Page authors: Don Knoke, David Giblin
Typha angustifolia
narrow-leaf cat-tail
Specimens
Photos

Distribution: Occurring on both sides of the Cascades crest in Washington; British Columbia to California, east to Idaho; native from the Great Plains to the Atlantic Coast; also in Eurasia.

Habitat: Shallow, quiet to slow-moving water.

Flowers: May-August

Origin: Introduced from Europe and/or eastern North America

Growth Duration: Perennial

Conservation Status: Not of concern

Pollination: Wind

Description:
General:

Monoecious, perennial herbs of wet places from extensive rhizomes, the stems up to 1.5 m. tall, erect, cylindrical and pithy.

Leaves:

Leaves alternate, sheathing, linear, the blades 3-10 mm. broad, deep green, convex on the outer surface.

Flowers:

Flowers naked in terminal, cylindrical, spike-like inflorescences, the staminate above the pistillate, the two portions separated by 0.5-4 cm.; staminate flowers consisting of 2-5 stamens borne directly on the main axis, intermixed with slender hairs; pistillate flowers a single, 1-celled pistil, subtended by a linear bract dilated at the tip; pistillate section up to 15 mm. thick, brown; abortive ovaries flattened, wedge-shaped.

Fruits:

Fruit dry, 1 mm. long, ellipsoid.

Accepted Name:
Typha angustifolia L.
Publication: Sp. Pl. 2: 971. 1753.

Synonyms & Misapplications:
(none provided)
Additional Resources:

PNW Herbaria: Specimen records of Typha angustifolia in the Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria database

WA Flora Checklist: Typha angustifolia checklist entry

OregonFlora: Typha angustifolia information

E-Flora BC: Typha angustifolia atlas page

CalPhotos: Typha angustifolia photos

41 photographs:
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