Arundo L.
Genus composed of 5 species. One of them is widely distributed in the Mediterranean, including North Africa (A. micrantha Lam.), 2 also in the Mediterranean area but more restricted [A. plinii Turra, from the countries around the Adriatic Sea, and A. donaciformis (Loisel) Hardion et al., from the S of France and N of Italy], another probably native to subtropical Asia, today widely spread in tropical areas, subtropical and temperate of the planet due to its strong invasive character: A. donax L., and a fifth, A. formosa Hack., of the islands of Taiwan.
Hardion, L., Verlaque, R., Baumel, A., Juin, M. & Vila, V. 2012. Revised systematics of Mediterranean Arundo (Poaceae) based on AFLP fingerprints and morphology. Taxon 61 (6): 1217–1226.
Sánchez-Balibrea, J., Ferrer-Gallego, P.P., Arnaldos, I., Pedauyé, H., Serra, L., Roselló, R., Laguna, E. & Mateo, G. 2015. Sobre la presencia de Arundo micrantha Lam. (Poaceae) en el Levante peninsular ibérico. Flora Montiberica 61: 79-89.
Key to species
1 Stems up to 2.5 m. Leaves clasping, linear, up to 2 cm wide, upright. Panicle narrow, almost linear. Spikelet (6-10 mm) with 1-2 flowers Arundo micrantha
1 Stems up to 5 m. Leaves clasping, lanceolate, up to 8 cm wide, pendulous.Panicle wide, oblong. Spikelet [(9)11-14 mm] with 2-5 flowers Arundo donax
Updated by: B. Valdés & J. Charco.