Plant 6 to 9 ft. tall. Leaves light yellowish-green, 1/4 to 1/2 in. wide, 6 to 9 per plant, equaling or slightly exceeding height of female (pistillate) spikes; upper leaf proximal 4 in. orange-brown gland-dotted. Bommer Canyon Nature Loop, Irvine, CA. 6-25-11. © Joan Avise |
Southern Cattail Typha domingensis Native US to South America, in temperate and tropical regions worldwide; freshwater to brackish marshes (UNB), wet disturbed places at the edges of ponds, year round streams. Flowering June-July. Uses Back to Typhaceae of Orange County, California |
Male and female parts separated by 3/4 in.of naked stem, about the diameter of the pistillate spike. Staminate spike narrower but same length as the pistillate spike; Male above, female spike below. Santiago Oaks Regional Park. Orange, CA. 7-3-11. © Joan Avise |
Male above, female spike below. Santiago Oaks Regional Park. Orange, CA. 7-3-11. © Joan Avise |
Male flowers with yellowish-brown strap-like scales (bracts), tips widened, irregularly dissected, golden-yellow single-celled pollen grains. Mature pistillate spike 6-10 in., light cinnamon or medium brown becoming buffy or grayish; pistillate bractlets acute, tips straw-colored to light brown. Male flower spike in bloom. Santiago Oaks Regional Park. Orange, CA. 7-3-11. © Joan Avise |
Female flower spike in bloom Santiago Oaks Regional Park. Orange, CA. 7-3-11. © Joan Avise |
Male spike above, female below. Santiago Oaks Regional Park. Orange, CA. 7-3-11. © Joan Avise |
Stigma may be white in flower, medium to yellow-brown in fruit; sterile ovary visible at spike surface; pistil hair tips straw colored with large orange-brown spot. Female spike. Santiago Oaks Regional Park. Orange, CA. 7-3-11. © Joan Avise |
Bommer Canyon Nature Loop, Irvine, CA. 6-25-11. © Joan Avise |
Ladd Cyn, 12-9-10. © Ron Vanderhoff.
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Ladd Cyn, 12-9-10. © Ron Vanderhoff. |