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Herbs & Plants

Narrow Leaf Cattail

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Botanical Name : Typha angustifolia
Family: Typhaceae – Cat-tail family
Genus : Typha L. – cattail
Species :Typha angustifolia L. – narrowleaf cattail
Kingdom:Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision : Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division:  Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class: Liliopsida – Monocotyledons
Subclass: Commelinidae
Order: Typhales

Synonyms:
Typha angustifolia L.
TYANC Typha angustifolia L. var. calumetensis Peattie
TYANE Typha angustifolia L. var. elongata (Dudley) Wiegand

Common Name : Lesser Bulrush or Narrowleaf Cattail or Lesser Reedmace or Cattail

Habitat :This cattail is an “obligate wetland” species that is commonly found in the northern hemisphere in brackish locations.

Description:
Typha angustifolia is a perennial herbaceous plant of genus.
The plant’s leaves are flat, very narrow (¼”-½” wide), and 3′-6′ tall when mature; 12-16 leaves arise from each vegetative shoot. At maturity, they have distinctive stalks that are about as tall as the leaves; the stalks are topped with brown, fluffy, sausage-shaped flowering heads. The plants have sturdy, rhizomatous roots that can extend 27″ and are typically ¾”-1½” in diameter.
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It has been proposed that the species was introduced from Europe to North America.  In North America, it is also thought to have been introduced from coastal to inland locations.

The geographic range of Typha angustifolia overlaps with the very similar species Typha latifolia (broadleaf or common cattail). T. angustifolia can be distinguished from T. latifolia by its narrower leaves and by a clear separation of two different regions (staminate flowers above and pistilate flowers below) on the flowering heads. The species hybridize as Typha x glauca (Typha angustifolia x T. latifolia) (white cattail); Typha x glauca is not a distinct species, but is rather a sterile F1 hybrid.[6] Broadleaf cattail is usually found in shallower water than narrowleaf cattail

Edible Uses:
Several parts of the plant are edible, including during various seasons the dormant sprouts on roots and bases of leaves, the inner core of the stalk, green bloom spikes, ripe pollen, and starchy roots. The edible stem is called bon bon in Vietnam

Medicinal Uses:
In Chinese herbal medicine, the astringent pu huang pollen has been employed chiefly to stop internal or external bleeding.  The dried pollen is said to be anticoagulant, but when roasted with charcoal it becomes hemostatic. The pollen may be mixed with honey and applied to wounds and sores, or taken orally to reduce internal bleeding of almost any kind—for example, nosebleeds, uterine bleeding, or blood in the urine.  The pollen is now also used in the treatment of angina.  Pu huang does not appear to have been used as a medicine in the European herbal tradition.  The dregs remaining after the pollen has been sifted from the stamens and sepals can be browned in an oven or hot skillet and then used as an internal or external astringent in dysentery and other forms of bowel hemorrhage.  It is used internally in the treatment of kidney stones, internal hemorrhage of almost any kind, painful menstruation, abnormal uterine bleeding, post-partum pains, abscesses and cancer of the lymphatic system. It should not be prescribed for pregnant women. Externally, it is used in the treatment of tapeworms, diarrhea and injuries.  An infusion of the root has been used in the treatment of gravel.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typha_angustifolia
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=TYAN&photoID=tyan_004_avp.tif
http://www.rook.org/earl/bwca/nature/aquatics/typhaan.html
http://www.herbnet.com/Herb%20Uses_C.htm
http://www.ct-botanical-society.org/galleries/typhaangu.html

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