View source for Biology:Typha

{{Short description|Genus of flowering plants in the family Typhaceae}}

{{Automatic taxobox
|image = Typha latifolia.jpg
|image_caption = ''[[Biology:Typha latifolia|Typha latifolia]]''
|taxon = Typha
|authority = [[Biography:Carl Linnaeus|L.]]
|synonyms_ref = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/synonomy.do?name_id=270918|title=World Checklist of Selected Plant Families: Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew|work=kew.org}}</ref>
|synonyms =
* ''Massula'' <small>Dulac</small>
* ''Rohrbachia'' <small>(Kronf. ex Riedl) Mavrodiev</small>
}}{{nutritionalvalue | name=Cattail, narrow leaf shoots | kJ=106 | water=92.65 g | protein=1.18 g | fat=0.00 g | ash=1.03 g | carbs=5.14 g | fiber=4.5 g | sugars=0.22 g | calcium_mg=54 | iron_mg=0.91 | magnesium_mg=63 | phosphorus_mg=45 | potassium_mg=309 | sodium_mg=109 | zinc_mg=0.24 | copper_mg=0.041 | manganese_mg=0.760 | selenium_ug=0.6 | vitC_mg=0.7 | thiamin_mg=0.023 | riboflavin_mg=0.025 | niacin_mg=0.440 | pantothenic_mg=0.234 | vitB6_mg=0.123 | folate_ug=3 | choline_mg=23.7 | betaine_mg=1.1 | vitA_ug=1 | lycopene_ug=0 | vitK_ug=22.8 | betacarotene_ug=6 | alphacarotene_ug=0 | betacryptoxanthin_ug=0 | right=1 | source_usda=1 }}

'''''Typha''''' {{IPAc-en|ˈ|t|aɪ|f|ə}} is a [[Biology:Genus|genus]] of about 30 [[Biology:Species|species]] of [[Biology:Monocotyledon|monocotyledon]]ous [[Biology:Flowering plant|flowering plant]]s in the family [[Biology:Typhaceae|Typhaceae]]. These plants have a variety of common names, in British English as '''bulrush''' or '''reedmace''',<ref>Clegg, J. (1986). ''Observer's Book of Pond Life''. Frederick Warne, London. 460 p.</ref> in American English as '''reed''', '''cattail''',<ref>{{PLANTS|id=TYPHA|taxon=Typha|access-date=12 December 2015}}</ref> or '''punks''', in {{wipe|Australia}} as '''cumbungi''' or '''bulrush''', in {{wipe|Canada}} as '''bulrush''' or '''cattail''', and in [[Earth:New Zealand|New Zealand]] as '''reed''', '''cattail''', '''bulrush''' or '''raupo'''. Other taxa of plants may be known as bulrush, including some [[Biology:Cyperaceae|sedges]] in ''[[Biology:Scirpus|Scirpus]]'' and related genera.

The genus is largely distributed in the [[Earth:Northern Hemisphere|Northern Hemisphere]], where it is found in a variety of [[Earth:Wetland|wetland]] habitats.

The [[Biology:Rhizome|rhizome]]s are edible, though at least some species are known to accumulate toxins and so must first undergo treatment before being eaten.<ref name="State of Victoria">{{cite web |author1=State of Victoria (Agriculture Victoria) |title=Cumbungi |url=https://vro.agriculture.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/sip_common_cumbungi |website=Victorian Resources Online |publisher=Agriculture Victoria |access-date=4 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220324200612/https://vro.agriculture.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/sip_common_cumbungi |archive-date=24 March 2022}}</ref> Evidence of preserved [[Chemistry:Starch|starch]] grains on grinding stones suggests they were already eaten in Europe 30,000 years ago.<ref name="Revedin">{{cite journal | last1 = Revedin | first1 = A.| year = 2010 | title = Thirty thousand-year-old evidence of plant food processing | journal = Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A | volume = 107 | issue = 44| pages = 18815–18819 | doi = 10.1073/pnas.1006993107 | pmid = 20956317 | pmc=2973873 | bibcode=2010PNAS..10718815R |display-authors=0| doi-access = free}}</ref>

