SEARCH AND WILDFLOWER HOME PAGE BROWN/GREEN FLOWERS CONTACT US
Linnaeus named this genus and species in 1753. "Typha" is the ancient Greek name for Cattails. "Typha" is given various translations into English: "cat's tails", "smoke", or "marsh", the latter two referring to the "smoke-like" mass dispersal of seeds and the plant's habitat. "Latifolia" is Latin for "wide leaves". |
|
Typha
latifolia (Cattail) Typhaceae (Cattail Family) Foothills, montane, subalpine. Wetlands. Summer. Cattails are almost as familiar to all of us as Robins and squirrels. Cattails grow in dense colonies in ponds, roadside wet areas, and irrigation run-off. They are unmistakable, growing long slim leaves to 5 feet tall and putting forth a giant flower stalk to 7 feet tall with a 6 inch tall seed pod. The very dense, brown pod bears thousands of seeds that are dispersed on tiny fluff when the pod ripens and bursts, from late fall to early spring -- or when the pod is squeezed and exploded by fun-loving humans who are immediately engulfed in a cloud of seeds that stick to everything. |
|
|
Typha
latifolia
(Cattail) Typhaceae (Cattail Family) Foothills, montane, subalpine. Wetlands.
Summer. The brown/yellow pollen structures are ready to fertilize the tightly packed green ovules to give rise to the seeds. |
|
|
Typha
latifolia
(Cattail) Typhaceae (Cattail Family) Foothills, montane, subalpine. Wetlands.
Summer. The brown stick-like projection at the top center carried the brown/yellow pollen structures shown above. The brown mass of seeds below the projection is the product of the fertilized green ovules. |
|
|
Typha
latifolia
(Cattail) Typhaceae (Cattail Family) Foothills, montane, subalpine. Wetlands.
Summer. Brown seeds are imbedded in a fluff which carries the seeds on the slightest breeze. Stand back! Bring a seed head into your house only after you have lacquered it. |
Range map © John Kartesz,
County Color Key
|
Range map for Typha latifolia |