Typha angustifolia

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Typha angustifolia
2014-06-22 Lesser Bulrush, Northumberland 1.jpg
Foliage and flowering stem; note the gap between the female (lower section, brown) and male (upper, yellowish) flowers. Late June; UK.
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Monocots
Clade: Commelinids
Order: Poales
Family: Typhaceae
Genus: Typha
Species:
T. angustifolia
Binomial name
Typha angustifolia
Synonyms [2]
Synonyms list
  • Massula angustifolia(L.) Dulac
  • Typha angustifolia var. calumetensisPeattie
  • Typha angustifolia var. elatior(Boenn.) Nyman
  • Typha angustifolia var. elongataWiegand
  • Typha angustifolia f. foveolata(Pobed.) Mavrodiev
  • Typha angustifolia f. inaequalisKronf.
  • Typha angustifolia var. longispicataPeck
  • Typha angustifolia f. submersaGlück
  • Typha elatior Boenn.
  • Typha foveolataPobed.
  • Typha glaucaSeg.-Vianna (Illegitimate)
  • Typha gracilisRchb. (Illegitimate)
  • Typha latifolia var. minorAmbrosi
  • Typha mediaC.C.Gmel.
  • Typha minorCurtis
  • Typha ponticaKlok. fil. & A. Krasnova

Typha angustifolia is a perennial herbaceous plant in the genus Typha , native throughout most of Eurasia and locally in northwest Africa; it also occurs widely in North America, where its native status is disputed. It is an "obligate wetland" species that is found in fresh water or brackish locations. It is known in English as lesser bulrush, [3] [4] [5] and in American as narrowleaf cattail. [6]

Contents

Description

Typha angustifolia grows 1.5–2 metres (4 ft 11 in – 6 ft 7 in) high (rarely to 3 m) and has slender leaves 3–12 mm (0.12–0.47 in) broad, obviously slenderer than in the related Typha latifolia ; ten or fewer leaves arise from each vegetative shoot. The leaves are deciduous, appearing in spring and dying down in the autumn. [4] [7] [8] The flowering stem is 1–1.5 metres (3 ft 3 in – 4 ft 11 in) tall, distinctly shorter than the leaves and hidden among them, unlike Typha latifolia where the flowering stem is as tall as or taller than the leaves. The flowers form in a dense cluster at the top of the main stem; they are divided into a female portion below, and a tassel of male flowers above; the female and male parts are separated by a gap of 3–8 centimetres (1.2–3.1 in) (rarely to 12 cm) of bare stem, which distinguishes the species readily from Typha latifolia where there is no gap between the female and male flowers. [4] [7] Flowering is in June to July; after this, the male portion falls off, leaving the female portion to form a rusty-brown fruit head 13–25 mm diameter, maturing into the familiar sausage-shaped spike. The gap between the female and male flowers remains visible as a smooth part at the base of the spike that held the male flowers. The seed heads persist through the winter, and then gradually break up in spring to release the tiny seeds embedded in hairs which assist with wind dispersal. [4] [8] [9] The plants have sturdy, rhizomatous roots that can extend 70 centimetres (28 in) and are typically 2–4 centimetres (0.79–1.57 in) diameter. [8]

Distribution

Typha angustifolia, mature fruiting stems, Volgograd Reservoir, Russia Typha angustifolia (habitus) 1.jpg
Typha angustifolia, mature fruiting stems, Volgograd Reservoir, Russia

The species is universally accepted to be native across most of Eurasia, and in the far northwest of Africa, where it is widely distributed in temperate and subtropical regions, growing in marshes, wetlands, and along the edges of ponds and lakes. [2] Its status in North America, accepted as native by some, [2] remains far from clear. In 1987 it was argued that the species was introduced from Europe to North America, with a human-mediated arrival on the east coast between 1800–1820. [10] Later, pollen data gave credence to the idea that the species was present in North America pre-contact, [11] but subsequent examination of this question suggests it remains very uncertain: "T. angustifolia is likely not native with European origins", with the species no more than "possibly native to the tidal wetlands of the eastern seaboard". [12] Within North America, it is also thought to have spread recently from coastal to inland locations. [13]

