Giant reed (Arundo donax)

Glagah putih or giant reed (Arundo donax) is a species of plant in the Poaceae, tall perennial reeds, long erect reeds, hard and woody, hollow, growing to form dense colonies in moist, riparian, freshwater and saltwater habitats.

A. donax grows to a height of 6-10 meters and a stem diameter of 2-3 cm. The leaves are elongated, gray or green or white, alternate, 30-60 cm long, 2-6 cm wide, pointed at the tip and have a tuft of hairs at the base.

Flowers have erect feathers, 40-60 cm long and have seeds or without seeds. Most reproduce vegetatively with hard and fibrous underground rhizomes, spreading and penetrating up to 1 meter into the soil.

Giant reed adapts to a variety of ecologies from heavy clay to loose sand and gravel soil, contaminated with arsenic, cadmium and lead. The species has two varieties, Arundo donax var. donax and Arundo donax var. versicolor.

Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Tracheophyta
Subphylum: Angiospermae
Class: Liliopsida
Order: Poales
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Arundinoideae
Tribe: Arundineae
Genus: Arundo
Species: Arundo donax
Varieties: Arundo donax var. donax, Arundo donax var. versicolor

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