Typha

Typha /ˈtaɪfə/ is a <a href="/facts/Genus/m8EFjSms">genus</a> of about 30 <a href="/facts/Species/oDg6b96r">species</a> of <a href="/facts/Monocotyledon/mXCuuCYo">monocotyledonous</a> <a href="/facts/Flowering_plant/E5eGYIvY">flowering plants</a> in the family <a href="/facts/Typhaceae/mIHxLLtR">Typhaceae</a>. These plants have a variety of common names, in <a href="/facts/British_English/ymJR5Rnd">British English</a> as bulrush or (mainly historically) reedmace, in <a href="/facts/American_English/sdAfgPgM">American English</a> as cattail, or punks, in <a href="/facts/Australia/qLHpbppq">Australia</a> as cumbungi or bulrush, in <a href="/facts/Canada/cWWFM8oc">Canada</a> as bulrush or cattail, and in <a href="/facts/New_Zealand/4mpSlJdg">New Zealand</a> as raupō, bullrush, cattail or reed. Other taxa of plants may be known as <a href="/facts/Bulrush/c9n1y5uc">bulrush</a>, including some <a href="/facts/Cyperaceae/A1oI2H0U">sedges</a> in <a href="/facts/Scirpus/raGCPYhR">Scirpus</a> and related genera.
The genus is largely distributed in the <a href="/facts/Northern_Hemisphere/EFwyqL25">Northern Hemisphere</a>, where it is found in a variety of <a href="/facts/Wetland/9abbP7CR">wetland</a> habitats.
The <a href="/facts/Rhizome/wWDKJrSf">rhizomes</a> are edible, though at least some species are known to accumulate toxins and so must first undergo treatment before being eaten. Evidence of preserved <a href="/facts/Starch/gHAqGfJb">starch</a> grains on <a href="/facts/Grinding_stone/q1crPEs4">grinding stones</a> suggests they were already eaten in Europe 30,000 years ago.

Typha open-in-new

Typha