Taxonomy
Family: Typhaceae
Habitat
Marshes, bogs, shallow water of ponds, ditches.
Associates
(angry) Red-winged blackbirds.
Distribution
Nearly cosmopolitan. Found throughout the U.S. but more common inland than T. angustifolia.
Morphology
Rhizomatous perennial to 3 m. Leaves flat, 10-23 mm wide. Staminate and pistillate parts of the spike contiguous, or rarely separated by less than 4 mm; pistillate portion brown, 10-15 cm long and 2-3 cm thick at maturity; pistillate bracteoles lacking; pollen in tetrads.
Notes
Flowers early to mid July
Wetland indicator: Obligate
Hybrids between this and T. angustifolia are called T. x glauca Godr. Hybrids will usually show intermediate characteristics of the two parents.
References
Gleason, Henry A. and A. Cronquist. 1991. Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada. Second Ed.
The New York Botanical Garden. Bronx, NY
Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.
Michael Hough © 2005 |