narrow-leaved cattail

(Typha angustifolia)

Conservation Status
narrow-leaved cattail
 
  IUCN Red List

LC - Least Concern

     
  NatureServe

NNR - Unranked

SNR - Unranked

     
  Minnesota

not listed

     
           
Weed Status
   
 

Though narrow-leaved cattail is a native to Minnesota, some people consider it an invasive species. They argue that where it is introduced it soon crowds out other native species, often creating a monoculture. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture does not consider this an invasive species.

     
           
Wetland Indicator Status
     
  Great Plains

OBL - Obligate wetland

     
  Midwest

OBL - Obligate wetland

     
  Northcentral & Northeast

OBL - Obligate wetland

     
           
 
Description
 
 

Narrow-leaved cattail is a 3 to 9 tall, erect, perennial forb that rises on a single stem or cluster of stems from a thick, mostly horizontal, unbranched rhizome. It grows in muddy soil, often with its roots underwater.

The stems are erect, stiff, unbranched, light green, hairless, and round in cross section. They are 3 16 to ½ thick in the middle, 1 16 to thick near the inflorescence.

The leaves are mostly basal, alternate, green, and linear. They are slightly concave on the upper side, convex on the underside. They are to ½ wide, usually rising well above the flowering spike. They sheath the stem at the base and taper to a sharp point at the tip. They have parallel veins but do not have a prominent midrib. When fresh they are not glaucous.

The inflorescence is a dense spike of minute staminate (male) and pistillate (female) flowers at the end of the stem.

The staminate-flowered portion of the spike is above and separated by a ½ to 4¾ long length of naked stem from the pistillate-flowered portion. When in flower it is thick and about as long as the pistillate portion. The male flowers are straw-colored to medium brown.

The pistillate-flowered portion of the spike is 2 to 8 long and 3 16 to ¼ thick when in flower. When in fruit it is brown and ½ to thick. The female flowers are dark brown at first, drying medium brown.

The fruit is a thin-walled achene with hairs attached.

 
     
 

Height

 
 

3 to 9

 
     
 

Flower Color

 
 

Brown

 
     
 

Similar Species

 
 

Broad-leaved cattail (Typha latifolia) has broader, green to grayish-blue leaves that are up to 1 wide, flat, and extend only slightly above the flowering spike. The staminate spike of the flowering stalk is contiguous with, not separated from, the pistillate spike. When in fruit, the pistillate spike is 1 to 1¼ thick.

Hybrid cattail (Typha × glauca) occurs in places where both broad-leaved cattail and narrow-leaved cattail are present. It is a hybrid with characteristics that are intermediate between the two parent species.

 
     
 
Habitat
 
 

Moist to wet. Marshes, ditches. Full sun.

 
     
 
Ecology
 
 

Flowering

 
 

June to July

 
     
 

Pests and Diseases

 
 

 

 
     
 
Use
 
 

 

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 28, 29, 30.

 
  3/4/2023      
         
 

Nativity

 
 

Native

 
         
 

Occurrence

 
 

Common

 
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Kingdom Plantae (green algae and land plants)  
  Subkingdom Viridiplantae (green plants)  
  Infrakingdom Streptophyta (land plants and green algae)  
  Superdivision Embryophyta (land plants)  
  Division Tracheophyta (vascular plants)  
  Subdivision Spermatophytina (seed plants)  
  Class Liliopsida (monocots)  
 

Order

Poales (grasses, sedges, cattails, and allies)  
 

Family

Typhaceae (bulrushes, cattails, and allies)  
  Tribe Typheae  
 

Genus

Typha (cattails)  
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

Typha angustifolia var. calumetensis

Typha angustifolia var. elongata

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

bulrushes

cat o’nine tails

cattail

Cossack asparagus

lesser reed-mace

nail-rod

narrow-leaf cat-tail

narrowleaf cattail

narrow-leaved cattail

reed mace

rushes

small reed-mace

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Achene

A dry, one-chambered, single-seeded fruit, formed from a single carpel, with the seed attached to the membranous outer layer (wall) only by the seed stalk; the wall, formed entirely from the wall of the superior ovary, does not split open at maturity, but relies on decay or predation to release the contents.

 

Glaucous

Pale green or bluish gray due to a whitish, powdery or waxy film, as on a plum or a grape.

 

Rhizome

A horizontal, usually underground stem. It serves as a reproductive structure, producing roots below and shoots above at the nodes.

 

Sheath

The lower part of the leaf that surrounds the stem

 
 
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MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

Plant

 
    narrow-leaved cattail   narrow-leaved cattail  
           
 

Inflorescence

 
    narrow-leaved cattail   narrow-leaved cattail  
           
    narrow-leaved cattail   narrow-leaved cattail  
           
 

Male Spike

 
    narrow-leaved cattail      
           
 

Female Spike

 
    narrow-leaved cattail      

 

Camera

     
 
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slideshow

       
 
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Other Videos
 
  Lesser Bulrush (Typha Angustifolia L.) - 2012-06-23
W3stlander
 
   
 
About

Published on Jun 25, 2012

Typha angustifolia L., ( also Lesser Bulrush or Narrowleaf Cattail or Lesser Reedmace), is a perennial herbaceous plant of genus Typha.

---------------
De kleine lisdodde (Typha angustifolia) is een plant uit de lisdoddefamilie (Typhaceae).

   
  Narrow Leaf Cattail in Minnesota
Go Nutrient Negative!
 
   
 
About

Uploaded on Aug 1, 2011

Narrow Leaf Cattail in Minnesota requires a respond from the Minnesota DNR

   
  House Environment and Natural Resources Policy Committee 2/26/13
MNHouseInfo
 
   
 
About

Published on Feb 26, 2013

00:18 - Gavel.

00:40 - HF461 (Benson) Mechanical control of hybrid and narrow-leaved cattail rulemaking allowed without an aquatic plant management permit.

35:45 - HF657 (Hackbarth) Spearing restrictions removed from lakes.

1:03:25 - HF896 (Persell) Requiring the installation of electric fish barriers.

Runs 1 hour, 49 minutes.

   
  Cattail and Bulrush part 2
jodajean1
 
   
 
About

Published on Jun 28, 2012

A comparison between narrowleaf cattail and common cattail as well as a comparison between hardsterm bulrush and great bulrush.

   

 

Camcorder

 
 
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