A reed for use in a reed valve which includes a resilient planar member having a first edge portion by which the member may be attached to an associated reed cage and an opposed second edge portion. The reed includes a generally arch shaped cut in the member defining in the member spaced hinges extending generally intermediate the first and second edge portions on each side of the arch shaped cut and also defining a portion within the member that opens upon bending of the member intermediate the first side and the second side. In some forms of the invention the generally arch shaped cut has two ends and the two ends are closer to the second edge portion than the remainder of the generally arch shaped cut. Some embodiments of the invention may have a plurality of additional generally arch shaped cuts disposed therein. Each of the generally arch shaped cuts has two ends and the two ends of each generally arch shaped cut are disposed closer to the second edge portion than the remainder of the generally arch shaped cut. Each of the arch shaped cuts may have substantially the same dimensions and all may have two ends that intersect a common imaginary line. The member may have a slot extending generally from the second edge portion toward the first edge portion intermediate adjacent arch shaped cuts whereby discrete petals are defined.
