Yes Ushadi young shoots are used as vegetable. Stalks exude manna-like edible gum. Rhizomes and roots are also edible. Mostly used for thatching, and for making mats and baskets, culms also used for making pens, panicles for brooms.
-- Dr. Gurcharan Singh Retired Associate Professor SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089 http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ On Mon, Nov 21, 2011 at 4:56 PM, Ushadi micromini <[email protected] > wrote: > > Gurcharanji...I forgot to ask ... is it edible? > Usha di > ====== > On Nov 20, 7:34 pm, Ushadi micromini <[email protected]> > wrote: > > Reeds are also very common along the marshes along NJ turnpike ... > > across from Manhattan down to the Delaware valley... but the species > > there is I think P. australis... inflorescence is abit more bulky and > > longer than p. communis... > > but regardless, bird watchers love these stands.. breeding and feeding > > grounds for many birds... > > > > thanks for these pictures.. > > Usha di > > ====== > > > > On Nov 20, 6:51 pm, Gurcharan Singh <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > *Phragmites australis* (Cay.) Trin. ex Steud., Nom. Bot., ed. 2, 2:324. > > > 1841. > > > syn: *Phragmites* *communis* Trin.; *Arundo* *australis* Cay. > > > > > Tall perennial reed up to 5 m tall; leaf-blades up to 60 cm long, up > to 3 > > > cm broad with filiform tip; panicle up to 50 cm long, up to 20 cm > broad; > > > spikelets 12-16 mm long with up to 10 mm long silky rhachilla hairs; > upper > > > glume lanceolate 5-9 mm long, apiculate; lemma narrowly lanceolate, up > to > > > 12 mm long. > > > > > Common in Kashmir valley in ponds and banks of Dal Lake, Nagin Lake and > > > other lakes in the Valley. Photographed from Banks of Nagin Lake in > > > Kashmir. > > > > > -- > > > Dr. Gurcharan Singh > > > Retired Associate Professor > > > SGTB Khalsa College, University of Delhi, Delhi-110007 > > > Res: 932 Anand Kunj, Vikas Puri, New Delhi-110018. > > > Phone: 011-25518297 Mob: 9810359089http://people.du.ac.in/~singhg45/ > > > > > Phragmites-communis-Nagin-Kashmir-1-P1110786.jpg > > > 493KViewDownload > > > > > Phragmites-communis-Nagin-Kashmir-2-DSC06618.jpg > > > 207KViewDownload > > > > > Phragmites-communis-Nagin-Kashmir-3-DSC06620.jpg > > > 281KViewDownload > > > > > Phragmites-communis-Nagin-Kashmir-4-DSC06626.jpg > > > 232KViewDownload >
