Thanks, Carol, Andy & everyone else who responded. Through your responses, 
off-list discussions & independent research in the original texts & 
ethnobotanical publications, I have learned/concluded: (1) phragmites 
australis (ex communis) was native to a very broad swath of the U.S. 
Southwest; (2) there was no other native "reed grass" growing in similar 
settings similar enough to phragmites to be confused with it; (3) whenever 
the learned Spanish padres of the colonizing era wrote carrizo describing a 
reed growing in a wetland niche, they were doubtlessly describing 
phragmites, whether in western Texas, NM, AZ, SoCal or Baja.

Bob Skiles
~~~~~~~~~~
Yes, reason has been a part of organized religion, ever since two nudists 
took dietary advice from a talking snake. -- Jon Stewart


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Andy Sewell" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2006 8:25 AM
Subject: Re: carrizo = phragmites native to US?


>I cross-posted part of this discussion to a different list, and got this
> interesting reply, which backs up the archaeological evidence for native
> phragmites. Hooray botany!
>
>
>
> Andrew R. Sewell, MS, RPA
>
> Principal Investigator
>
> Historical/Industrial Archaeology
>
> Hardlines Design Company
>
> 4608 Indianola Avenue
>
> Columbus, Ohio 43214
>
> ph. (614)-784-8733
>
> fax (614)-784-9336
>
>  _____
>
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>
> From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2006 9:08 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: FW: carrizo = phragmites native to US?
>
>
>
> Andy,
>
>
>
> There is no doubt that Phragmites australis is a species native to North
> America. I encountered the sp. at Sheldon's Marsh State Nature Area in the
> early 1970s, when doing botanical studies there.
>
>
>
> But the presettlement North American variety of the species was far less
> aggressive than the P. australis overtaking wetlands today. The native
> variety remains isolated and non-aggressive.
>
>
>
> There is no doubt that the phrags universally encountered today are 
> derived
> from foreign genotypes and are ecologically more significant than the (now
> rare) native forms of the plant.
>
>
>
> Ecological traits in the field count more than specific attributions
> assigned in the herbarium.
>
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
> John A. Blakeman
> Meadow Environments LLC
> 2412 Scheid Rd.
> Huron OH 44839
> 419-433-5639
> [log in to unmask]
>