Typha. | TYPHACES. 743 
1. T. angustifolia, Linn. Sp. Plant. 971.— Very variable in 
stature, 3-Sft. high or more. Leaves as long as the flowering- 
stems or sometimes exceeding them, rather narrow, 4+—4in. broad, 
rarely more, expanded at the base into a broad sheath often more 
than a foot in length, plano-convex or convex on both sides. Spike 
variable in length; male portion usually from 2 to 6in. long, in 
some varieties contiguous to the female part, in others separated 
from it by an interval sometimes as much as 1 in. long, axis of the 
spike furnished with reddish-brown hairs mixed with the flowers ; 
female portion 3-8in. long, 4—-3in. broad. Female flowers fur- 
nished at the base with a linear spathulate bracteole, the hairs on 
the pedicel of the ovary shorter than the stigma.—A. Rich. Fl. 
Now. Zel. 99; A. Cunn. Precur. n. 319; Raoul, Chow, 41; 
Hook. f. Fl. Nov. Zel. i. 238; Handb. N.Z. Fl. 276. T. latifolia, 
Forst. f. Prodr. n. 336 (not of Linn.) ; Hook. f. Handb. N.Z. Fl. 
172. 
Kermapec Istanps, NortH anp SoutH Is~tAnps: Abundant in marshy 
places throughout. Sea-level to 2000 ft. Bulrush ; Raupo. December-— 
March. 
Almost cosmopolitan. The Australian and New Zealand forms are placed 
by Graebner (Das Pflanzenreich, Heft 2) under var. Browniw (T. Brownit, 
Kunth) and yar. Muelleri (T. Muelleri, Rohrb.). The first of these includes the 
larger and coarser states, with much of the habit of 7’. latifolia, and, like it, 
with the male and female spikes contiguous. It differs, however, from 7’. 
latifolia in the female flowers being bracteolate at the base. Var. Muwelleri is 
smaller, and usually has the male and female spikes separated by a distinct 
interval. 
The pollen was formerly collected by the Maoris, made into cakes with water, 
and then baked and eaten; the starchy rhizome was also used for food in times 
of scarcity. The leaves were employed for constructing the walls of their houses, 
or whares, and are still used for the same purpose. 
2. SPARGANIUM, Linn. 
Marsh or aquatic herbs. Rhizome creeping. Stems erect or 
floating, simple or the inflorescence alone branched. Leaves 
crowded at the base of the stem, distichous, linear-elongate, erect 
or floating, sheathing at the base. Flowers moncecious, crowded 
in superposed usually remotely placed globose heads subtended 
by leafy bracts; the upper heads male, the lower female. 
Perianth of 3-8 spathulate membranous scales. Male flowers: 
Stamens 2-3, rarely more; filaments long or short, distinct or 
variously connate; anthers linear-oblong, 4-celled, longitudinally 
dehiscent. Female flowers: Ovary séssile or nearly so, 1—2-celled, 
produced into 1-2 long or short styles; stigma unilateral; ovule 
solitary, pendulous. Fruit obovoid, spongy, tipped by the per- 
sistent style; endocarp bony. Seed with a membranous testa ; 
albumen farinaceous; embryo axile. 
