TYPHACEAE - CAT-TAIL FAMILY
Scientific Description:
Aquatic or semi-terrestrial perennial monoecious herbs of waterside habitats with creeping rhizomes. Stems erect, corm-like at base. Leaves mostly basal, distichous, erect, with sheath closely enveloping stem; lamina linear, with a layer of air-filled cavities. Flowers condensed in two superposed, contiguous to distant, cylindrical spike-like partial inflorescences, the upper male, the lower female. Male flowers consisting of stamens in clusters of1−3(−8); axis with simple or forked hair-like scales or naked; anthers with swollen connecive; pollen grains single or in tetrads. Female flowers on branched stalks, with or without hair-like scales, each flower consisting of a pistil persistent with a gynophore and hairs surrounding base of gynophore; sterile flowers (pistillodes) present. Ovary uni-ovulate, superior; style filiform, persistent, stigma linear or dilated and spathulate, longer than hairs. Fruit small, fusiform, indehiscent or longitudinally dehiscent, with a membranous pericarp.
Reference:
Davis PH (1984). Typhaceae, In: Davis PH (ed.), Flora of Turkey and the East Aegean Islands, Edinburgh University Press, Edinburgh, 8: 558.
Public Description:
Typhaceae, commonly known as “cat-tail family”, is native to Eurasia and North America. They are aquatic or semi-terrestrial herbaceous perennial plants of waterside habitats with creeping rhizomes.The leaves of the plants are used in in weaving chair bottoms and mats. Its leaves can also be used as a source of good quality cellulose to produce paper. From the floral part of the plants, fiber is obtained in excellent quality for use in the textile industry. The starch-rich rhizomes are edible, highly nutritious and abundant pollen is used in the pharmaceutical industry.
References:
Anonymous 1 (2016) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typhaceae/,Accessed date: 24.11.2016.
Anonymous 2(2016) http://www.kew.org/science/tropamerica/neotropikey/families/Typhaceae.htm/,Accessed date: 24.11.2016.
Anonymous3(2016) https://gobotany.newenglandwild.org/search/?q=typhaceae/,Accessed date: 24.11.2016.
