THE BIOLOGY OF CANADIAN WEEDS.: 73. Typha latifolia L., Typha angustifolia L. and Typha xglauca Godr.

Abstract

Typha latifolia L., common cattail, Typha angustifolia L., narrow-leaved cattail, and Typha xglauca (T. angustifolia × T. latifolia), hybrid cattail, are herbaceous perennials found in wet or saturated soils and aquatic sediments in marshes, wet meadows, lakeshores, pond margins, seacoast estuaries, roadside ditches, bogs, and fens in Canada and the U.S.A. Typha latifolia is a cosmopolitan species found in all provinces of Canada while T. angustifolia and T. xglauca have spread within this century from the coastal areas, largely on the Atlantic coast, through the southern portions of the eastern and central provinces to south-central Manitoba. Considerable variation in T. xglauca exists and our understanding of this taxon is presently limited. Ecotypic variation has been described for the species. Typha is considered to be a weed under certain circumstances though it has beneficial value for waterfowl and wildlife. Typha can be found in a very broad range of habitat types ranging from early to late successional. Typically, T. angustifolia and T. xglauca are more limited in their ecological range than T. latifolia, being associated with saline or disturbed areas. Within habitats, T. latifolia is typically upslope of T. angustifolia with T. xglauca characteristic of more intermediate water depths though much more work is needed on the ecological relations of these taxa. An extensive literature exists on the germination, growth, and abundance of these highly productive taxa.Key words: Cattail, Typha, Typha angustifolia, Typha angustifolia × Typha latifolia, Typha xglauca, Typha latifolia