Arundo donax (Poaceae) Spanish reed, giant reed, wild cane

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Giant reed (Arundo donax) is a grass that can grow up to 20 feet tall. It looks a little like sugarcane, but its leaves are shorter. It leaves are alternately arranged along the stem, and it produces flowers that are long, dense, and plume-like. 

Species description or overview

Information about Arundo donax from IUCN's ISSG/GISD
Information about Arundo donax is available from the Global Invasive Species Database (GISD) (a product of IUCN's Invasive Species Specialist Group [ISSG]).

Giant reed (Arundo donax) factsheet 
Giant reed description and suggestions for control are from the Commonwealth of Virginia (Invasive Alien Plant Species of Virginia).

Arundo donax information
Giant reed images, description, distribution, and risk assessment are from Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk.

Arundo donax on Maui (Hawaii, USA): species information 
This report on the species Arundo donax in Hawaii--with particular emphasis on its status on the island of Maui--includes information about the taxonomy, description, biology and ecology, distribution, control methods, and management recommendations, as well as references.

Giant reed species profile
Giant reed (Arundo donax) resources, including citation database, distribution maps, and publications, are provided by the National Invasive Species Information Center.

Arundo donax description and ecology from GISD (ISSG)
A species description and information about the ecology of Arundo donax as an invasive species is provided from the Global Invasive Species Database (GISD). GISD was created and is maintained by IUCN's Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG).

Arundo donax information
Giant reed ecology, habitat, dispersal, and management are from The Global Invasive Species Database.

Taxonomy & nomenclature

Arundo donax information from the Smithsonian's Flora of the Hawaiian Islands
Information about Arundo donax--including nomenclature and synonymy, and status and distribution in Hawaii--is provided by the "Flora of the Hawaiian Islands" website of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Links from this page include descriptive information about the species, as well as worldwide distributional information and general information about the genus.

Arundo donax information from ITIS
The Integrated Taxonomic Information System ITIS provides authoritative taxonomic information on Arundo donax, as well as other plants, animals, fungi, and microbes of North America and the world.

IPNI nomenclature info for Arundo donax
Nomenclatural information about Arundo donax is provided by The International Plant Names Index (IPNI).

Pest alerts

Giant reed (Arundo donax): MISC target species
Giant reed (Arundo donax) is targeted by the Maui Invasive Species Committee (MISC).

Giant reed (Arundo donax) fact sheet
Giant reed (Arundo donax) description, habitat, biology, and management options are provided by Plant Conservation Alliance's Alien Plant Working Group.

Impacts

Arundo donax impact information from GISD (ISSG)
Impact information regarding Arundo donax as an invasive species is provided from the Global Invasive Species Database (GISD). GISD was created and is maintained by IUCN's Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG).

Risk assessments

Weed risk assessment for Arundo donax (Florida) 
A weed risk assessment for Arundo donax for Florida is presented by The Nature Conservancy (Doria Gordon et al.).

Weed risk assessment for Arundo donax (United States of America) 
A weed risk assessment for Arundo donax for United States of America is presented by The Nature Conservancy (Doria Gordon et al.).

Control methods

Arundo donax management information from GISD (ISSG)
Management information for Arundo donax as an invasive species is provided from the Global Invasive Species Database (GISD). GISD was created and is maintained by IUCN's Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG).

Images

Arundo donax information from the Smithsonian Flora of the Hawaiian Islands
Information about Arundo donax in Hawaii is available from the Smithsonian Flora of the Hawaiian Islands.

Arundo donax images from PIER
Images of Arundo donax provided by the Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk project (PIER).

Distribution

Arundo donax information from the Smithsonian's Flora of the Hawaiian Islands
Information about Arundo donax--including nomenclature and synonymy, and status and distribution in Hawaii--is provided by the "Flora of the Hawaiian Islands" website of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. Links from this page include descriptive information about the species, as well as worldwide distributional information and general information about the genus.

Arundo donax on Maui (Hawaii, USA): species information 
This report on the species Arundo donax in Hawaii--with particular emphasis on its status on the island of Maui--includes information about the taxonomy, description, biology and ecology, distribution, control methods, and management recommendations, as well as references.

Invasive species in the Pacific: A technical review and draft regional strategy (2000) 
The status of invasive plants, vertebrates, arthropods, molluscs, and crustaceans, and options for a regional invasive species strategy for the South Pacific are presented in this series of articles from the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme, 2000.

Arundo donax worldwide distribution from GISD (ISSG)
Worldwide distribution information about Arundo donax is provided from the Global Invasive Species Database (GISD). GISD was created and is maintained by IUCN's Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG).

Books

Grasses of the Hawaiian ranges (book)
A complete list of all species covered in Grasses of the Hawaiian ranges (Whitney, Hosaka, and Ripperton, 1939) is presented, along with a complete bibliographic citation. This book "describes and illustrates 103 of the most important grasses in Hawaii.... There are many grasses, either recently introduced or slow to become acclimatized, that have not yet established themselves on the ranges; these are not here included. Species that are found outside the general range areas, as in summit bogs, forest reserves, and national parks, are also omitted. Keys to the tribes and genera [are also included." ([adapted] from the book's introduction)

Full-text articles

The grasses of Hawaii
Hitchcock, A.S. 1922. The grasses of Hawaii. Honolulu, Bishop Museum Press : New York, Kraus Reprint Co. (1974). 235 pp. illus. (line drawings).

Arundo donax on Maui (Hawaii, USA): species information 
This report on the species Arundo donax in Hawaii--with particular emphasis on its status on the island of Maui--includes information about the taxonomy, description, biology and ecology, distribution, control methods, and management recommendations, as well as references.

Experts

Other resources

Arundo donax references from GISD (ISSG)
References regarding Arundo donax as an invasive species is provided from the Global Invasive Species Database (GISD). GISD was created and is maintained by IUCN's Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG).

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The Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk (HEAR) project was historically funded by the Pacific Basin Information Node (PBIN) of the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) through PIERC (USGS) with support from HCSU (UH Hilo). More details are available online.

The content of this page is based on information last generated on 15 October 2017 by PT. The template for this page was created on 15 March 2004 by EMS, and was last updated on 20 February 2006 by PT.