Typha minima
Encyclopedia
Typha minima, common name Dwarf Bulrush or Miniature Cattail or Least Bulrush, is a perennial herbaceous
plant belonging to the Typhaceae
family.
, that grow up to 20 cm deep in the ground.
Typha minima is the smallest of the cattails. It reaches on average 30–80 cm (11.8–31.5 ) in height, with a maximum of 140 centimetres (55.1 in). The stem is erect and simple. The leaves are blue-green, linear, very narrow and not shiny. They reach up to 30 centimetres (11.8 in) in length and 1–3 mm (0.0393700787401575–0.118110236220472 ) in width.
These plants are monoecious
, with the male and female reproductive structures borne on the same plant but packed into two separate inflorescences. The minute flowers are unisexual
and wind-pollinated. Male (staminate) flowers are yellowish, while female (pistillate) flowers are greenish. The female inflorescence is brownish, ellipsoid, 2–5 cm (0.78740157480315–2 ) long, with an hairy rachis
after the fall of the flowers. It is separated from the male inflorescence by a naked stem section, about 1 centimetre (0.393700787401575 in) long. The male inflorescence is thinner and longer, at the top of the vertical stem. The female flowers have one stalked ovary, surrounded by a thick fringe of hair. The three individual stamens of the male flowers are surrounded by just a few hairs. At the end of blooming the male flowers disperse, leaving the top of the stem naked, while the female inflorescence turns into a brown round seed spike. The main flowering period lasts from May through June. Another flowering period may occurs in August.
Herbaceous
A herbaceous plant is a plant that has leaves and stems that die down at the end of the growing season to the soil level. They have no persistent woody stem above ground...
plant belonging to the Typhaceae
Typhaceae
Typhaceae is the botanical name for a family of flowering plants. Such a family has been recognized by most taxonomists.The APG II system, of 2003 , also recognizes this family, and assigns it to the order Poales in the clade commelinids, in the monocots...
family.
Description
The biological form of Typha minima is hemicryptophyte hydrophyte, meaning that they are plants with submerged overwintering buds, adapted to living in aquatic environments. Vegetative propagation takes place by means of a short 5 to 8 millimeters thick rhizomeRhizome
In botany and dendrology, a rhizome is a characteristically horizontal stem of a plant that is usually found underground, often sending out roots and shoots from its nodes...
, that grow up to 20 cm deep in the ground.
Typha minima is the smallest of the cattails. It reaches on average 30–80 cm (11.8–31.5 ) in height, with a maximum of 140 centimetres (55.1 in). The stem is erect and simple. The leaves are blue-green, linear, very narrow and not shiny. They reach up to 30 centimetres (11.8 in) in length and 1–3 mm (0.0393700787401575–0.118110236220472 ) in width.
These plants are monoecious
Glossary of botanical terms
Many of the terms used in Wikipedia glossaries are already defined and explained within Wikipedia itself. However, lists like the following indicate where new articles need to be written and are also useful for looking up and comparing large numbers of terms together.This glossary is incomplete;...
, with the male and female reproductive structures borne on the same plant but packed into two separate inflorescences. The minute flowers are unisexual
Glossary of botanical terms
Many of the terms used in Wikipedia glossaries are already defined and explained within Wikipedia itself. However, lists like the following indicate where new articles need to be written and are also useful for looking up and comparing large numbers of terms together.This glossary is incomplete;...
and wind-pollinated. Male (staminate) flowers are yellowish, while female (pistillate) flowers are greenish. The female inflorescence is brownish, ellipsoid, 2–5 cm (0.78740157480315–2 ) long, with an hairy rachis
Glossary of botanical terms
Many of the terms used in Wikipedia glossaries are already defined and explained within Wikipedia itself. However, lists like the following indicate where new articles need to be written and are also useful for looking up and comparing large numbers of terms together.This glossary is incomplete;...
after the fall of the flowers. It is separated from the male inflorescence by a naked stem section, about 1 centimetre (0.393700787401575 in) long. The male inflorescence is thinner and longer, at the top of the vertical stem. The female flowers have one stalked ovary, surrounded by a thick fringe of hair. The three individual stamens of the male flowers are surrounded by just a few hairs. At the end of blooming the male flowers disperse, leaving the top of the stem naked, while the female inflorescence turns into a brown round seed spike. The main flowering period lasts from May through June. Another flowering period may occurs in August.
Distribution
This rare plant is widespread in temperate Europe and Asia, but it is threatened with extinction. The distribution is limited to the rivers of the Alps and the Apennines and to the Balkans, the Danube region and the mountains of central Asia.Habitat
Typha minima is a light-loving plant and cannot tolerate shade. It grows on periodically flooded banks of slow flowing, cool and pure waters, along lake margins, in marshes, ponds and swamps, at an altitude of 0–1000 m (0–3,280.8 ) above sea level.Synonyms
- Rohrbachia minima (Funck ex Hoppe) Mavrodiev
- Typha angustifolia var. minor L.
- Typha angustissima Griff.