==Description==
''Typha'' are aquatic or semi-aquatic, rhizomatous, herbaceous [[Biology:Perennial plant|perennial plant]]s.<ref name=Stace>{{cite book|last=Stace|first=C. A.|year=2010|title=New Flora of the British Isles|edition=Third|publisher=Cambridge University Press|location = Cambridge, U.K.| isbn=9780521707725}}</ref>{{rp|925}} The leaves are [[Biology:Glossary of botanical terms#glabrous|glabrous]] (hairless), linear, alternate and mostly basal on a simple, jointless stem that bears the flowering spikes. The plants are monoecious, with  unisexual flowers that develop in dense [[Biology:Raceme|raceme]]s. The numerous male flowers form a narrow spike at the top of the vertical stem. Each male (staminate) flower is reduced to a pair of [[Biology:Stamen|stamen]]s and hairs, and withers once the [[Biology:Pollen|pollen]] is shed. Large numbers of tiny female flowers form a dense, sausage-shaped spike on the stem below the male spike. In larger species this can be up to {{Convert|30|cm|in|sigfig=2}} long and {{Convert|1|to|4|cm|in|sigfig=1}} thick. The seeds are minute, {{Convert|0.2|mm|in|sigfig=1}} long, and attached to fine hairs.  When ripe, the heads disintegrate into a cottony fluff from which the seeds disperse by wind.

Fruits of ''Typha'' have been found as long ago as 69 mya in modern Central Europe.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Bremer |first=Kåre |date=2000-04-04 |title=Early Cretaceous lineages of monocot flowering plants |journal=Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences |volume=97 |issue=9 |pages=4707–4711 |doi=10.1073/pnas.080421597 |pmid=10759567 |issn=0027-8424|pmc=18297 |doi-access=free }}</ref>

==General ecology==
[[File:Kälviä.vaakuna.svg|thumb|upright|''Typhas'' pictured in the coat of arms of Kälviä, a former municipality located on the shores of the Gulf of Bothnia]]
''Typha'' are often among the first wetland plants to colonize areas of newly exposed wet mud, with their abundant wind-dispersed seeds. Buried seeds can survive in the soil for long periods of time.<ref>van der Valk, A. G., and Davis, C. B. (1976). The seed banks of prairie glacial marshes. ''Canadian Journal of Botany'' 54, 1832–8.</ref> They [[Biology:Germination|germinate]] best with sunlight and fluctuating temperatures, which is typical of many wetland plants that regenerate on mud flats.<ref>Shipley, B., et al. (1989). Regeneration and establishment strategies of emergent macrophytes. ''Journal of Ecology'' 77, 1093–1110.</ref> The plants also spread by rhizomes, forming large, interconnected stands.

''Typha'' are considered to be dominant competitors in wetlands in many areas, and they often exclude other plants with their dense canopy.<ref name=Keddy>{{cite book|last=Keddy|first=P. A.|title=Wetland Ecology: Principals and Conservation|year=2010|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-51940-3|pages=497}}</ref> In the bays of the Great Lakes, for example, they are among the most abundant wetland plants. Different species of cattails are adapted to different water depths.<ref>Grace, J. B. and Wetzel, R. G. (1981). Habitat partitioning and competitive displacement in cattails (''Typha''): experimental field studies. ''The American Naturalist'' 118: 463–74.</ref>

Well-developed [[Earth:Aerenchyma|aerenchyma]] make the plants tolerant of submersion. Even the dead stalks are capable of transmitting oxygen to the rooting zone.

