At a glance
Essentials
- Size
- It reaches approximately 1.5–3 m in height and its leaves measure 2–4 cm in width. The range may vary with age, sex and population.
- Distribution
- It is native to wide areas of Eurasia and North America, and is present in a more localized manner in Africa and South America.
- Habitat
- It inhabits wetlands and flooded areas, generally in shallow waters. It has also been recorded growing on floating mats in somewhat deeper waters.
Observation guide
What to look for
- 01
Characteristic spike: the inflorescence has the female flowers below the male flowers, and both parts are together, without a bare section between them.
- 02
Broad leaves: they measure approximately 2–4 cm in width; the plant can reach a height of 1.5–3 m.
- 03
After flowering, the male part of the spike falls off and the female portion remains, which matures until it turns brown.
Lighting, age and viewing angle can hide features. If identification affects consumption, handling or conservation, consult specialist sources.
Ecology
Description and characteristics
Typha latifolia is a perennial aquatic plant in the family Typhaceae. It can reach a height of 1.5 to 3 m, with leaves 2–4 cm wide. The inflorescence forms a dense spike: the female flowers occupy the lower part and the male flowers the upper part; both parts are contiguous. After flowering, the male portion falls off and the female portion matures into a brown fruiting spike. Its fruits and seeds are dispersed with the help of the wind.
It grows in wetlands and flooded areas, generally in shallow waters; it has also been recorded in floating mats over somewhat deeper waters. It is widely distributed in Eurasia and North America, and appears more locally in Africa and South America. In an alpine wetland in Sichuan, China, a genomic study identified a clonal population of 103.2 hectares and estimated that its lineage was about 1,900 ± 100 years old; these results correspond to that studied population, not to the entire species.