Common reed (Phragmites australis) is important from an anthropological as well as from ecological and biological perspective.Since prehistoric times has been used to mark boundaries or construction, in particular for  roofing and it is still the material of choice for thatch roofs, for example of Cycladic windmills. It is abundant in both coastal and inland wetlands and can be seen where the seasonal stream drains into the town beach and in the brackish water in the marshland behind Milia beach where it provides shelter for migrant birds. Phragmites australis is often mistaken for the other species of reed, giant reed (Arundo donax), common on Skopelos. The two can be differentiated by subtle botanical details, but more easily by their windswept appearance and sometimes by size. Phragmites is a native plant but Arundo donax  was introduced in ancient times.