GRASSES OF SCOTLAND. 69 



47. Arunt)0 Phragmites.* 

 Common Reed. 



Specific Characters. — Florets longer than the calyx. (Plate 

 XXIX.) 



Descriptions. — It grows from five to six feet high. The root is per- 

 ennial, creeping. Stem erect, round, stout, and smooth ; bearing 

 fifteen or more leaves, all nearly of equal size, with somewhat rougb- 

 ish striated sheaths, longer than their leaves and without ligules. 

 Joints about fifteen, smooth and polished. Leaves broad, lanceolate, 

 many-ribbed, smooth on both surfaces as well as on the edges, about 

 a foot in length, arranged on one side of the stem, frequently split at 

 their summits, and divided in almost capillar}- points. Injiorescence 

 compound panicled. Panicle very large, at first chocolate colour, 

 at length of a light brown, drooping to one side ; branches half- 

 whorled, angular, nearly smooth, the base of lowermost branches of- 

 ten furnished with a tuft of short silky hair. Spikelets numerous, be- 

 fore flowering, ovate-lanceolate, afterwards spreading, of three awn- 

 less florets. Calyx of two unequal narrow acute glumes (Fig. 1.) 

 with a rib on each side ; the uppermost glume elevated on a short 

 peduncle. Florets of two paleae (Fig 2), the outer palea of lower- 

 most floret about twice the length of the large glume, lanc2olate, 

 three- ribbed. Inner palea short, about half the length of the outer 

 palea, minutely fringed on the upper part. Pedicle of the second 

 floret with long, white, silky hairs, gradually elongated as the flow- 

 ers advance, and finally spreading in every direction, giving a beau- 

 tiful silky like appearance to the large panicle while waving in the 

 wind 



Although this grass or reed has no agricultural merits, yet it is ser- 

 viceable in many points of view. " In Sweden the country people 

 use the panicle to dye woollen cloth green. The reeds are used for 

 thatching, and found to be more durable than straw. Garden 

 screens are made of them, and they form a good foimdation for 

 plaster floors ; they are also in demand by brick-makers. Till the 

 introduction (in the seventh centiu-y) of pens made from the quills 



* Arundo phragmites, Linn. Smith, Hooker, Greville, Liudley, Phragmites commvaisr 

 KocL 



