Arundo donax (Giant reed, Spanish cane) Spaansriet [Afrikaans] Life
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> Spermatophyta (seed plants) > Angiospermae (flowering
plants) > Monocotyledons > Order: Poales
> Family: Poaceae
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Arundo donax, Western Cape, South Africa. [photos
H.G.
Robertson, Iziko ©] |
This is the 'reed' of the Bible that for 5000 years has
been used for pipe instruments. It is native to southern Europe and is the
reed used for clarinets and organ-pipes. Evidently the plants in South Africa do
not yield reed of the required quality for making clarinet reeds and so these
reeds need to be imported from Europe (Werner Eichler pers. comm.). The stems
are used for walking sticks, fishing rods and have been used as a source of
cellulose in the manufacture of rayon.
In South Africa, where it is loosely referred to as
'bamboo', it has become naturalised along some water
courses and is a declared a Category 1
invasive plant. The variegated form with striped
leaves Arundo donax var. versicolor has been grown in
gardens but it is now illegal to do so in South Africa.
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