Native range: From Japan into China, Malaya, Myanmar (Burma), and eastern India. Description: A tall, rhizomatous, clumping grass, often branching, with 1/4 to 1/2 inch diameter stems ranging from 3 to 12 feet tall. Leaf blades range from 10 to 20 inches long and 1/4 to 3/4 inch wide. There is a conspicuous, horizontal line of hairs along the outer surface of the leaf blade-sheath juncture. The open, airy, inflorescence is comprised of numerous small flowers with a distinct silvery-white cast. Flowering season is fall and winter.
Ecological threat: Burma reed constitutes a serious threat to the globally imperiled pine rockland habitat in the southern portion of Miami-Dade county where it is present in every pine rockland preserve outside of Everglades National Park. It forms a near monoculture and quickly outcompetes the rich array of native understory plants that typify pine rockland habitat. Once established it creates a distinct fire hazard by building up an unnaturally high fuel load in pine rocklands.
It also quickly invades road swales, abandoned lots, and other disturbed sites.
Distribution in Florida: Southern Florida, principally Miami-Dade county. It has been found on Elliott Key, Key Largo, and Big Pine Key in the Florida Keys, and in Collier county, and has escaped and persisted as far north as Highlands Hammock State Park in Highlands county.
Background: Burma reed is relatively cold tolerant and has the potential to migrate northward in Florida. It has been successfully cultivated in Gainesville, Florida and Savannah, Georgia where the underground rhizomes survived hard freezes. The date and purpose of its arrival in Florida is unknown.
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