Although ''Typha'' are native wetland plants, they can be aggressive in their competition with other native species.<ref>Oudhia, P. (1999). Allelopathic TEMPeffects of Typha angustata on germination and seedling vigour of winter maize and rice. ''Agric. Sci. Digest'' 19(4): 285-286.</ref> They have been problematic in many regions in North America, from the Great Lakes to the Everglades.<ref name=Keddy/> Native sedges are displaced and wet meadows shrink, likely as a response to altered hydrology of the wetlands and increased nutrient levels. An [[Earth:Introduced species|introduced]] or hybrid species may be contributing to the problem.<ref>Boers, A. M., et al. (2007). ''Typha'' × ''glauca'' dominance and extended hydroperiod constrain restoration of wetland diversity. ''Ecological Engineering'' 29, 232–44.</ref> Control is difficult. The most successful strategy appears to be mowing or burning to remove the aerenchymous stalks, followed by prolonged flooding.<ref>Kaminski, R. M., et al. (1985). Control of cattail and bulrush by cutting and flooding. In: ''Coastal Wetlands'', eds. H. H. Prince and F. M. D’Itri, pp. 253–62. Chelsea, MI: Lewis Publishers.</ref> It may be more important to prevent invasion by preserving water level fluctuations, including periods of drought, and to maintain infertile conditions.<ref name=Keddy/>

''Typha'' are frequently eaten by wetland mammals such as [[Biology:Muskrat|muskrat]]s, which also use them to construct feeding platforms and dens, thereby also providing nesting and resting places for waterfowl.<ref>[http://www.iucngisd.org/gisd/species.php?sc=895 Global Invasive Species Database: "Uses"]- Retrieved 2017-03-20</ref>

