How A Giant Reed Grows So Fast

Plants and Animals





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Despite often growing in water, the giant reed Arundo donax is not particularly wasteful of water, while being astonishingly efficient at photosynthesis. Stephen Bidouze/Shutterstock

A species of giant reed is unique in the plant kingdom, growing with a speed only matched by plants that use a very different method of photosynthesis. For the first time, we have some answers on how Arundo donax achieves its efficiency. This may offer researchers pointers in making more efficient use of sunlight and water.