Lesser Bulrush

Names and Synonyms

Common Names

• narrow-leaved cattail
• Lesser Bulrush
• Lesser Reedmace
• cattail
• lesser reed-mace
• lesser-bulrush
• nailrod
• narrow-leaf cattail
• small reed-mace
• narrowleaf cattail

Scientific Names

Accepted name

Synonyms

• Massula angustifolia
• Typha angustifolia var. elatior
• Typha angustifolia var. angustata
• Typha angustifolia f. foveolata
• Typha angustifolia f. submersa
• Typha elatior
• Typha media
• Typha austro-orientalis
• Typha angustata
• Typha latifolia var. minor
• Typha domingensis var. angustata
• Typha linnaei
• Typha angustifolia subsp. angustata
• Typha angustifolia var. calumetensis
• Typha angustifolia var. elongata
• Typha angustifolia f. inaequalis
• Typha angustifolia var. longispicata
• Typha angustifolia var. spathacea
• Typha foveolata
• Typha pontica

Regional and Traditional Names

Sources: Wikidata, Catalogue of Life

Taxonomical Classification

This plant belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta, falling under the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae. Within the order Poales, it is classified under the family Typhaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is defined by the genus Typha.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Distribution

This plant exhibits a specific range across several territories within Northern Europe. Its presence is documented in the coastal and inland waters of Denmark. Moving further north, the species can also be found throughout Finland. It is widely distributed across the islands of Great Britain and Ireland as well. Finally, the geographical reach of this medicinal plant extends into the landscapes of Norway.

Sources: The World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP)

Botanical Identification

Ecology

The ecology of Typha angustifolia is characterized by its ability to thrive across a diverse altitudinal gradient, ranging from sea level (0 m AMSL) up to a maximum elevation of 1100 m AMSL. This species demonstrates significant ecological plasticity, colonizing various environments including anthropogenic areas (Área Antrópica), coastal restinga ecosystems, and specialized aquatic vegetation (Vegetação Aquática) zones. Its presence in these distinct habitats highlights its adaptability to both human-disturbed landscapes and natural wetland systems.

Elevational range max:

1100 m AMSL

Elevational range min:

0 m AMSL

Habitat :

Área Antrópica, Restinga, Vegetação Aquática

Life history

The life history of Typha angustifolia is characterized by a perennial lifecycle, allowing the plant to persist in its habitat across multiple growing seasons. It functions as a helophyte, a life form adapted to wetland environments where it maintains both aquatic and terrestrial components, while also exhibiting characteristics of a cryptophyte due to its specialized survival strategies. The plant follows a deciduous pattern, shedding its foliage during unfavorable seasonal conditions to conserve energy and resources.

Deciduousness :

deciduous

Life form :

helophyte

Life form :

cryptophyte

Lifecycle :

perennial

Morphology

The morphology of Typha angustifolia is characterized by its growth form as a non-woody herb, specifically classified as a forb. This species is a self-supporting plant that does not function as a climber or a liana, nor does it exhibit parasitic behavior, growing instead as an independent organism. It is a terrestrial species rather than an aquatic or semiaquatic one, and it lacks epiphytic qualities, maintaining a strictly terrestrial existence. In terms of stature, the plant displays significant variability in height, with individual specimens ranging from a minimum of 1 meter to a maximum of 3 meters, resulting in an average plant height of approximately 1.67 meters.

Aquatic :

terrestrial

Climber :

self-supporting

Epiphyte :

terrestrial

Growth form :

herb

Growth form :

forb

Parasite :

independent

Plant height max:

3 m

Plant height mean:

1.66666666666667 m

Plant height min:

1 m

Woodiness :

non-woody

Physiology

The physiology of Typha angustifolia is characterized by a C3 photosynthetic pathway, facilitating carbon fixation through standard enzymatic processes. The plant exhibits a non-carnivorous nutritional strategy, relying on traditional soil nutrient uptake. Its leaf morphology is highly elongated and narrow, with a mean leaf length of 87 cm, ranging from a minimum of 54 cm to a maximum of 120 cm, while the leaf width remains slender, averaging 0.65 cm with a minimum of 0.4 cm and a maximum of 0.9 cm. These dimensions contribute to a mean leaf size of 95.62 cm². Furthermore, the plant displays a mean Specific Leaf Area (SLA) of 65.77 cm²/g, reflecting its leaf mass distribution and structural efficiency in light interception.

Carnivory :

non-carnivorous

Leaf length max:

120 cm

Leaf length mean:

87 cm

Leaf length min:

54 cm

Leaf size mean:

95.62 cm²

Leaf width max:

0.9 cm

Leaf width mean:

0.65 cm

Leaf width min:

0.4 cm

Photosynthetic pathway :

C3

Specific Leaf Area (SLA) mean:

65.77 cm²/g

Reproduction

The reproduction of Typha angustifolia is characterized by a monoeciously sexual reproductive strategy, with asexual reproduction being notably absent. The flowering period typically commences in June and concludes in August. The pollination process is driven by abiotic factors, specifically utilizing a wind-based pollination syndrome. Following successful pollination, the plant produces fruit in the form of an achene. These fruits are indehiscent and maintain a consistent length of 0.15 cm (with a minimum, mean, and maximum all measuring 0.15 cm). The resulting seeds are exceptionally lightweight, with a mean mass of 0.0001326 g, ranging from a minimum of 3.9e-05 g to a maximum of 0.00031 g. Dispersal is achieved through an anemochorous syndrome, meaning the seeds are primarily dispersed by the wind. Self-fertilization in this species is absent, ensuring genetic diversity through its reproductive mechanisms.

Dehiscence :

indehiscent

Dispersal syndrome :

anemochorous

Flowering time :

Jun

Flowering time :

Aug

Fruit length max:

0.15 cm

Fruit type :

achene

Pollination syndrome :

wind

Pollination syndrome :

abiotic

Reproduction asexual :

absent

Reproduction sexual :

monoecious

Seed mass max:

0.00031 g

Seed mass mean:

0.0001326 g

Seed mass min:

3.9e-05 g

Self fertilization :

absent

Sources: Global Inventory of Floras and Traits (GIFT)

Plant Parts

Typha angustifolia has 2 reported plant parts identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases that are studied for medicinal purposes. The most consistently reported plant part include flower, leaf.

Flower

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

Leaf

1. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica

Chemicals

Typha angustifolia has 7 reported phytochemicals identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include Flavonoids, Steroids, Typhaneoside, Typhatifolin B, Vanillic acid.

Flavonoids

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials
2. Pharmaceutical biology
3. Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica
4. Frontiers in pharmacology
5. Zhongguo Zhong yao za zhi = Zhongguo zhongyao zazhi = China journal of Chinese materia medica

Steroids

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Typhaneoside

1. Pharmaceutical biology

Typhatifolin B

1. European journal of medicinal chemistry

Vanillic acid

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

p-Hydroxybenzoic acid

1. Biomedical chromatography : BMC

quercetin

1. Zhong yao cai = Zhongyaocai = Journal of Chinese medicinal materials

Activities

Typha angustifolia has 1 reported activities identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Analgesic.

Analgesic

1. Frontiers in pharmacology

Medicinal Uses

Typha angustifolia has 7 reported medicinal uses identified across 2 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include breast cancer, dysmenorrhea, hematochezia, hematuria, irregular menstruation.

Most Reported Uses

Preparations