Typha dominguensis

 Typha dominguensis (narrow-leaved cattail) (tule)

Typhaceae

• A group of tall marsh species are the cattails. The most common of these in our desert areas is the narrow-leaved cattail, which is distinguished by a bare area on the flowering stalks separating the male flowers above the female flowers below. It reproduces vegetatively from underground rhizomes. It is able to survive the anaerobic conditions of waterlogged soils by using hollow stems to transport air to the roots. "California Desert Plants, Philp W Rundel, Robert J Gustafson, Michael E Kauffmann."
• Plants 1-2 m. tall; sterile stems with 6-9 leaves and white pith; leaves 6-12 mm. wide, light yellowish green; sheaths tapering at throat to the blade, scarious-margined above; spikes as tall as or somewhat shorter than leaves, the staminate and pistillate parts usually separated by a distance as great as the diameter of the pistillate spike or greater, the distance often varying from 0.5 cm. to 6 cm.; pistillate spike light brown, becoming buff or gray, usually 10 times or more as long as thick, 15-25 cm. long, 1.5-2.5 cm. thick; flowers arranged on stout compound pedicels which when stripped of appendages are rough and openly spaced; bracts with light brown, translucent, obovate or apiculate blades on slender stalks; fertile flowers with a light brown, linear, deciduous stigma; sterile flowers with obovoid abortive ovaries, much longer than the functional ovaries; stamens on branched filaments, interspersed with linear, cuneate, laciniate brown bracts; pollen golden yellow, 1-celled or occasionally in pairs. Coastal and valley marshes at low altitudes: throughout California; east to Atlantic and south through tropical areas. "Flora of the Marshes of California. Herbert L. Mason".
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