Typha domingensis Pers.

Global description

Typha domingensis is a large, rhizomatous, vivacious herbaceous plant that grows in colonies in shallow waters. The stem reaches 4 m in height. The long, narrow leaves are inserted towards the base of the plant. The flowers are grouped in dense cylindrical spikes with separate sexes but located on the same individual. The male spike is located at the end of the stem. The female spike just below the male spike is separated by a bare stem space of 1 to 3 cm. These spikes are brown when ripe.

General habit

Large vivacious herbaceous, rhizomatous, vigorous, upright, narrow-leaved plant that grows 2-4 m tall and can form important stands.

Underground system

The underground system is a creeping rhizome.

Stem

The stem is erect, simple and resistant, elliptical at the base and full. It is glabrous.

Leaf

The leaves are simple, sessile in a distichous arrangement, grouped near the base of the stem, 10 or more. Their base is sheathing sheath devoid of atrium. The lamina is linear and narrow, clearly narrowed at the sheath, convex underside and slightly concave to plan upper surface. It is marked with numerous parallel veins close together and has a flattened entire margin. It is 2.50 m long and 3 to 20 mm wide. Bath faces are glabrous.

Inflorescence

The inflorescence is composed of 2 compact spikes, a large female spike, surmounted by a narrower male spike and consisting of numerous flowers pressed against each other. They are equipped at their base with a deciduous bract. The female spike is 13 to 45 cm long and 5 to 40 mm in diameter. It consists of fertile and sterile flowers mixed, inserted on protrusions of the rachis. Female flowers with bracteoles; lanceolate ovary carried by a pedicel 3-6 mm, thin; style 0.5 to 1.5 mm; linear to lanceolate; stigma, 0.8-1.5 mm, wider than the style; the hairs on the pedicel are shorter than the style. The female spike is brown to brown when ripe. The male ear is distant from the female ear 1 to 3.5 cm. It is 17 to 35 cm long and 6 to 7 mm wide. He is brown. The male flowers are reduced to 1 to 3 stamens surrounded by linear spatulate bracts often more or less laciniated at the top. The anthers are 2 mm long. Flowers and fruits are supported by clavate hairs.

Fruit

The fruit is a fusiform follicle. At maturity, it falls with its gynophore and opens with a longitudinal slot.

Worldwide distribution

Typha domingensis is a very common species in all tropical and Mediterranean regions (India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam; Africa, South-West Asia, Australia, Europe, North and South America). It is the only species of Typha in Mascarenes, Comoros and Madagascar and the only one in many African countries.

https://www.gbif.org/species/5289534