Family: Typhaceae
Author: L.
Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 971 (1753)
Year: 1753
Status: accepted
Rank: species
Genus: Typha
Vegetable: False
Observations: Temp. Northern Hemisphere
Description
The Narrow-leaf cattail, known scientifically as Typha angustifolia, is a perennial aquatic plant indigenous to the temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Originally described in 1753 by the botanist Carl Linnaeus, its foundational mention can be found in Linnaeus’ seminal work, “Species Plantarum” on page 971.
This plant species is a member of the Typhaceae family and is commonly recognized for its slender, reed-like leaves and distinctive cylindrical flower spikes. The leaves, which are narrower compared to those of other cattail species, typically measure between 0.5 to 1 cm in width, allowing them to grow densely in marshy or wetland environments.
Narrow-leaf cattails play a significant role in their ecosystems, providing shelter and breeding grounds for various wildlife, including birds and amphibians. Additionally, these plants are known for their soil-stabilizing properties, which aid in preventing erosion in wetland areas. They exhibit a remarkable adaptability to a range of wet conditions, thriving in both standing and slow-moving waters.
In terms of reproductive characteristics, Typha angustifolia is an interesting species due to its separate male and female flowers on the same plant. The upper part of the flowering spike houses the male flowers, which release pollen, while the lower part holds the densely packed female flowers that form the familiar brown, sausage-shaped spikes later in the season.
Management of Narrow-leaf cattail populations is crucial in some regions, as they can sometimes dominate wetlands, outcompeting other native plants. However, they are also utilized in constructed wetlands for wastewater treatment due to their high nutrient uptake capabilities. These plants not only clean the water but also contribute to the biofiltration process.
The narrow-leaf cattail is a fascinating species, not just because of its ecological significance but also for its historical and cultural uses. Indigenous peoples have long utilized various parts of the plant for food, crafting materials, and other practical uses. Its presence in wetlands around the world marks it as a critical component of these delicate ecosystems, balancing its role between a beneficial native species and a species in need of managed growth in some areas.
Common Names
Eng: cattail, lesser bulrush, lesser reed-mace, lesser-bulrush, nailrod, narrow-leaf cat-tail, narrow-leaf cattail, narrowleaf cattail, small reed-mace, narrow-leaved cattail, lesser reedmace
Deu: schmalblättriger rohrkolben
Dan: smalbladet dunhammer
Spa: anea, espadaña
Fin: kapeaosmankäämi
Swe: kapeaosmankäämi, smalkaveldun
Nld: kleine lisdodde
Nor: krutlæsker
