518 Crenshaw 17 Aug 2008 Diamond, Alvin R.
19789		 TROY
Arundo donax Linnaeus
UWAL0010446 Conecuh 09 Oct 2011 Diamond, Alvin R.
22626		 UWAL
Arundo donax Linnaeus
UWAL0016023 Pike 06 Nov 2012 Diamond, Alvin R.
23548		 UWAL
Arundo donax Linnaeus
AUA000015303 Conecuh 12 Sep 1998 Diamond, Alvin R.
11408		 AUA
Arundo Donax L.
TROY000034213 Covington 29 Oct 2011 Diamond, Alvin R.
22668		 TROY
Arundo donax Linnaeus
UWAL0042861 Baldwin 12 Sep 2003 Larsen, Harry S.
1299		 UWAL
Arundo donax L.
AUA000038124 Morgan 17 Jul 2017 England, J. Kevin
8211		 AUA
Arundo Donax L.
UWAL0049643 Colbert 03 Oct 2019 Webb, David H.
8816		 UWAL
Arundo donax L.
JSU106516 DeKalb 02 Aug 1976 Whetstone, R. David
8833		 JSU
Arundo donax Linnaeus
ALNHS00003616 Calhoun 23 Sep 2015 Barger, T. Wayne
SP#2064		 ALNHS
Arundo donax L.
JSU106517 Etowah 29 Oct 1994 Hodge, Lesley M.
4039		 JSU
Arundo donax Linnaeus
UWAL0033014 Houston 24 Nov 2015 Diamond, Alvin R.
27090		 UWAL
Arundo donax Linnaeus
SAMF0001264 Hale 09 Sep 1979 Davenport, Lawrence J.
1595		 SAMF
Arundo donax Linnaeus
TROY000040836 Greene 07 Nov 2010 Keener, Brian R.
6279		 TROY
Arundo donax Linnaeus
TROY000036268 Bullock 14 Sep 2012 Dykes, Bailee
1289		 TROY
Arundo donax Linnaeus
TROY000011655 Coffee 02 Nov 2003 Thomas, Stephanie
17		 TROY
Arundo donax Linnaeus
UWAL0014534 Marengo 28 Jun 2011 England, J. Kevin
2966		 UWAL
Arundo donax Linnaeus
UWAL0039257 Lowndes 14 Oct 2018 Diamond, Alvin R.
28551		 UWAL
Arundo donax Linnaeus
UWAL0011818 Greene 07 Nov 2010 Keener, Brian R.
6279		 UWAL
Arundo donax Linnaeus
TROY000011654 Butler 30 Sep 2006 Diamond, Alvin R.
16978		 TROY
Arundo donax Linnaeus
UWAL0037681 Mobile 23 Sep 2017 Horne, Howard E.
4224		 UWAL
Arundo donax Linnaeus
AUA000015302 Butler 9 Jun 2006 Hansen, Curtis J.
2597		 AUA
Arundo Donax L.
UWAL0034107 Morgan 14 Nov 2015 Spaulding, Daniel D.
14464		 UWAL
Arundo donax L.
JSU106519 Jefferson 02 Nov 1984 Barber, J. Patrick
1240		 JSU
Arundo donax Linnaeus
UNA00059926 Marshall 09 Sep 1995 Spaulding, Daniel D.
8732		 UNA
Arundo donax L.
TROY000041851 Montgomery 12 Sep 2014 Diamond, Alvin R.
25501		 TROY
Arundo donax Linnaeus
TROY000046123 Marengo 28 Jun 2011 England, J. Kevin
2966		 TROY
Arundo donax Linnaeus
TROY000049416 Lowndes 14 Oct 2018 Diamond, Alvin R.
28551		 TROY
Arundo donax Linnaeus
JSU106521 Randolph 17 Jul 1996 Ballard, J. Mark
6222		 JSU
Arundo donax Linnaeus
UWAL0019703 Montgomery 12 Sep 2014 Diamond, Alvin R.
25501		 UWAL
Arundo donax Linnaeus
TROY000044102 Geneva 20 Oct 2016 Byrd, Cameron
394		 TROY
Arundo donax Linnaeus
JSU106520 Jefferson 02 Nov 1984 Barber, J. Patrick
1240		 JSU
Arundo donax Linnaeus
SAMF0008207 Butler 30 Sep 2006 Diamond. Alvin R.
16978		 SAMF
Arundo donax Linnaeus
AUA000015305 Lee 1 May 1960 Banks, Donald J.
82		 AUA
Arundo Donax L.
TROY000011658 Pike 20 Oct 2000 Green, Clint
5		 TROY
Arundo donax Linnaeus
TROY000047722 Autauga 16 Nov 2017 Parker, Matthew R.
1466		 TROY
Arundo donax Linnaeus
JSU106515 Calhoun 21 Sep 1973 Landers, Kenneth E.
s.n.		 JSU
Arundo donax Linnaeus
UWAL0052131 Sumter 03 Nov 2019 Keener, Brian R.
11691		 UWAL
Arundo donax L
TROY000043873 Houston 24 Nov 2015 Diamond, Alvin R.
27090		 TROY
Arundo donax Linnaeus
UNA00054555 Blount 02 Nov 1998 Keener, Brian R.
1772		 UNA
Arundo donax L.
TROY000011656 Coffee 10 Sep 1999 Martin, Brian H.
190		 TROY
Arundo donax Linnaeus
AUA000015304 Lee 8 Nov 1959 Banks, Donald J.
 AUA
Arundo Donax L.
AUA000018809 Conecuh 10 Sep 1985 Diamond, Alvin R.
 AUA
Arundo Donax L.
TROY000011657 Dale 28 Jul 1999 Pennington, Tiffany
8		 TROY
Arundo donax Linnaeus
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