The geographic range of Typha angustifolia overlaps with the very similar species Typha latifolia . T. angustifolia can be distinguished from T. latifolia by its narrower leaves and by a clear separation of two different regions (staminate flowers above and pistilate flowers below) on the flowering heads. [4] T. angustifolia often occurs in deeper water than T. latifolia, and is more tolerant of wetlands with low eutrophication conditions. [4] [3]

The two species can produce hybrids, named as Typha × glauca (Typha angustifolia x T. latifolia); it is a sterile F1 hybrid, which reproduces only vegetatively, forming clonal colonies, which may be extensive. [14]

Culinary use

Several parts of the plant are edible, including during various seasons the dormant sprouts on roots and bases of leaves, the inner core of the stalk, green bloom spikes, ripe pollen, and starchy roots. [15] [16] It can be prepared in the same way as Typha latifolia. [17] The edible stem is called bồn bồn in Vietnam. photo

Related Research Articles

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<i>Typha latifolia</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Typhaceae

Typha latifolia is a perennial herbaceous wetland plant in the genus Typha. It is known in English as bulrush, and in American as broadleaf cattail. It is found as a native plant species throughout most of Eurasia and North America, and more locally in Africa and South America. The genome of T. latifolia was published in 2022.

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<i>Rumex acetosella</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Iris pseudacorus</i> West Eurasian species of iris

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<i>Lamium amplexicaule</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Iris versicolor</i> Species of plant

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<i>Hemerocallis fulva</i> Species of flowering plant in the family Asphodelaceae

Hemerocallis fulva, the orange day-lily, tawny daylily, corn lily, tiger daylily, fulvous daylily, ditch lily or Fourth of July lily, is a species of daylily native to Asia. It is very widely grown as an ornamental plant in temperate climates for its showy flowers and ease of cultivation. It is not a true lily in the genus Lilium, but gets its common name from the superficial similarity of its flowers to Lilium and from the fact that each flower lasts only one day.

<i>Impatiens pallida</i> Species of flowering plant

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<i>Phragmites australis</i> Species of grass commonly known as reed

Phragmites australis, known as the common reed, is a species of flowering plant in the grass family Poaceae. It is a wetland grass that can grow up to 20 feet tall and has a cosmopolitan distribution worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Juncus xiphioides</span> Species of grass

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<i>Blitum nuttallianum</i> Species of flowering plant

Blitum nuttallianum, is a species of flowering plant in the amaranth family known by the common names povertyweed and Nuttall's povertyweed. It is native to North America, where it is widespread and common from Alaska to Mexico to New England. It can be found in many types of habitat, including disturbed areas, often favoring wet places. It is a fleshy annual herb producing two or more erect, reddish, hairless stems up to about 40 centimeters tall. The thick lance-shaped or arrowhead-shaped leaves are up to 4 centimeters in length. Clusters of several rounded flowers each appear in the leaf axils and yield small fruits about 2 millimeters wide.

<i>Typha domingensis</i> Species of plant

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<i>Yucca glauca</i> Species of flowering plant

Yucca glauca is a species of perennial evergreen plant, adapted to xeric (dry) growth conditions. It is also known as small soapweed, soapweed yucca, Spanish bayonet, and Great Plains yucca.

<i>Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani</i> Species of grass-like plant

Schoenoplectus tabernaemontani is a species of flowering plant in the sedge family known by the common names softstem bulrush, grey club-rush, and great bulrush. It can be found throughout much of the world; it has been reported from every state in the United States, and from every province and territory in Canada except Nunavut. It grows in moist and wet habitat, and sometimes in shallow water.

<i>Typha minima</i> Species of aquatic plant

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<i>Medeola</i> Genus of flowering plants

Medeola virginiana, known as Indian cucumber, cucumber root, or Indian cucumber-root, is an eastern North American plant species in the lily family, Liliaceae. It is the only currently recognized plant species in the genus Medeola. It grows in the understory of forests. The plant bears edible rhizomes that have a mild cucumber-like flavor.