Fra: massette à feuilles étroites, quenouille à feuilles étroites, massette, quenouille, typha à feuilles étroites
Nob: smal dunkjevle, smalt dunkjevle
Nno: smal dunkjevle, smalt dunkjevle
Por: taboa, tabua-estreita
Cym: cynffon y gath gulddail, cynffon y gath leiaf, cynffon-y-gath gulddail, ffon y plant, ffynwewyr ellyllon, ffynwewyr y plant, hesgen felfedog, hesgen felfedog goraidd, hesgen felfedog leiaf, rhodell, rholbren calfelfed, tapr y dŵr
Ita: lisca a foglie strette
En: Narrow-leaf cattail, Nailrod, Cattail, Lesser reed-mace, Lesser-bulrush, Small reed-mace, Narrowleaf cattail, Narrow-leaved cattail, Lesser Bulrush, Lesser reedmace, Narrow-leaf cat-tail, Bak dah
Hy: Կերոն նեղատերև
Eu: Lezka hostoestu
Be: Рагоз вузкалісты
Bg: Теснолистен папур
Ca: Boga de fulla estreta, Balca de fulla estreta, Bova mascle
Zh: 水烛, 短序香蒲
Co: Burra cascistretta
Hr: Uskolisni rogoz
Cs: Orobinec úzkolistý
Da: Smalbladet Dunhammer
Nl: Kleine lisdodde, Kleine rietsigaar, Fijne lisdodde, Kleinste lisdodde
Et: Ahtalehine hundinui
Fi: Kapeaosmankäämi, Kapealehtiosmankäämi
Fr: Massette à Feuilles Étroites, Quenouille à feuilles étroites, Massette, Quenouille, Typha à feuilles étroites
De: Schmalblättriger Rohrkolben
Gu: ઘાબાજરીયુ
He: סוף צר-עלים
Id: Lembang (tumbuhan), Lembang
It: Lisca a foglie strette
Lt: Siauralapis švendras
Gv: Bossan
No: Smal dunkjevle, Smalt dunkjevle, Krutlæsker
Nb: Smal dunkjevle, Smalt dunkjevle
Nn: Smal dunkjevle, Smalt dunkjevle
Pl: Rogożka, Pałka wąskolistna
Pt: Tabua-estreita, Tabôa, Capim-de-esteira, Erva-de-esteira, Espadana(MG), Landim(MG), Paina-de-flexa (3), Paineira-de-fleza(SP), Paineira-do-brejo(SP), Partasana (AM), Pau-de-lagoa, Tabebuia, Tabua, Taboa
Ru: Рогоз узколистный
Sr: Uskolisni rogoz
Sk: Pálka úzkolistá
Es: Anea, Espadaña, Aenea, Albardines, Anea basta, Aneas, Bayunco, Bayón, Bohordo, Bohordos delgados, Bohordos enanos, Cepotañas, Ciscas, Cuete, Espadaña de laguna, Espadaña de mazorca, Espadaña estrecha, Espadaña fina, Fuso, Juncia, Moros, Pelusa, Puros, Sisca, Totora, Vela de lobo, Aceña, Vatro
Sv: Smalkaveldun, Kapeaosmankäämi
Zh-tw: 水燭
Ta: சம்பு
Th: กกช้าง, กกธูป, ธูปฤๅษี, ปรือ, หญ้าสลาบหลวง, เฟื้อ
Zh-hant: 水燭
Uk: Рогіз вузьколистий
Vi: Hương bồ lá hẹp
Cy: Cynffon-y-gath gulddail, Cynffon y Gath Gulddail, Cynffon y Gath Leiaf, Ffon y Plant, Ffynwewyr Ellyllon, Ffynwewyr y Plant, Hesgen Felfedog, Hesgen Felfedog Goraidd, Hesgen Felfedog Leiaf, Rhodell, Rholbren Calfelfed, Tapr y Dŵr
Fy: Lytse Tuorrebout
Synonyms
- Massula angustifolia ((L.) Dulac)
- Typha latifolia var. minor (Ambrosi)
- Typha angustifolia var. longispicata (Peck)
- Typha angustifolia var. elongata (Wiegand)
- Typha angustifolia f. submersa (Glück)
- Typha angustifolia f. inaequalis (Kronf.)
- Typha angustifolia f. foveolata ((Pobed.) Mavrodiev)
- Typha glauca (Seg.-Vianna)
- Typha foveolata (Pobed.)
- Typha angustifolia var. calumetensis (Peattie)
- Typha angustifolia var. elatior ((Boenn.) Godr.)
