Phragmites () is a genus of six species of large perennial reed grasses found in wetlands throughout temperate and tropical regions of the world.
Taxonomy
The Plants of the World Online database, maintained by Kew Gardens in London, accepts the following six species:
Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud. – The cosmopolitan common reed
Phragmites bhattacharyyae Kandwal, Uniyal & Rajesw. – Western Himalaya
Phragmites frutescens H.Scholz – eastern Mediterranean region (Albania east to Turkey, south to Jordan)
Phragmites japonicus Steud. – Japan, Korea, Ryukyu Islands, Russian Far East
Phragmites karka (Retz.) Trin. ex Steud. – tropical Africa, southern Asia, Australia, some Pacific Islands, invasive in New Zealand
Phragmites mauritianus Kunth – central + southern Africa, Madagascar, Mauritius
Wildlife in reed beds
Eurasian bitterns are very closely tied to large Phragmites australis reedbeds with good water levels
Three Phragmites australis seedlings: A.) very young, B.) juvenile, C.) the oldest (3–4 months). Roman numerals denote different shoot generations. Sc=scutellum. (From Om Skudbygning, Overvintring og Foryngelse by Eugen Warming, 1884)
Phragmites stands can provide food and shelter resources for a large number of birds, insects, and other animals. Habitat benefits are often optimal when stands are thinner, and management of stands may promote more suitable habitat benefits. Some evidence suggests that a short term management rotation of 1–2 years could maximise bird and invertebrate numbers, while others have recommended 4 to 15 year rotations to maximise benefits, depending on the target species for conservation. Carefully controlled grazing by large mammals like horses can provide substantial benefits for some reedbed specialist species such as moustached warbler and great reed warbler by opening up senescent reedbeds and reinvigorating reed growth.