==Accepted species and natural hybrids==
The following species and hybrids are currently accepted:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://apps.kew.org/wcsp/qsearch.do|title=Kew World Checklist of Selected Plant Families, genus ''Typha''|access-date=18 September 2014}}</ref>
{{Columns-list|colwidth=30em|
* ''[[Biology:Typha albida|Typha albida]]'' – (Afghanistan)
* ''[[Biology:Typha alekseevii|Typha alekseevii]]'' – ([[Earth:Caucasus|Caucasus]])
* ''[[Biology:Typha angustifolia|Typha angustifolia]]'' – lesser bulrush, narrow leaf cattail (America), or ''jambu'' (India)
* ''[[Biology:Typha × argoviensis|Typha × argoviensis]]'' – (Germany and Switzerland)
* ''[[Biology:Typha austro-orientalis|Typha austro-orientalis]]'' – (European Russia)
* ''[[Biology:Typha azerbaijanensis|Typha azerbaijanensis]]'' – (Iran)
* ''[[Biology:Typha × bavarica|Typha × bavarica]]'' – (Germany)
* ''[[Biology:Typha capensis|Typha capensis]]'' – (tropical and southern Africa)
* ''[[Biology:Typha caspica|Typha caspica]]'' – ([[Place:Azerbaijan|Azerbaijan]])
* ''[[Biology:Typha changbaiensis|Typha changbaiensis]]'' – (northeastern China)
* ''[[Biology:Typha davidiana|Typha davidiana]]'' – (China)
* ''[[Biology:Typha domingensis|Typha domingensis]]'' – bulrush, southern cattail (America), narrow-leaved cumbungi<ref>{{cite web |last1=Briggs |first1=B.G. |title=Typha domingensis |url=https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Typha%20domingensis |website=Flora of Australia |publisher=Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment |access-date=28 March 2021 |location=Canberra |date=2020}}</ref> (Australia)
* ''[[Biology:Typha elephantina|Typha elephantina]]'' – (from Algeria to southern China)
* ''[[Biology:Typha × gezei|Typha × gezei]]'' – (France)
* ''[[Biology:Typha × glauca|Typha × glauca]]'' (''T. angustifolia'' × ''T. latifolia'') – hybrid cattail, white cattail (a [[Biology:Hybrid|sterile hybrid]])<ref>{{cite journal |first1=S. M. |last1=Selbo |first2=A. A. |last2=Snow |title=The potential for hybridization between ''Typha angustifolia'' and ''Typha latifolia'' in a constructed wetland |volume=78 |pages=361–369 |year=2004 |url=http://www.biosci.ohio-state.edu/~asnowlab/SelboSnowAqBot04.pdf |doi=10.1016/j.aquabot.2004.01.003 |journal=Aquatic Botany |issue=4 }}</ref>
* ''[[Biology:Typha grossheimii|Typha grossheimii]]'' – (Central Asia)
* ''[[Biology:Typha incana|Typha incana]]'' – (central Russia)
* ''[[Biology:Typha joannis|Typha joannis]]'' – (Mongolia, Amur Oblast)
* ''[[Biology:Typha kalatensis|Typha kalatensis]]'' – (Iran)
* ''[[Biology:Typha latifolia|Typha latifolia]]'' – common cattail – (very widespread)
* ''[[Biology:Typha laxmannii|Typha laxmannii]]'' – Laxman's bulrush – (southern Europe and much of Asia)
* ''[[Biology:Typha lugdunensis|Typha lugdunensis]]'' – (western Europe, southwest Asia, China)
* ''[[Biology:Typha minima|Typha minima]]'' – dwarf bulrush – (Europe, Asia)
* ''[[Biology:Typha orientalis|Typha orientalis]]'' – (East Asia), raupō<ref>{{cite web |last1=Johnson |first1=Peter |title=Wetlands - Reeds, rushes, sedges and low growers |url=http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/wetlands/page-4 |website=Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand |access-date=28 March 2021}}</ref> (New Zealand), broad-leaved cumbungi<ref>{{cite web |last1=Briggs |first1=B.G. |title=Typha orientalis |url=https://profiles.ala.org.au/opus/foa/profile/Typha%20orientalis |website=Flora of Australia |publisher=Australian Biological Resources Study, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment |access-date=28 March 2021 |location=Canberra |date=2020}}</ref> (Australia)
* ''[[Biology:Typha pallida|Typha pallida]]'' – (Central Asia, China)
* ''[[Biology:Typha × provincialis|Typha × provincialis]]'' – (France)
* ''[[Biology:Typha przewalskii|Typha przewalskii]]'' – (China, Russian Far East)
* ''[[Biology:Typha shuttleworthii|Typha shuttleworthii]]'' – (Europe, Iran, Turkey)
* ''[[Biology:Typha sistanica|Typha sistanica]]'' – (Iran)
* ''[[Biology:Typha × smirnovii|Typha × smirnovii]]'' – (European Russia)
* ''[[Biology:Typha subulata|Typha subulata]]'' – (Argentina, Uruguay)
* ''[[Biology:Typha × suwensis|Typha × suwensis]]'' – (Japan)
* ''[[Biology:Typha tichomirovii|Typha tichomirovii]]'' – (European Russia)
* ''[[Biology:Typha turcomanica|Typha turcomanica]]'' – (Turkmenistan)
* ''[[Biology:Typha tzvelevii|Typha tzvelevii]]'' – (Primorye)
* ''[[Biology:Typha valentinii|Typha valentinii]]'' – ([[Place:Azerbaijan|Azerbaijan]])
* ''[[Biology:Typha varsobica|Typha varsobica]]'' – (Tajikistan)
}}
[[Image:Typha-cattails-in-indiana.jpg|thumb|upright|''Typha'' at the edge of a small wetland in Marshall County, Indiana, United States]]
[[File:Typha with-without cotton like seeds.jpg|thumb|upright|{{nihongo|''Typha latifolia''|蒲|gama}} in {{wipe|Japan}}]]
[[File:Ribnjak Jegerseg - rogoz.jpg|thumb|upright|''Typha angustifolia'' at the edge of a reservoir in Croatia]]
The most widespread species is ''Typha latifolia'', which is distributed across the entire temperate northern hemisphere. It has also been introduced to Australia. ''T. angustifolia'' is nearly as widespread, but does not extend as far north; it may be introduced and [[Earth:Invasive species|invasive]] in [[Earth:North America|North America]]. ''T. domingensis'' has a more southern [[Earth:Americas|American]] distribution, and it occurs in Australia. ''T. orientalis'' is widespread in Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. ''T. laxmannii'', ''T. minima'', and ''T. shuttleworthii'' are largely restricted to [[Earth:Asia|Asia]] and southern [[Earth:Europe|Europe]].

