Plants of South Eastern New South Wales

Typha orientalis

Flower spikes and leaves. Photographer Don Wood, Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, ACT

Plant. Photographer Don Wood, Tantawangalo Creek near Candelo

Plants. Photogrtapher Jackie Miles

Common name

Broad-leaved cumbungi, Bulrush, Flags

Family

Typhaceae

Where found

In and near fresh water. Widespread. No records from Kosciuszko National Park.

Notes

Grass-like perennial herb to 4 m tall. Leaves in 2 rows up the stems, to 200 cm long, 5-30 mm wide, hairless, usually bluish or grey-green, an open sheath at the base closely encircling the stem, the sheath of the upper 2–4 leaves with a distinct auricle. Male and female flowers on the same plant. Flowers chestnut brown, in cylindrical spikes, the upper spike 100-300 mm long, 5–15 mm in diameter, of male flowers, and the lower spike 80-300 mm long, 10-40 mm in diameter, of female flowers. Male and female spikes not separated. or separated by up to 50 mm. Individual flowers small, with 0 petals. Flowers most of the year.

Difficult to distinguish from Typha domingensis. Accurate differentiation between the two species requires microscopic examination of the female spike.

General Biosecurity Duty all NSW. Always check native vegetation requirements before undertaking control of a weedy native plant.

All native plants on unleased land in the ACT are protected.

PlantNET description: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Typha~orientalis (accessed 7 February, 2021)