<i>Typha <span style="font-style:normal;">×</span> glauca</i> Species of aquatic plant

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References

  1. Zhuang, X. (2011). "Typha angustifolia". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2011: e.T164199A5772487. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Typha angustifolia". Plants of the World Online . Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew . Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  3. 1 2 P.A. Stroh; T. A. Humphrey; R.J. Burkmar; O.L. Pescott; D.B. Roy; K.J. Walker, eds. (2020). "Lesser Bulrush Typha angustifolia L." BSBI Online Plant Atlas 2020. Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Streeter D, Hart-Davies C, Hardcastle A, Cole F, Harper L. 2009. Collins Flower Guide. Harper Collins ISBN   9-78-000718389-0
  5. Aaron Kitching. "Lesser Bulrush". Wild Flower Web. Retrieved 15 June 2024.
  6. USDA, NRCS (n.d.). "Typha angustifolia". The PLANTS Database (plants.usda.gov). Greensboro, North Carolina: National Plant Data Team. Retrieved 12 December 2015.
  7. 1 2 Blamey, M. & Grey-Wilson, C. (1989). Flora of Britain and Northern Europe. ISBN   0-340-40170-2
  8. 1 2 3 Murphy, Kevin (7 January 2022), Typha angustifolia (lesser bulrush), CABI Publishing, doi: 10.1079/cabicompendium.54294
  9. "Bulrushes". Flora of East Anglia. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  10. Stuckey, R. L.; Salamon, D. P. (1987). "Typha angustifolia in North America: masquerading as a native". Ohio Journal of Science. 87: 4. Retrieved 22 October 2024.
  11. Shih, Jessica G.; Finkelstein, Sarah A. (2008). "Range dynamics and invasive tendencies in Typha latifolia and Typha angustifolia in eastern North America derived from herbarium and pollen records". Wetlands. 28 (1): 1–16. Bibcode:2008Wetl...28....1S. doi:10.1672/07-40.1.
  12. Bansal, Sheel; et al. (21 June 2019). "Typha (Cattail) Invasion in North American Wetlands: Biology, Regional Problems, Impacts, Ecosystem Services, and Management". Wetlands. 39 (4). Springer Science and Business Media LLC: 645–684. doi: 10.1007/s13157-019-01174-7 . ISSN   0277-5212.
  13. Mills, Edward L.; Leach, Joseph H.; Carlton, James T.; Secor, Carol L. (1993). "Exotic Species in the Great Lakes: A History of Biotic Crises and Anthropogenic Introductions". Journal of Great Lakes Research. 19 (1): 46. Bibcode:1993JGLR...19....1M. doi:10.1016/S0380-1330(93)71197-1 . Retrieved 21 October 2013. The distributional history of the narrow-leaved cattail, a brackish water species native to the Atlantic coast, is debatable. The plant is thought to have invaded inland slowly with the early canal, railroad, and highway systems. It began a rapid inland expansion in through Central New York in the first half of the 20th Century when the de-icing of highways using salt became more widespread.
  14. P.A. Stroh; T. A. Humphrey; R.J. Burkmar; O.L. Pescott; D.B. Roy; K.J. Walker, eds. (2020). "Typha angustifolia × latifolia = T. × ⁠glauca Godr". BSBI Online Plant Atlas 2020. Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  15. Elias, Thomas S.; Dykeman, Peter A. (2009) [1982]. Edible Wild Plants. New York, NY: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. pp. 69–70. ISBN   978-1-4027-6715-9.
  16. "Typha angustifolia - Small reed mace". Plants for a Future. Retrieved 16 March 2011.
  17. Elias, Thomas S.; Dykeman, Peter A. (2009) [1982]. Edible Wild Plants: A North American Field Guide to Over 200 Natural Foods. New York: Sterling. p. 69. ISBN   978-1-4027-6715-9. OCLC   244766414.