==Uses==

===Culinary===
Many parts of the ''Typha'' plant are edible to humans. Before the plant flowers, the tender inside of the [[Biology:Shoot (botany)|shoot]]s can be squeezed out and eaten raw or cooked.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Nyerges |first1=Christopher |title=Foraging Wild Edible Plants of North America: More than 150 Delicious Recipes Using Nature's Edibles |date=2016 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1-4930-1499-6 |page=38 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RwDHCgAAQBAJ&pg=PP38}}</ref> The starchy [[Biology:Rhizome|rhizome]]s are nutritious with a protein content comparable to that of maize or rice.<ref name=Morton>{{cite journal|last=Morton|first=J. F.|title=Cattails (''Typha'' spp.) – Weed Problem or Potential Crop?|journal=Economic Botany|date=January–March 1975|volume=29|issue=1|pages=7–29|doi=10.1007/bf02861252|s2cid=20072085}}</ref> They can be processed into a [[Biology:Flour|flour]] with 266 [[Calorie|kcal]] per 100 grams,<ref name="Revedin"/> and are most often harvested from late autumn to early spring. They are fibrous, and the starch must be scraped or sucked from the tough fibers.<ref name=nova/> Baby shoots emerging from the rhizomes, which are sometimes subterranean, can be picked and eaten raw. Also underground is a [[Chemistry:Carbohydrate|carbohydrate]] lump which can be peeled and eaten raw or cooked like a [[Biology:Potato|potato]].<ref name=Nyerges40>{{cite book |last1=Nyerges |first1=Christopher |title=Foraging Wild Edible Plants of North America: More than 150 Delicious Recipes Using Nature's Edibles |date=2016 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |isbn=978-1-4930-1499-6 |page=40 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RwDHCgAAQBAJ&pg=PP40}}</ref> The plant is one championed by survival experts because various parts can be eaten throughout the year. Plants growing in polluted water can accumulate [[Chemistry:Lead|lead]] and [[Biology:Pesticide|pesticide]] residues in their rhizomes, and these should not be eaten.<ref name=nova>{{cite book|last=Gore|first=A. B.|title=Environmental Research at the Leading Edge|year=2007|publisher=Nova Science Publishers, Inc.|location=New York|pages=106}}</ref>

The rind of young stems can be peeled off, and the tender white heart inside can be eaten raw or boiled and eaten like [[Biology:Asparagus|asparagus]].<ref>{{Cite book|last=Angier|first=Bradford|url=https://archive.org/details/fieldguidetoedib00angi/page/50/mode/2up|title=Field Guide to Edible Wild Plants|publisher=Stackpole Books|year=1974|isbn=0-8117-0616-8|location=Harrisburg, PA|pages=50|oclc=799792|author-link=Bradford Angier}}</ref> This food has been popular among the Cossacks in Russia, and has been called "Cossack asparagus".<ref>{{cite journal|last=Marsh|first=L. C.|title=The Cattail Story|journal=The Garden Journal|year=1959|volume=5|pages=114–129}}</ref>  The leaf bases can be eaten raw or cooked, especially in late spring when they are young and tender. In early summer the sheath can be removed from the developing green flower spike, which can then be boiled and eaten like corn on the cob.<ref>{{cite book |last1= Elias |first1= T. S. |last2=Dykeman |first2=P. A. |title= Edible Wild Plants |year=2009 |orig-year= 1982 |publisher= Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. |location=New York, NY |isbn=978-1-4027-6715-9 |pages=69–70 }}</ref> In mid-summer when the male flowers are mature, the [[Biology:Pollen|pollen]] can be collected and used as a flour supplement or thickener.<ref>[http://tpo.tepapa.govt.nz/mainmenu_english.asp Raupo or Bulrush (''Typha orientalis'').] Tai Awatea. Accessed 15 December 2011.</ref>

===Agriculture===
The seeds have a high [[Chemistry:Linoleic acid|linoleic acid]] content and can be used to feed cattle and chickens.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Reed|first=E.|author2=Marsh, L. C. |title=The Cattail Potential|journal=Chemurgic Digest|year=1955|volume=14|series=3|pages=9, 18}}</ref>
They can also be found in African countries like Ghana.

