Poaceae
Phragmites

Phragmites japonicus Steud.

First published in Syn. Pl. Glumac. 1: 196 (1854)
This species is accepted
The native range of this species is Russian Far East to Korea, Japan to Nansei-shotō. It is a perennial or rhizomatous geophyte and grows primarily in the temperate biome.

Descriptions

Morphology General Habit
Perennial. Rhizomes elongated. Stolons present (zigzag, nodes hirsute). Culms erect; reed-like; 100-200 cm long; 4-5 mm diam. Culm-nodes pubescent. Leaves cauline. Leaf-sheaths loose. Ligule a ciliate membrane; 0.2-0.6 mm long. Leaf-blades deciduous at the ligule; lanceolate; 10-30 cm long; 20-30 mm wide. Leaf-blade surface smooth. Leaf-blade margins scabrous. Leaf-blade apex attenuate.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences
Inflorescence a panicle; bearing juvenile spikelets at emergence. Panicle open; oblong; dense; 20-30 cm long; 5-8 cm wide. Primary panicle branches profusely divided; naked below. Panicle axis puberulous. Spikelets solitary. Fertile spikelets pedicelled. Pedicels filiform; 6-7 mm long; ciliate; with 1-2 mm long hairs.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Spikelets
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 3-4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 8-12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; bearded; obtuse. Floret callus hairs 0.75 length of lemma.
Fertile
Spikelets comprising 1 basal sterile florets; 3-4 fertile florets; with diminished florets at the apex. Spikelets cuneate; laterally compressed; 8-12 mm long; breaking up at maturity; disarticulating below each fertile floret. Floret callus elongated; bearded; obtuse. Floret callus hairs 0.75 length of lemma.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Inflorescences Bracts Glume
Glumes persistent; similar; shorter than spikelet; similar to fertile lemma in texture; gaping. Lower glume elliptic; 5 mm long; 0.5-0.6 length of upper glume; membranous; without keels; 3-5 -veined. Lower glume apex acute. Upper glume elliptic; 5.5 mm long; 0.6-0.9 length of adjacent fertile lemma; membranous; without keels; 3-5 -veined. Upper glume apex acute.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers Florets
Basal sterile florets male, or barren; with palea; persisting on inflorescence. Lemma of lower sterile floret similar to fertile lemma; elliptic; 6-10 mm long; 1 length of fertile lemma; membranous; 3-7 -veined; acuminate. Fertile lemma lanceolate; 6-10 mm long; membranous; without keel; 1-3 -veined. Lemma apex acuminate. Palea 2 -veined. Apical sterile florets resembling fertile though underdeveloped.
Morphology Reproductive morphology Flowers
Lodicules 2. Anthers 3 (2 in sterile floret).
Morphology Reproductive morphology Fruits
Caryopsis with adherent pericarp.
Distribution
Asia-temperate: Soviet far east, China, and eastern Asia.
Reference
Arundineae. Fl China 2001.
[GB]

Extinction risk predictions for the world's flowering plants to support their conservation (2024). Bachman, S.P., Brown, M.J.M., Leão, T.C.C., Lughadha, E.N., Walker, B.E. https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/nph.19592

Conservation
Predicted extinction risk: not threatened. Confidence: confident
[AERP]

Sources

  • Angiosperm Extinction Risk Predictions v1

    • Angiosperm Threat Predictions
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

  • GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora

    • Clayton, W.D., Vorontsova, M.S., Harman, K.T. and Williamson, H. (2006 onwards). GrassBase - The Online World Grass Flora.
    • http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0

  • Herbarium Catalogue Specimens

    • 'The Herbarium Catalogue, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Published on the Internet http://www.kew.org/herbcat [accessed on Day Month Year]'. Please enter the date on which you consulted the system.
    • Digital Image © Board of Trustees, RBG Kew http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

  • Kew Backbone Distributions

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0

  • Kew Names and Taxonomic Backbone

    • The International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants 2026. Published on the Internet at http://www.ipni.org and https://powo.science.kew.org/
    • © Copyright 2023 International Plant Names Index and World Checklist of Vascular Plants. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0