Thatching Reed

Brownish reed; 1m x 1m; no leaves; separate male & female plants
The Cape thatching reed belongs to the family of Cape reeds (restios). This plant was previously known as Chondropetalum tectorum but recent DNA analyses showed that all the species of Chondropetalum actually belong in the genus Elegia. As a result, they are now known as species of Elegia. These plants have a typically tufted reed-like appearance and vary from about 20cm to well over 3m in height in some species. In nature, restios are mostly found in the Western Cape fynbos region.