Harvesting cattail  removes nutrients from the wetland that would otherwise return via the decomposition of decaying plant matter.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Cicek|first1=N.|last2=Lambert|first2=S.|last3=Venema|first3=H.D.|last4=Snelgrove|first4=K.R.|last5=Bibeau|first5=E.L.|last6=Grosshans|first6=R.|date=June 2006|title=Nutrient removal and bio-energy production from Netley-Libau Marsh at Lake Winnipeg through annual biomass harvesting|journal=Biomass and Bioenergy|volume=30|issue=6|pages=529–536|doi=10.1016/j.biombioe.2005.12.009|issn=0961-9534}}</ref> Floating mats of cattails remove nutrients from [[Earth:Eutrophication|eutrophied bodies of freshwater]].<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-10-01|title=The Floating Bioplatforms of IISD-ELA|url=https://www.iisd.org/ela/blog/research-highlights/floating-bioplatforms/|access-date=2020-06-22|website=IISD Experimental Lakes Area}}</ref>

===Building material===
For local native tribes around [[Earth:Lake Titicaca|Lake Titicaca]] in Peru and Bolivia, ''Typha'' were among the most important plants and every part of the plant had multiple uses. For example, they were used to construct [[Engineering:Raft|raft]]s and other boats.<ref name=Morton/>

During World War II, the United States Navy used the down of ''Typha'' as a substitute for [[Biology:Ceiba pentandra|kapok]] in [[Engineering:Personal flotation device|life vests]] and aviation jackets. Tests showed that even after 100 hours of submersion, the buoyancy was still effective.<ref>{{cite book|last=Miller|first=D. T. |title=Edible and Useful Plants of Texas and the Southwest, Including Recipes, Harmful Plants, Natural Dyes, and Textile Fibers: A Practical Guide|year=1999|publisher=University of Texas Press|location=Austin|isbn=978-0-292-78164-1|pages=147}}</ref>

''Typha'' are used as [[Physics:Thermal insulation|thermal insulation]] in buildings<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Dieye|first1=Younouss|last2=Sambou|first2=Vincent|last3=Faye|first3=Mactar|last4=Thiam|first4=Ababacar|last5=Adj|first5=Mamadou|last6=Azilinon|first6=Dorothe|date=2017-01-01|title=Thermo-mechanical characterization of a building material based on Typha Australis|journal=Journal of Building Engineering|volume=9|pages=142–146|doi=10.1016/j.jobe.2016.12.007|issn=2352-7102}}</ref> as an organic alternative to conventional insulating materials such as [[Engineering:Glass wool|glass wool]] or stone wool.

===Paper===
''Typha'' stems and leaves can be used to make [[Chemistry:Paper|paper]]. It is strong with a heavy texture and it is hard to bleach, so it is not suitable for industrial production of graphical paper. In 1853, considerable amounts of cattail paper were produced in New York, due to a shortage of raw materials.<ref>{{cite book|title=Making Aquatic Weeds Useful: Some Perspectives for Developing Countries.|year=1976|publisher=Books for Business|location=Ottawa: National Research Council.|isbn=978-0-89499-180-6|pages=101}}</ref> In 1948, French scientists tested methods for annual harvesting of the leaves. Because of the high cost, these methods were abandoned and no further research was done.<ref name=Morton/> Today ''Typha'' is used to make decorative paper.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Jahan|first1=M. Sarwar|last2=Islam|first2=M. Khalidul|last3=Chowdhury|first3=D.A. Nasima|last4=Moeiz|first4=S.M. Iqbal|last5=Arman|first5=U.|date=October 2007|title=Pulping and papermaking properties of pati (Typha)|journal=Industrial Crops and Products|language=en|volume=26|issue=3|pages=259–264|doi=10.1016/j.indcrop.2007.03.014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Bidin|first1=Nordiah|last2=Zakaria|first2=Muta Harah|last3=Bujang|first3=Japar Sidik|last4=Abdul Aziz|first4=Nur Aznadia|date=2015|title=Suitability of Aquatic Plant Fibers for Handmade Papermaking|journal=International Journal of Polymer Science|language=en|volume=2015|pages=1–9|doi=10.1155/2015/165868|issn=1687-9422|doi-access=free}}</ref>

