Typha latifolia L.
common cattail (broadleaf cattail; common bulrush)
Typhaceae (Cat-tail family)

Introduction to Vascular Plants

Photograph

© Adolf Ceska     (Photo ID #5698)

Map

E-Flora BC Static Map

Distribution of Typha latifolia
Click here to view the full interactive map and legend

Species Information

General:
Perennial herb from tough, extensive rhizomes; stems erect, simple, hard, pithy, 100-300 cm tall.
Leaves:
Sheaths tapered to blades, sometimes veined; blades flat, 8-20 mm wide.
Flowers:
Inflorescence a densely crowded, terminal, cylindrical spike; female and male portions of the spikes usually contiguous; the female portion below, brown, 12-30 mm wide, the male portion above, slightly wider than the female; female flowers not subtended by a bract; stigmas lanceolate to egg-shaped; pollen grains in groups of four.
Fruits:
Follicles, dry, dehiscent, ellipsoid, long-hairy, about 1 mm long.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

Illustration

If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.

USDA Species Characteristics

Flower Colour:
Brown
Blooming Period:
Late Spring
Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present from Summer to Fall
Source:  The USDA

Ecology

Ecological Framework for Typha latifolia

The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)

Site Information
 Value / Class

Avg

Min

Max
Elevation (metres)
 701 1 1870
Slope Gradient (%)
 0 0 20

Aspect (degrees)
[0 - N; 90 - E; 180 - S; 270 - W]

 217 3 340
Soil Moisture Regime (SMR)
[0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic;
8 - hydric] 		7 4 8
Modal Nutrient Regime
Class
 D
# of field plots
 species was recorded in:
 212
Modal BEC Zone Class
 IDF

All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in

 BG(11), BWBS(3), CDF(13), CWH(31), ESSF(1), ICH(22), IDF(84), MS(5), PP(19), SBPS(3), SBS(10)

Habitat and Range

Wet ditches, ponds, lakeshores and marshes in the lowland, steppe and montane zones; common in S BC, less frequent in NE BC; circumpolar, N to AK, YT an NT, E to NF and S to ME, MA, PA, NC, FL, MS, LA, TX, NM, AZ, MX and CA; Eurasia, N Africa.

Source:  The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia

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