Bulrush, Cattail, Narrowleaf Cumbungi
Typha domingensis

Family: Typhaceae

What it is like

A tall reed-like plant. It grows in water and keeps growing from year to year. They grow up to 4.5 m high. They form dense thickets around swamps. The leaves are long and blade-like and enclosed in a sheath. They are grass-green. They grow in two opposite rows. The flowers are brown. They are produced in long cylindrical spikes. These look like sausages on spikes. These are up to 20 mm wide. The flowers are usually separated into male (above) and female (below) sections. When mature they turn into a mass of fluff.

There are 10 Typha species.

Where it is found

It is a subtemperate plant. They grow in stagnant and slow moving water. It grows in wetlands. It needs wet soils and an open sunny position. It is resistant to frost. It can grow in arid places. In Argentina it grows below 100 m above sea level. Tasmanian Herbarium. In Sichuan and Yunnan.

Countries/locations it is found in

Africa, Argentina, Asia, Australia (country/location of origin), Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, British Indian Ocean Terr., BIOT, Burkina Faso, Central America, Central Asia, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, East Africa, East Timor, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Guiana, Guianas, Guinea, Guinée, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Himalayas, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jamaica, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Middle East, Mongolia, Mozambique, Myanmar, Nepal, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Nigeria, North America, Northeastern India, Pakistan, Paraguay, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Russia, SE Asia, Senegal, South America (country/location of origin), Sri Lanka, Suriname, Taiwan, Tajikistan, Tasmania (country/location of origin), Timor-Leste, Uruguay, USA, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Vietnam, West Africa, West Indies (country/location of origin), Zambia

How it is used for food

The starchy roots or tubers are dug from swamps and pounded then roasted. They also yield starch. The centre of the stem near the base is also edible. It can be used in soups or salads. Young flowering spikes can be eaten raw or cooked and served with butter or with local salt. The bright yellow pollen can be used like turmeric to colour rice. The pollen can be steamed to make a pudding. It can be added to bread or cakes. It is also used to thicken soup. The young shoots are eaten raw or cooked. The fruit are dried and then a yellow flour is made and cooked in water.

Edible parts

Leaves, shoots, rhizome, root, pollen, pith, vegetable, flowers

How it is grown

Plants can be grown by division.

The pollen is shaken from the male flower over a container. The yield of starch flour can be 2500 kg from 0.5 ha of bulrushes. The harvested shoots can be stored for 6-7 days.

Its other names

Local names

Aanechondu, Aane jondu, Aapu, Akho, Ane jondu, Baaliyan, Cheena, Chi'na, Chiena, Dabbu-jammu, Ekho, Fapu', Ghabajario, Googol bon, Hati ghah, Hogla, Jammu, Jammugaddi, Jangli-bajri, Jwi'na, Kai, Kaw, Kaylampa, Kundar, Lesser cats tail, Lookh, Malo, Maranda, Maribala, Ngallowayn, Panjabris, Pankanis, Pario, Patera, Pitz, Pun, Poorteetch, Puwarji, Reedmace, Sambu, Taboa, Tabua, Totora, Tule, Wana-yuk, Wa'na, Wonga

Synonyms

Typha angustifolia L. var. domingensis (Pers.) Griseb.; Typha angustata Bory & Chaub.; Typha australis Schum. & Thonn.;