===Fiber===
Fibers up to 4 meters long can be obtained from the stems when they are treated mechanically or chemically with [[Chemistry:Sodium hydroxide|sodium hydroxide]]. The stem fibers resemble jute and can be used to produce raw textiles. The leaf fibers can be used as an alternative to [[Biology:Cotton|cotton]] and [[Biology:Linen|linen]] in clothing. The yield of leaf fiber is 30 to 40 percent and ''Typha glauca'' can produce 7 to 10 tons per hectare annually.<ref name=Morton/>

===Biofuel===
''Typha'' can be used as a source of starch to produce [[Chemistry:Ethanol|ethanol]]. Because of their high productivity in northern latitudes, ''Typha'' are considered to be a [[Biology:Energy crop|bioenergy crop]].<ref>{{cite journal|title= Production of cattail (''Typha'' spp.) biomass in Minnesota, USA|journal= Biomass|volume= 17|issue= 2|pages= 79–104|doi= 10.1016/0144-4565(88)90073-X|year= 1988|last1= Dubbe|first1= D.R.|last2= Garver|first2= E.G.|last3= Pratt|first3= D.C.}}</ref>

===Other===
The seed hairs were used by some indigenous peoples of the Americas{{which|date=April 2017}} as tinder for starting fires. Some tribes also used ''Typha'' down to line moccasins, and for bedding, diapers, baby powder, and cradleboards. One Native American word for ''Typha'' meant "fruit for papoose's bed".{{citation needed|date=September 2022}} ''Typha'' down is still used in some areas to stuff clothing items and pillows. ''Typha'' can be dipped in wax or fat and then lit as a candle, the stem serving as a wick. Without the use of wax or fat it will smolder slowly, somewhat like incense, and may repel insects. {{Citation needed|date=January 2021}}

The flower stalks can be made into [[Engineering:Chopsticks|chopsticks]]. The leaves can be treated to weave into baskets, mats, or sandals.<ref name=Nyerges40/> The rushes are harvested and the leaves often dried for later use in chair seats.  Re-wetted, the leaves are twisted and wrapped around the chair rungs to form a densely woven seat that is then stuffed (usually with the left over rush).

Small-scale experiments have indicated that ''Typha'' are able to remove [[Chemistry:Arsenic|arsenic]] from drinking water.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Jackson |first1=Jeremiah |title=Removing Arsenic Sustainably |journal=Civil Engineering |date=April 2007 |pages=45–55}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Jackson |first1=Jeremiah |title=Treatment of Arsenic Contaminated Water Using Aquatic Macrophytes |journal=An International Perspective on Environment and Water Resources |date=December 18–20, 2006 |at=New Delhi, India |publisher=American Society of Civil Engineers, Environment and Water Resources |language=en}}</ref>
The boiled rootstocks have been used as a [[Chemistry:Diuretic|diuretic]] for increasing urination, or mashed to make a jelly-like paste for sores, boils, wounds, burns, scabs, and smallpox pustules.<ref>{{cite book|last=Maiden|first=J. H.|title=Useful Native Plants of Australia (incl. Tasmania)|year=1889|publisher=Technological Mus. New South Wales|location=Sydney}}</ref>

Cattail pollen is used as a banker source of food for predatory insects and mites (such as ''Amblyseius swirskii'') in greenhouses.<ref>{{cite web|title=Applying pollen over a crop as an alternative food source for predatory mites|date=January 20, 2015|author=Heidi Wollaeger|publisher=Michigan State University|url=http://msue.anr.msu.edu/news/applying_pollen_over_a_crop_as_an_alternative_food_source_for_predatory_mit}}</ref>

The cattail, or, as it is commonly referred to in the American Midwest, the sausage tail, has been the subject of multiple artist renditions, gaining popularity in the mid-twentieth century. The term, sausage tail, derives from the similarity that cattails have with sausages, a name given to the plant by the Midwest Polish community who had noticed a striking similarity between the plant and a common Polish dish, kiełbasa.

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* [http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/318/can-you-actually-eat-cattails Can you actually eat cattails?] from ''The Straight Dope''

{{Taxonbar|from=Q145707}}

[[Category:Typha| ]]
[[Category:Aquatic plants]]
[[Category:Poales genera]]
[[Category:Cretaceous plants]]

{{Sourceattribution|Typha}}