- Typha pontica (Klokov f. & Krasnova)
Distribution
- Algeria (native)
- Altay (native)
- Arkansas (native)
- Austria (native)
- Baltic States (native)
- Belarus (native)
- Belgium (native)
- British Columbia (native)
- Bulgaria (native)
- California (native)
- Central European Rus (native)
- China North-Central (native)
- China South-Central (native)
- China Southeast (native)
- Colorado (native)
- Connecticut (native)
- Corse (native)
- Czechoslovakia (native)
- Delaware (native)
- Denmark (native)
- East Aegean Is. (native)
- East European Russia (native)
- Finland (native)
- France (native)
- Germany (native)
- Great Britain (native)
- Greece (native)
- Hungary (native)
- Illinois (native)
- India (native)
- Indiana (native)
- Inner Mongolia (native)
- Iowa (native)
- Ireland (native)
- Irkutsk (native)
- Italy (native)
- Japan (native)
- Kansas (native)
- Kazakhstan (native)
- Kentucky (native)
- Kirgizstan (native)
- Korea (native)
- Krasnoyarsk (native)
- Krym (native)
- Lebanon-Syria (native)
- Maine (native)
- Manchuria (native)
- Manitoba (native)
- Maryland (native)
- Masachusettes (native)
- Mexico Central (native)
- Mexico Northwest (native)
- Michigan (native)
- Minnesota (native)
- Mississippi (native)
- Missouri (native)
- Mongolia (native)
- Morocco (native)
- Myanmar (native)
- Nansei-shoto (native)
- Nebraska (native)
- Netherlands (native)
- Nevada (native)
- New Brunswick (native)
- New Hampshire (native)
- New Jersey (native)
- New Mexico (native)
- New York (native)
- North Carolina (native)
- North Caucasus (native)
- North Dakota (native)
- North European Russi (native)
- Northwest European R (native)
- Norway (native)
- Nova Scotia (native)
- Ohio (native)
- Oklahoma (native)
- Ontario (native)
- Oregon (native)
- Palestine (native)
- Pennsylvania (native)
- Poland (native)
- Portugal (native)
- Prince Edward I. (native)
- Québec (native)
- Rhode I. (native)
- Romania (native)
- Sardegna (native)
- Saskatchewan (native)
- Sicilia (native)
- South Carolina (native)
- South Dakota (native)
- South European Russi (native)
- Spain (native)
- Sweden (native)
- Switzerland (native)
- Tadzhikistan (native)
- Tennessee (native)
- Transcaucasus (native)
- Turkey (native)
- Turkey-in-Europe (native)
- Tuva (native)
- Ukraine (native)
- Uzbekistan (native)
- Vermont (native)
- Virginia (native)
- Washington (native)
- West Himalaya (native)
- West Siberia (native)
- West Virginia (native)
- Wisconsin (native)
- Wyoming (native)
- Xinjiang (native)
- Yugoslavia (native)
- Khabarovsk (introduced)
- Primorye (introduced)
Additional Images
Leaf
Taken Jun 15, 2022 by Ana Paula Ana Paula Pereira (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 20, 2022 by Yam Gad (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 30, 2021 by Daniel (cc-by-sa)
Taken Feb 5, 2022 by Jens (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jan 2, 2021 by Darren Giddins (cc-by-sa)
Habit
Taken Aug 16, 2022 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 20, 2022 by Yam Gad (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 18, 2022 by Jacques Zuber (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 18, 2022 by Jacques Zuber (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 11, 2021 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)
Flower
Taken Sep 18, 2019 by Nathanael Renard (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 11, 2021 by Alain Bigou (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 29, 2018 by Annemarie Ahrens-Stehle (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 17, 2019 by Marek Hrdina (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 11, 2021 by Lupo Lupo (cc-by-sa)
Fruit
Taken Jul 20, 2022 by Yam Gad (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 20, 2022 by Yam Gad (cc-by-sa)
Taken Aug 20, 2019 by Karinxxx (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jun 15, 2018 by Dieter Wagner (cc-by-sa)
Taken Feb 8, 2020 by Erranti Andrea Luisa (cc-by-sa)
Other
Taken Sep 14, 2020 by Thierry LE COM (cc-by-sa)
Taken Mar 22, 2022 by Alexander Baransky (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 14, 2020 by Thierry LE COM (cc-by-sa)
Taken Jul 8, 2022 by Easger (cc-by-sa)
Taken Sep 18, 2022 by Jacques Zuber (cc-by-sa)
Bark
Taken Jun 20, 2022 by Fabio Fava (cc-by-sa)
Taken May 12, 2014 by EOL − Zoya Akulova (cc-by-nc)
Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Encyclopedia of Life (cc-by-nc)
Taken Sep 10, 2015 by EOL − Lameace Hussain (cc-by-nc)
Taken Feb 17, 2014 by EOL − Susan Elliott (cc-by-nc)
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
Sources
- WFO (No URL)
- IPNI (No URL)
- GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/5289461)
- POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:259280-2)
- PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Typha angustifolia L.)
Specifications
Growth form: Rhizomatous
Growth habit: Forb/herb
Growth rate: Rapid
Growth
Ph maximum: 8.5
Ph minimum: 3.7
Light: 8
Atmospheric humidity: 9
Bloom months: [‘jun’, ‘jul’, ‘aug’]
Soil nutriments: 6