Typha
(the old Greek name used by Theophrastus). Bullrush; Cat's Tail; Club-rush; Reed Mace. ORD. Typhaceae. A genus comprising about ten species of slender or robust, stove or hardy, marsh-loving herbs, found in tropical and temperate regions. Male and female spadices similar, superposed, nearly terminating the peduncle, caducous or remote, naked or with a very caducous, stipitate spathe; peduncle erect, terete, straight, slender or robust, undivided. Radical leaves elongated-linear, rather thick and spongy; cauline ones few, shorter. The two British species, which thrive in rivers, ditches, and ponds, are here described. They may be increased by seeds, sown in a pot plunged nearly to the level of the soil in water; or by division of the rhizomes.
T. angustifolia (narrow-leaved). Small Bullrush. fl. brown; spikes 1/2in. to 3/4in. in diameter, separated by 1/2in. to 1in., the female often interrupted. July. l. 1/4in. to 3/4in. broad, dark green, not glaucous, convex beneath, channelled towards the base. Plant smaller in all its parts than T. latifolia. (Sy. En. B. 1386.) T. latifolia (broad-leaved). Cat-o'-nine-tails; Marsh Beetle; Reed Mace, &c. fl. dark brown; spikes 6in. to nearly 12in. long, 1in. in diameter, contiguous or nearly so, silky from the copious filiform perianth scales. July and August. l. distichous, 3ft. to 6ft. long, 3/4in. to 1 1/2in. broad, linear, obtuse, nearly flat, sub-glaucous. Stem 3ft. to 7ft. high, terete. (Sy. En. B. 1385.)